How to keep my 18 month old from shoving handfuls of food in his mouth at one time?

Question

My 18 month old son is going to give me a heart attack one day, if I feed him and give him the plate or bowl he will shove handfuls in his mouth, I watch him, like tonight he started off good, and then started taking handfuls of food but then dropping them back on his plate, figuring he was playing, until about the fourth time he tricked me and instead of dropping it shoved it all in his mouth. I try taking the stuff away and then he cries with a mouth full of food. I've tried only giving him one item at a time, but then he screams for the whole plate, I've tried hiding the plate-he's not fooled. I taught him "bite", which does no good, because then he just bites until it's all in his mouth. I taught him "one" and he puts one after another in his mouth. I've tried everything, and I just can't seem to get him to eat right, he wants to shove everything in his mouth, and when it gets bad is when he screams, because he usually has something in his mouth at that time. Any ideas? Thanks

Answer 1

our 2 year old would also fill his mouth with food and then couldn't swallow - causing him to "unload" as we called it.
we told him that mice eat small bites - let's eat like a mouse. take a small bite and chew, chew, chew, then take another bite. we have to remind him still sometimes, but it seems to work.

Answer 2

You have a couple of options, you can continue to feed him yourself or you can just let him go for it. If you let him go for it, just watch him and make sure you cut up every thing small. He will learn table manners eventually. Right now he is lucky to find his mouth. You could always give him easy to hold utensils and then demonstrate by example how he should eat with them . He will find it fun to copy you. Since the spoon surface is a finite one, it will be harder to shovel the food.

My daughter used to pick up a handful of food, then put her whole hand in her mouth and let go of the food. Of course this is the same kid who wore her plate on her head when she was done eating. The utensil example worked great for her.

Answer 3

It may take a while for him to know that the food isn't going anywhere. If one night you choose to make chicken legs try to only give him the chicken leg and save the rest for when he finishes the chicken leg. Tell him that one bite then chew, drink some juice then swollow.

Answer 4

Yes, Be happy that he keeps his mouth full, then he can't talk your ear off:) He will be fine, The more you make of it, the more he will do it for the attention.
Let him eat and maybe serve him a little less and pay no attention and it will stop.
Good luck

Answer 5

Just try giving him one piece at a time in front of him until he understands that is all he gets until the next bite.

Answer 6

have you tried teaching him to use a spoon on his own, maybe that will slow him down, get him a cute spoon with a cartoon character on it, and make a big deal about it by praising him when he does it right, and when he goes back to using his hands continue to remind him about the spoon

Answer 7

Let him. He will learn to slow down on his own