Her cheerios are all over the floor again. So is the mashed food..
2007-10-14 13:52:56 · 15 answers · asked by Pie 3 in Pregnancy & Parenting ➔ Toddler & Preschooler
Yes, but remind her she needs to be eating it. Eventually, she'll get the hang of it.
Could you be giving her too much in the first place?
Good luck and best wishes.
2007-10-14 14:13:10 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
Something that has worked with our daughter is telling her what she CAN do with her food (sounds funny now that I've typed it...like "you can take that food and shove it!" haha)
Anyway, rather than telling her "No, don't throw your food" we say "Food is for EATING, not for throwing" We use the same techniques whenever we need to redirect her behavior. Our little one hasn't ever been a food thrower since we started this.
Like someone else mentioned, we also offer small bits at a time, letting her ask for more if she wants more. If you offer her a whole pile of food, she may be overwhelmed and start playing more than eating.
Also, as others have mentioned, once playing with food begins and eating ceases, we take the food away and clean up.
But it's also normal behavior at this point, especially if she's relatively new to self-feeding. We started self-feeding at 6 months, so it's not really a game or a new thing for our kiddo. If we had introduced self-feeding at the more common time of 13 months or later, then I'm sure we'd have the food-pitching problems that most parents face. Give it a little time, and with your direction, the game will get old.
Good luck and let the dog clean up what baby throws overboard :)
2007-10-15 00:05:05 · answer #2 · answered by Evin 5 · 1⤊ 0⤋
I wouldn't scold her for it, I would just take it away once she stops eating and starts playing. Or give her 3-4 cheerios at a time. I personally wouldn't want to clean up the mashed food so if she plays in it and gets it in the floor I would feed it to her until she is older
2007-10-15 11:40:40 · answer #3 · answered by Emily 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
YES! This is how they learn about foods and eating and all that. Let her make a mess but make sure she is eating too. Help her as much as she will let you and dont let her do things like dump the food out onto the floor or throw it but mushing it around and squising and mixing and making food doodles on the tray are all normal parts of growing up. Now if she is tossing the food on the floor tell her all done, take her out and make her help you clean it up. This has worked well with my son. Good luck!
2007-10-15 01:01:45 · answer #4 · answered by shannonlbuck 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
An 18 month old learns a lot about the world by playing with her food. She learns about texture , flavors, colors and gravity when she mashes and drops her food. No, you don't have to allow her to destroy the kitchen but manipulation and just getting the food in her own mouth encourage fine motor control that she will need to learn about her surroundings.
2007-10-18 20:53:03 · answer #5 · answered by Mama Mia 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
about this age, she should be getting a little more serious about eating. Young babies "play" with their food to feel new textures, see what happens to it when they do certain things, etc. An 18 mo old knows the answers now and it's time to get down to business! Give very small amounts at a time and add a bit more when she finishes- she's old enough to tell you if she wants more, too. If she starts to play, give her one warning, and if it continues, take her plate away- meal is over!
2007-10-14 21:30:50 · answer #6 · answered by nanny411 7 · 1⤊ 1⤋
Usually kids that age play with their food when they're full. It's really not a big deal though. that's how they learn things, by exploring. A toddler is not going to have perfect manners yet of course!
2007-10-14 22:14:02 · answer #7 · answered by Carrie 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋
I bought a yard of table cloth material and put it under my daughter's chair until this phase was gone...you can always get a dog! : )
Seriously, if she is not actually eating it, take it away. But if she is eating and just making a big mess, let her do it. My daughter is 4 and some nights she still won't eat dinner.... : (
2007-10-14 22:14:41 · answer #8 · answered by Silver B 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
I understand they are toddlers ... but still playing with food is certainly not want anyone would want ... be parents or relatives. Try to work a way to her understand that she needs to respect food ... either by eating it or leaving it but not throwing it.
I know its hard but its never gonna be easy, Good luck ... its takes time but yes they do obey.
2007-10-14 21:02:22 · answer #9 · answered by its_me_vik 2 · 0⤊ 1⤋
usually if they start playing they are full. when my son plays I take his food. Teach her good manners by not letting her play with her food.
2007-10-14 21:41:54 · answer #10 · answered by Baby Julie due 5/12 3 · 0⤊ 1⤋