Hi ladies,
I'm after some advise on toddlers feeding themselves. For a long time I've avoided my toddler feeding herself, by feeding her myself. I find it helps meal times go by a lot quicker on busy days, she tends to eat a lot more food when I feed her and of course the big one is no mess to clean up afterwards! I know that may sound lazy but it's actually not the case at all. I'm so over the top about having a clean house that watching her eat actually stresses me out. I know I am holding her back and I know I need to get past the fact that kids make a mess. So what I'm asking for is any tips and tricks that you found useful when teaching your kids to feed themselves?
Thanks in advance. :)
3 Replies
Give them things like crackers or sandwiches that they can hold in there hands without being mushy :)
Also maybe eating meals outside so you feel less anxious about mess.
we taught our toddler to clean first! that probably sounds terrible but we are a bit on the ocd clean side as well, so we always ask the question 'where does it go?', drink bottles go on the table, food goes on the plate, if you dont like something thats on your plate, it gets passed to mummy or put onto mummys plate. it didnt take her very long to pick it up, and we dont have food throwing, food on the floor or anything cause everything has its place! She is even given a wet wipe after dinner and helps mummy and daddy wipe the table and the floor. She is still mastering the use of utensils, but dinner times are pretty clean affairs so its brilliant, even if she still uses her fingers to eat. It does take a long time though, nothing you can do about that. we just light some candles, crank the tunes and enjoy being together :)
A drop sheet! Or have picnics outside now that the weather is nicer. I don't think I need to explain why it is important that your child learns to feed herself asap, so for her sake, please try to get through it quickly. If it is a true obsession (i.e. mental health related, that may sound silly but for some it could be the case) please see someone and get help.