Hello
I just read a lot of responses to the question of how to stop a 16 month old from throwing food on the floor. I understand the ideas of taking the food away and taking them out of the high chair and I agree with them. My problem is I feed my daughter a few bites at a time of fruit, then vegetables, then cheese and so on. But when she is done with the fruit she starts throwing that so I stop giving it to her. Then I start with the vegetables and when she is done with that she throws that. And this goes on till she has eaten all the food groups for that meal.
So I guess what I am asking is how can I get her to stop throwing food to tell me she is ready for the next course??
My son would do this when he was was done. As he would begin to throw the food I would catch his hand before the release and say "all done", then move on to the next food. With in a week he was saying all done and no more throwing.
try alternating bites with the different foods. She may be getting tired of the same texture in her mouth from just one and knows when she throws the food she will get a different taste and texture.
Have you thought of teaching sign language? Check into www.signingtimes.com They create dvd's for children and adults to learn sign language. They are GREAT! Or you can borrow a book from the library or make up your own signs.
Give it a shot. Depending on the age and how consistant you are will determine how quickly your child learns. We have used sign language for both boys and it has helped with communication.
Start with signs: eat, milk, all done, more, drink. The basics. Child learn pretty quickly. Even infants! My oldest started signing at 9 months!!
Best Wishes,
J. Hobbs
It sounds to me like you and your baby are communicating with each other very clearly. She knows that throwing her food is the way to get to the next course. I think all you need to do is teach her a different way of telling you what she wants. Teach her to say "no more" or put her hands up to mean "no more."
It sounds cliche, but it seems to be a phase and it doesn't last long. My 20 month old daughter did the same thing for a couple of months and we would just continue to tell her not to throw food on the floor and why (didn't really help), but eventually that phase passed and we don't have any problems with food going on the floor anymore. The other responses do sound like good ideas to try to distract her from doing this though. Good luck.
OK, maybe I am naive, or old fashioned, or not politically correct, or something, but I am getting a chuckle out of all of these children throwing food, and ideas of how to make them stop.
A firm "No-no" and a disappointed glance always worked fine for me, and one of my children was a VERY strong willed little guy.
Well, maybe y'all have tried that and it isn't working. Maybe I should assume that you have.
:o)
You might try counting to see how many of each she will eat and then only give her that amount or only give her about 5 of one thing at a time. If you want her to eat more of that item, then just give her more later on in the meal. Mix it up.
Hi,A.. I am wondering why you are feeding your daughter one course at a time. I am a big believer if fostering independence in children, and so I would serve her a little of each food on her tray or plate, and let her feed herself what she wants. When she starts throwing food, she can be finished. She will learn if she wants to eat more, she will have to stop throwing food on the floor. It is amazing what children understand, and your daughter is old enough to start learning basic table manners. If she has more choices at one time, she may eat a little of each and go back for more. Good Luck!
The only thing I see about this, you might be setting her up that is how she will always eat her food. One by one. When I was smaller my food never touched, as an adult I know my food goes to the same place but I still do not let my food touch and will wash more dishes just so it doesn't touch. It isn't something that will happen it is just my opinion. I have to agree with taking the food, I do not completely agree with removing from the highchair because at 16months they understand a lot more that most adults think they can. But if I am not done eating and the child chooses to throw the food, I remove the food and talk to them and show them again how to use the silverware, it is a process that they have to learn. I have also found that if I am not sitting at the table with them they start throwing food because they find it a game and the more you fuss about it saying no don't do that the more they find it as a game. JMO
What we have done when our children are this age is put all their food in front of them on a plastic plate or directly on high chair and let them feed themselves. They will eat a little of this and a little of that until they are done. Teaching your child to sign "all done" is very helpful too so they can tell you that they are finished without throwing food - give them an appropriate way to express themselves. The sign is sort of like an umpire calling someone safe at the plate - open hands, palm down crossing back and forth in front of you. That's how they will eat for the rest of their lives so it seems a little weird to me to serve one food at a time.
Have you tried teaching her signs? They pick them up very fast. Just make up a sign for all done and say it and use the sign and she'll catch on.... that doesn't mean she'll stop throwing food, but it might help.
K.
I am not sure how to help you my grand daughter does the same thingand when I start to take the food away from her she grabs another handfull to throw while I am taking the plate away from her.Grrrr. Her twin brother just turns his back on the food (as much as he can in a high chair). They are 17 months old. Good luck hope its just a faze and they grow out of it quickly. Both babie KNOW the signs for "all done" and she uses it when I ask her but she still throws her food first.
Have you tried signing "all done" It has done wonders for our family among other signs. Also-if you would rather not sign, maybe try reinforcing the GOOD behavior...like "Good Job on eating your fruit" and stop giving more fruit before the throwing begins. Maybe just anticipating when to switch courses and reinforcing the good things she is doing will save you the stress of the throwing and communicate to your daughter that you are proud of the good things she is doing rather than the bad. Often reinforcing the negative behavior (the throwing) will encourage the behavior to continue.
Have you tried just giving her all her food on one plate and letting her eat in the order she would like to. Maybe that would stop the throwing. It would give her a chance to eat what she wants and move on to the next food group on her own. Starting her this way now will prevent her from expecting her food given to her the way you are doing it now for the rest of her life. When she gets to school, her food is on a tray all at the same time. You won't be there to give her each course seperately. Let her decide what she wants to eat and when by putting it all on her plate. You never know that could solve your problem. Good Luck and God Bless.
Hi A., I guess I'm just getting to be an old mom but really all todlers do this to some extent and that IS their way of saying they are not really interested anymore. The other "fun" trick I have had to deal with is the pouring of the cup onto the plate of food when they are done eating and trying to catch that one before it happens is not fun either. I guess my advice is to stay focused on the child enough so that you don't have so much food to clean up after you are done and being firm with the saying of NO!.( mushy food gets everywhere doesn't it.) :) Hang in there, this will pass onto the next phase, one of MANY. Wait till you get to teenagers--they don't throw food, they eat like they are starving and eat everything in site, ok- they do throw food once in a while. ;)
M.
PS It sounds like you are doing a good job, keep up the good work.
