My son is 18 months old and he will not use a spoon or a fork. I give him one at every meal, and show him how to use it, and praise him if he even takes one assisted bite with his spoon/fork. But it never works. He has no interest in using anything but his fingers. I would have thought that by now he would be using a utensil (not well), but using it. Is this normal? Any suggestions on how I can get him to try to use one?
Just keep offering it to him. Don't force him to use it. Also try some role playing, let him feed you w/ the fork/spoon. You could also try letting him pick out a pair at the store. My 2 year old still uses her fingers for some foods, I think it is all part of growing up.
I just wanted to let you know that my son is 3 1/2 and would still prefer to use his fingers instead of a fork or spoon. SO when I was at the peditrition's office I asked them there thoughts and they said its alot more common then you would think, and that boys are more likely not to wanna use utensils then girls. there advice was just to stick with it and make them use one or the other once a day at one meal. they also said to master one utensil at a time. So we are still working on in but like they siad he isn't going to go off to college not using them. Good luck I just wanted to let you know that you weren't the only one out there
Hi J.,
I also have an 18 month old. He will always start out with a fork but will end up using his hand. He will always hold on to the fork though. Don't stress out about it. He will get it.
Chris
My son is 21 months and he started using utensils at about 19.5-20 months old... give your son time, it will come. I think that this is as normal as can be! I wouldn't force it on him, but continue to give him a spoon/fork at every meal and eventually he'll start trying to use them on his own! Good luck!!!
have you tryed to get a fork with his fav. cartoon on it.or even making a game out of it,you could also try rewarding him when he uses it.
Hi J.~
My son (now 3) didn't use utensils until late, either. I just kept giving it to him and showing him how. Don't stress about it, though, he'll get it eventually...at least by college!! :)
~L.
