21 Month Old Eating Habits

My almost three year old still has sippy cups. He is messy!

Try to eat at least one meal a day at the table.

He is TOO OLD to have you feeding him still. Give him finger foods he can pick up to eat. If its something hard, like yogurt or soup, and you just cant bare the mess, ok. If you must. But, by and large, he can feed himself.

What I have noticed with kids - if they are hungry, they will eat. Provide breakfast, morning snack, lunch, afternoon snack, and dinner and bedtime snack. If he doesnt eat, he is not hungry.

It sounds like you know what you should do =)
Let him start feeding himself. This sounds horrible, but if he doesn't want to eat it, don't make him. Tell him this is his last chance to eat before bedtime, If he goes to bed hungry, he will NEVER miss dinner again you know? He has to learn this stuff eventually, so may as well start now. He needs to know that sitting at the table is where we eat dinner, not in front of the TV. He will probably hate you and everything at first, but it is in both of your best interests.

Good luck!!

Life with kids will never be mess free. The sooner you accept that the sooner you will be able to give your child opportunities to learn.

He will have to eventually learn how to eat and drink. Don't let him start bad habits now.

Give him a regular cup of water in the bath and have him practice drinking in there. Bring a bottle of filtered water with you to refill (you don't want him drinking the bathwater.

As for eating, give him his fav stuff for a few days, even if it means mac & cheese for bfast. Line the floor and table/high chair tray w/plastic or newspaper or kiddie table liners, and strip him down. yes, he will make a mess but he will learn how to eat AND you'll have an easier time cleaning up.

Yes, you are setting everyone up for failure and teaching him bad habits. I know it's rough with the messes and picky eating, but teaching table manners and how to eat starts now. Especially with the tv. I know several families who can't even get their older kids to sit at the table and eat as a family, b/c they have to go and watch tv while they eat. It's easy to get tired and overwhelmed, just try to get this one thing down.

Give him finger foods, he needs to learn how to eat and drink, and how to do it on his own, without being entertained by movies. Feeding himself also helps him learn how to manipulate and use his fingers and fine motor skills. Back off and let him eat, he needs to learn.

Dr. Sears has wonderful advice about helping with eating challenges:
http://www.askdrsears.com/html/3/T030800.asp