Stop Dropping/throwing Food?

Don't give her the plate or bowl.

I have an 11 month old who also likes to self feed. I keep the plate or bowl on the table and ration out little bits of food to him on his tray. As he finishes those, he gets more.

Anytime I try and give him the bowl or plate it ends up on the floor with the sippy cup, so I don't do that yet...

Good luck.

-M

She's conducting science experiments (also expect her to try and see if food can be absorbed through the top of her head, in her ears, squished through her skin). She's learning how the world works.

There was a recent article in the NYT about babies understanding probability (no news to moms...they figure out how the planet works via probability). I wrote a response to it on another board. To save me a weeee bit'o'time...here it is;

While I loved the article...isn't this just plain old common sense/common knowledge?

I mean...anyone who has had/been around children...

- If i do this what happens?
- If I do this with my eyes shut what happens?
- While making a high noise/ low noise/ no noise?
- Using more/less force?
- With something/nothing in my other hand?
- If I lick it? If I lick it with my eyes shut/open/while
grabbing/squishing/kicking...
- etc
- etc
- etc

Just name a variable and a baby/toddler will try it, in any situation, given free rein. How else do we learn that when we walk we stay on the ground and which muscles to use and which tone of voice and how to use language and to watch objects instead of air currents and to listen for sounds in this range and and and.

As a SUPER common example we're all familiar with...baby is sitting in highchair. Baby throws food to floor. This could be an experiment in

- gravity (will it fall? will it fall in the same place that it did before? what if I throw it UP/ sideways/ down/ with my eyes shut/ while watching it/ while looking away/ with my legs crossed/ with the dog in the room/with something wet/ dry/ round/ light/ orange/ grainy...oh boy, while peeing???...etc. If I throw it hard enough/gently enough/etc will *I* fall after it?).

- motor function (can I get it to my mouth flexing THESE muscles, oops. no. floor. How about THESE muscles. Oops. No. Floor. How about THESE muscles. Well...cheek.)

- human reaction (will my mum pick it up again? how about now? and now? will she always pick it up...what about if her back is turned? what about if.... Will she sigh EVERY time? Will she make that face? Will she say something?)

We learn EVERYTHING via experimentation and probability from interacting with our world to interacting with people. If I do this, this will PROBABLY happen.

If X exists, Y will probably happen. If A exists WITH X, then B, C, OR Q could
happen but not X. BUT A+X+M also = Y. Natural born scientists. We teach children the *words* to explain concepts that we've all been doing since the cradle. i honestly can't think of a single mathematic or scientific theory or law that has to do with anything bigger than a grain of sand and that exists in an atmosphere & gravity environment (aka not chemistry, astrophysics, electrons and other tiny things, etc) that isn't intuitively understood...by years and years and years of preexisting "lab work".

And here's the link to the article:

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/08/16/opinion/16gopnik.html?_...

<grinning> Notice I DID say free rein. Kids learn NOT to do something by our interventions...like only giving them a few bites at a time...and correcting "No. Not on the floor/ear/wall...IN your mouth sweetie."

When my daughter constantly threw her food/utensils to the floor, I took her out from the high chair and had her pick up the food from the floor. Then I put her back on the high chair. She threw the food to the floor again, she picked them up again, etc, etc.
Now she's used to cleaning up after her mess (wiping the table, picking up food).

While I agree with the other moms that there is a LOT of experimentation at this age, 13 months is also old enough to understand cause/effect relationships and consequences. If there is a behavior that you do not want (throwing food on the floor) it is perfectly acceptable to implement a consequence (no more food). This worked very well for us and our dd learned very quickly that if she threw/dropped intentionally her food on the floor, the meal was over. We would allow her to eat again shortly after if she wanted (30 min.) so we weren't starving her until her next meal. She still makes a mess (at 2 1/2) because she is not a fan of forks and spoons and prefers to eat with her hands, so there is still food to clean up off the floor, but she knows not to throw or drop her food intentionally.

Do what feels best for you and your family, I just wanted to put in that it is ok to set a consequence if you get to the point that you don't want to deal with it anymore. Good luck!

-M.

This age is very messy at meal time. I was on my hands and knees cleaning up the floor often (and yes, don't bother until the end). Mine is 21 months and it gets a lot better but at 13 months I don't recommend corrective actions. They are just learning and exploring, not being naughty. In a kind tone of voice verbalize the action you don't want and she'll catch on somewhat over time. You can even physically stop her from the throughing so she learns. I didn't give bowls unsupervised at this age. I manned the bowl or stuck to finger foods. Here are some things you can try: suction bottom bowls, lager tray highchair (the chairs the fit onto your dining chairs are quite small and the baby's can reach and drop right off them). also a children's picnic table in the grass was a godsend when I just needed a floor duty break ( i just wiped to food into the grass and left the srcaps to insects and birds). Mostly you'll need lots and lots of patients and tons of cleaning rags. All my mommy fiends of babies and toddlers do a lot of after meal floor duty. Roll up your sleeves girly, they still toss food when they are three, but by then, they can get consequences. I think its easier to take these thing in stride when you are a SAHM. I'm sure its very stressful to manage career work and all the extra work that comes with a baby. That's got to be hard.

My son did something like this when he was about that age. What I did was I took a towel and put it under his high chair so that way if he did decide to put his food on the floor it would be on the towel. You could tell her and show her that food is for her tummy. It's going to take some time before she catches on that food isn't for the floor but for her. Just repeat it as many times as it takes but do it to where it's firm and in a nice tone. It will get better and soon she won't be doing it anymore.

Hi E.:
I've got to come back and recheck the responses to this one lol. I haven't met A Mother, yet,that hasn't experienced food droppings,milk pouring, an occasional bowl of pasta over the head,mashed potato between the fingers,and in the ears,A little dab will do ya cake through the hair.Peas up the nose, of course the ever popular home made paste made with A five pound bag of flour and milk from A sippy cup. Theres the ever famous toilet paper roll trick,the whole box of chocolate exlax escapade,the kotex bandage job, the delectible mud pies, finger licking rolly polly bugs and the most delightful trick of all,smearing there crib from one end to the other,with the contents of A diaper they decided needed changing. Unfortunately our children don't come straight from charm school to us.They have to be taught.If you don't have a good sense of humor,you could go wacky. Lighten it up.Most of the time, they do these things to entertain YOU. They want to make you laugh,or at the very least,see the shock on your face! It sounds like shes ready to graduate from her high chair. She wants to eat,and be a part of the family dining experience.Move her to the table,and see if that helps,and if it doesn't,make sure and have a camera handy at all times. I wish you and your funny goil the best. J. M

Our daughter likes to do this, too... especially when I'm feeding her, for some reason. When it happens, I just remove all the food and utensils from her reach and go ahead and feed her myself. If she seems mellow enough again, then I'll put one or two pieces of whatever on her tray.

Since stuff is always going to land on the floor one way or another, it's a good idea to put an old sheet down that you can just pick up and toss in the washer. Or you can let the dog get it (if you don't have a dog, ours is willing to volunteer her services, haha).

Once she throws end the meal. You can feed her again in a couple min, they get the point, quickly.

you do take it away.....you tell her don't throw your food...all done and take her out.

I do personally think they understand cause & effect at this age. I think they understand a lot more than we belive! When my now 22 month old was doing that, I would give her limited amounts of food at once. I would not give her anymore until she ate what I gave her. If you do end up ending her meal due to her throwing it on the ground, it will probably only take a couple times until she 'gets' it!

Good luck!

I am a pre-school teacher and have delt with a few children who like to throw their food on the floor. I tell them that is not ok. I don't like that. (13 months is old enough to understand this) You can clean the food up and leave the child sitting with nothing while you do so. After she has sat a few min. ask her if she is ready to eat. If you get a positive response then give her food again and tell her food does not go on the floor. If she can't respond yet then give her the food anyway. This may take a few times before she stops throwing food on the floor. I had one girl in class though I had figured out she had to have her drink before her food or some time vice versa. Well hope this helps.

LOL!!! I just asked this question too - I know EXACTLY what you're going through. I'm assured that its just a phase and soon they'll find something new to drive us crazy with.

My son, 16 month old, he does this as well. First I've found a lifesaver in the 99 cent store - plastic table cloths. We cut them in half and put it under his chair, and they normally last about a week - we toss it and then begin again. Next the moms gave us the suggestion teaching his the sign for finished and also explain to his that I know he's usually a good boy but what he's doing isn't.

And to start the tradition of a after dinner snack for the family...if he sits there good he gets one, if he doesn't then he doesn't. Be firm and don't give in on this one. The dropping is mainly for attention.

Also the last piece of advice I have is to just give her a few bites at a time but NOT a whole bowl. Although it was suggested by a few moms to get him a suction bowl...or to just put the food directly on the tray.

Those are the ones that are working for me the best.

Remember you're not alone and I hope (y)our phase pass quickly!!!