toddlers feeding themselves

[Moira Mc]

At what age would you expect a child to start feeding themselves wheat a bix for breakfast or spag bol for dinner with a tea spoon?

I am finding it frustrating that I need to sit and feed children in the mornings when they are nearly 2 years old. My kids were feeding themselves at 15 months. As you all know it is a very busy time with the school run and I have babies that I need to feed.

I have tried to teach them but they just drop the food every where around them.

Any tips from the experienced childminders would be very much appreciated.

Thanks
Moira

[Supernanny86]

I don't have any amazing advice but I expect this too!! The twins I look after are nearly 2 and although they make a mess and one is better at it than the other I still make them and help occasionally. I think it's a valuable skill to learn as soon as possible. I used to put forks and spoons on their trays with even picky food so they'd get used to holding them etc etc.

It does get messy but in my opinion the only way they're going to learn is by doing it!! Some parents just can't be bothered to introduce things like this as its messy!!

[dette]

I cant say exactly how old to expect them to feed themselves,we just use a spoon each from as soon as they can hold a spoon and gradually they are feeding themselves more and more,it is messy but it gets better with practice,I just keep reloading the spoon and encourage them to pop it in their own mouth,its messy at first but as long as you make it a house rule that they don't lift up their bowls it shouldn't be too bad,if theyre getting fed at home it takes a bit longer but they all get their eventually

[AliceK]

I have 2 LO's both just turned 2 in the past few weeks. They have both been feeding themselves from about 15mths. Sometimes they will use their fingers because it's quicker than using a spoon / fork but that's fine by me. I tend to leave them to it as soon as I think they are able to have a go and it's amazing how quickly they manage. I think sometimes adults can be too quick to get involved and do it for them either due to time constraints or because of the mess. It can be messy in the beginning but now these 2 LO's are cleaner and better at eating than some of my 4 and 5 yr olds who always seem to be dropping food down themselves and on the floor.

xxxx

[kellib]

I have one LO who has been feeding herself since before she was 1! Yet another LO has just turned 3 and it's only in the last few months he has mastered a spoon!

[Moira Mc]

Yes one of my parents would not start finger foods because she didn't want the mess, she just fed her pouches. She is still feeding her pouches at home on the days that I dont have her (not letting the child do it because of the mess). As I only have her 2 days a week it is a very long, slow process for me.

[Kerry30]

I have a mindee that came to me at 9mths old and she was feeding herself. Her parents did baby led weaning. Which i'd never done before but it worked very well. Shes never been spoon fed by an adult. Only thing i did that mum didnt do was cut her grapes in half as if she was really hungry she didnt chew her food.

[AliceK]

I have a mindee that came to me at 9mths old and she was feeding herself. Her parents did baby led weaning. Which i'd never done before but it worked very well. Shes never been spoon fed by an adult. Only thing i did that mum didnt do was cut her grapes in half as if she was really hungry she didnt chew her food.

Isn't baby led weaning great . I had one child who was BLW and it was all so easy. If I were to have my time over again I would def go that way.

xxxx

[Kerry30]

Yes and ive been in childcare along time and never come across it before. But def has its advantages

[k1rstie]

Blw is great, but terrible to watch!


Mine ate whole satsuma pieces before 1. It just gets stuffed in the machine

[bindy]

Little ones need plenty of practise. I started my daughter at 8 months old, giving her a small teaspoon to hold, even while I feed her. She is 3 years old now, been feeding her self for a long time, she was very messy at first but by 2 she had good control with the spoon and folk and is now a very clean eater. I worked has a nanny for many years, time really has changed, back when I first started, it was the norm for a child at age 1 years to hold a spoon and feed. What ever age they start its always messy! I personally just expect it and put protection under their chair etc

[Kerry30]

Trouble is for some parents its too easy to spoon feed cos everyone is always in a rush. When i was a nanny i had one employer insist i cooked fresh healthy meals to give her baby, so i did, even making enough for them to take out freezer at weekends, and low and behold she had horrible tasteless jar food at wkends 'cos they didnt have time'. Mealtimes are meant to be a social time so they learn by example!!

[munch149]

I've always taken on a baby led weaning approach with my own and mindees even before I knew what it was. Those who are particularly reluctant I will feed a spoonful every so often but I will encourage them to feed themselves. My daughters been feeding herself since she started solids at six months and has been using a spoon since about 8/9 months. It's messy and slow going but means I can get on with a few other things whilst their eating

[kellyskidz!]

I did BLW with my daughter and the first week or two was enough to send me grey, she choked on food (not proper choking but that sound!) spat food out, got yogurt in her hair on the morning of my nephews christening meaning we were very nearly late.. And the MESS!
But after that it was great, it was me who was anxious not her, she crammed it all in and I had to force myself not to panic and she spat out what she didn't swallow
Some parents are weary of finger foods or babies feeding themselves but it has to happen sometime. Most of my mindees are encouraged to feed themselves from one and are usually about there at 16-19 months xx

[charlottenash]

I have a 17mo mindee who has fed herself since she came at 12mo. She makes a mess, but it has dramatically improved as she has got better. It's all practice, they don't want to make a mess they just don't know any other way just yet.

Personally, mess is part of the process.

[MessybutHappy]

I wish there was a magic formula because I find the mess very very difficult! I hope I don't let it show, but I do dread picking squashed everything out of everywhere after every meal!!

I understand they don't know they're making a mess, but I have one who insists on eating with their whole hand, then paints everything with that hand... yuk, yuk, yuk!

I really don't remember my own being THIS bad!!! Am sure they were but don't remember. I just keep hoping that one day it'll get better and on days when I'm seriously lacking in patience ensure they have chunky stuff that doesn't spread so well!! I also try to put spoons out for all messy play so there's lots of practice at loading and holding spoons... no idea if its working but at least I can console myself with the idea that I'm trying!

[Moira Mc]

She eats finger foods just fine with no mess but it's the wheat a box and other dinners like curry and rice. I wouldn't like her to eat this with her hands and really need her to eat with a spoon.

[loocyloo]

She eats finger foods just fine with no mess but it's the wheat a box and other dinners like curry and rice. I wouldn't like her to eat this with her hands and really need her to eat with a spoon.

One of my LOs is 20 mths. She eats everything with her fingers. She does hold a spoon and dip it in food but prefers fingers! ... She eats soup, baked beans, pasta and sauce, curry and rice, noodles .. everything!!! She isn't tooooo messy!