How to stop a toddler throwing food

[Ijustworemytrenchcoat]

Not just food, but the problem is concentrated around mealtimes. He's a great eater but my stomach sinks when mealtimes are approaching because it feels like Groundhog Day clearing up afterwards. I am so frustrated with it now.

I generally try to let him eat by himself but most of the time I end up taking his food off him and feeding him/handing him loaded cutlery. This morning for example he was eating his cereal and started picking up spoonfuls and pouring it onto the floor and splashing his spoon about so it spilled everywhere. If he senses I am going to take his spoon or fork away he just throws it. If I tell him off for something or he doesn't get his way he picks up a handful and throws it or tries to overturn the plate.

I live in a rented house and on constantly on edge because of the carpets, I have a very large wipe clean tablecloth down but it still gets onto the carpet and up the walls. The kitchen which has a tiled floor is too small to feed him in.

Out of the house I spend the meal scrabbling round on the floor picking up the mess. I am constantly on edge because he will pick his cup up and just throw it (he threw over his head in soft play today because his cousin had juice and he had water, it narrowly missed a child who was walking behind).

If your child threw food did you wait until they outgrew it or is there some way to stop him? (lease say yes!).

[Tfto]

I had a thrower too. I tried saying we don't throw food, and giving him plenty of opportunities for throwing appropriate things away from meal times. Or saying stuff like, "When you throw food you're telling me you've finished eating," and end the meal. Nothing helped that much though unfortunately. We mostly just had to ride it out and he eventually grew out of it. Sorry to not be more help.

[Janethegirl]

You can't!!

[SweetPeaPods]

Watching with interest.
Ds1 is a thrower,but I think he's using it as a way to get attention.

[GlitterTwinkleToes]

Tie his hands up?

How old is he? It's only in the past few weeks that 16mo Dd has started feeding herself properly, still get the occasional throw to the head mind

Could you put blankets under his highchair to contain the food? Bung in the washer when you're done.

[Ijustworemytrenchcoat]

So I have to just ride it out? Damn...

I think he does it for attention but also during a tantrum. I haven't got enough blankets to contain it GlitterTwinkleToes, it gets everywhere. He has a good throw on him.

He is two next month, I hope he outgrows it soon!

[cakebaby]

Hi ijust my ds is 2 soon & very much like this at mealtimes, albeit it's a new thing! He's also taken to loading his cutlery & wiping it through his hair...... I just ignore & take it off him, feed him til he's forgotten about it, hand cutlery back for a few mouthfuls and repeat as infinitum..... It's messy & takes ages but a few months ago he refused to feed himself so it's progress!

[cakebaby]

Ad not as. Stupid phone

[ToddleWaddle]

Get a cheap curtain or the likes under high chair to catch the food. Easily cleaned after even in washing machine if necessary.
Can you eat in garden? No mess on floors then.
I just take away immediately and give back fairly quickly and repeat as necessary. Just say all gone and look bored. Don't engage or turn into a game. They soon get bored.

[poocatcherchampion]

Can you eat in the garden and ignore?

[queenofthepirates]

Could you feed him outside? Might save on the washing. I suspect he might do it because he gets a rise out of you and toddlers love interaction. If you're less bothered about what happens, I suspect he'll curb it. Alternatively, try and get some other form of interaction going.

[UnsolvedMystery]

Large mat (shower curtain) under the highchair

[ExtremelyStubbornAndSuspicious]

My 18 month old is terrible at doing this.

I've tried telling him 'no we don't throw food' but the more I react to it the more he does it. He's cheeky because he also holds a handful of food over the side of his highchair and looks at me for a reaction first, before lobbing it across the room, so it's definitely for attention at least sometimes. So I've stopped telling him off, and don't give him a reaction now.

One thing I have noticed is if he's really hungry he won't do it because he's so busy shovelling the food into his mouth. But once he's had enough, or if he's not really hungry to start with, then he will begin to play with the food and throw it. So I've started to take the food off him the minute he starts to mess with it, on the understanding that he doesn't really want it. I'm having some success doing this.