15 months old - throwing food

[Prometheus]

Please help! DS is 15 months old and eats reasonably well. However recently he is getting more independent and doesn't want me to feed him with the spoon...he wants to do it himself - which is great. He puts the spoon in the bowl, lets the food fall off and puts the empty spoon in his mouth. So doesn't actually eat anything.

So I try and give him finger food - he takes a few mouthfuls then throws the food off the highchair....again and again. I keep picking it up, saying 'no' and he will maybe take another bite then throw the food.

It is driving me crazy. DH says we should just finish the meal if he throws food and let him go hungry. I'm too petrified that he won't sleep through if he is hungry.

Does anyone have any advice on how we can get other this impasse please? Thank you!!

put less on the high chair tray

wrt dropping/throwing - he's not being naughty or winding you up, he's exploring cause and effect and of course you giving attention, masses of it, is a bit of a Full House for DS

wrt food falling off spoon, have you tried different cutlery? this kind of thing?

He is just experimenting, its a phase he will grow out of...and grow straight into a new one. Give food that isn't difficult to clear up ie plain pasta and not spag bol.

As for the spoon toddlers wrists aren't actually developed enough to make the bending action to get the food to the mouth accurately untill around 18months.

He is too young to have the will power to stop doing what he wants when you say no although he may understand the actual word. Try using positive directions. Something like ' I'd like you to eat that piece of chicken like a tiger' or something.

Its frustrating as the adult who has to clean up but the key is to make mealtimes fun, its all about exploration at this age but it is also one of the few ways that they can control their world so if you make a big deal of it so will he.

We had this too and I remember tearing my hair out. It was deffo naughty. DS was doing it on purpose. However it passed and I don't remember when, so presume it just faded out.
I think ignoring the behaviour helped the most.
Good luck!

Yes honestly just ignore the dropping, its an experiment.

We have a plastic tablecloth under the high chair, wipe down after each meal and fold over so you know its clean. And we'll be re-painting the wall too.

With the food falling off they just need practice. Thick yoghurt, thick ready brek, lentil soup are all quite sticky to give them a chance to get some in themselves. I also have a second spoon that I try and sneak more in with as he was getting frustrated.

I read somewhere if you don't let them try and self feed when they get the urge you'll be spoon feeding them yourself til they are 27, so its worth the mess.