ds (22 months) has gone back to not wanting to use spoon/fork...

[lunarx]

and he was doing SO well. now he would prefer to use his hands like he did SO long ago. we've tried different forks/spoons and now its back to coaxing him to use the spoon/fork.

any ideas? and please tell me that they DO eventually go back to using the fork and spoon!

(when i praise him when he does use them, he usually throws them on the floor :I)

very frustrating!

Ignore and keep offering. DS ( almost 20mths ) is the same, I think he just thinks right I know I can do that but fingers are more fun. He will occasionally use spoon and fork but more and more he is using fingers. Sometimes I give him a kiddy knife which renews his interest in the cutlery. As long as it doesnt end up on the floor and he can see dh and I using cutlery I think he will go back to it. Ignoring is best tactic for most things with our ds as soon as he realises that he is on to something that might get a rise out of us it gets much worse.

yes, just ignore him. Eat with him and put out a spoon/fork and if he uses his hands, don't worry about it. If he sees you making a fuss about it, it will make him do it all the more.

and yes, they do go back to using a fork!

DS does this at the moment too. It started with picking up pieces of dinner with his hands instead of fork and now, if you don't keep an eye on him, he'll try and eat an entire yoghurt with his fingers!! Lovely and messy!

I just remind him to use his spoon/fork and try not to get stressed about it -at least hes eating! He'll eventually go back to using cutlery (I hope )

thanks ladies....

he is also starting to throw his spoon or fork a lot during mealtimes. any advice on how to handle this?

i'm reluctant to take his meal away when he throws his fork or spoon, especially if he WAS eating it!!

with this happening 3 times a day, i feel at my wits end by bedtime!!!!

If ds throws spoon or cutlery I totally ignore until meal is over, if he throws food he is down immediately. The cutlery throwing in our house is usually a reaction test as he will toss grin and look at me to see what Im going to do. I pretend nothing has happened and pick it up later as he is finishing his meal.

we have the same issue with dd, 23 months. our policy is to ignore but it does drive me mad. Yoghurt is always very messy!