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Behaviour at mealtimes - 3yo

3 replies

thisiscoffee · 16/12/2018 19:55

DS is turning 4 in a couple of months, but for the past 4-6 months his behaviour at mealtimes has become awful sometimes. He is a very fussy eater and basically has very little interest in food which doesn't help (under a dietician, on waiting list for Occupational Therapy to rule out a sensory issue with food).

He will pick up food off his plate and throw it on the table or my plate, a few times has thrown his cup once he's finished drinking, will take his cutlery and wave it around and poke it in my face, take salt/pepper and try and put it on my food even when told repeatedly no, sometimes will deliberately hold the spoon handle by the tip so that keeping the food on the spoon is not easy and it falls off everywhere, somehow manages to get food all over himself and the floor without even trying, will walk up to the table and look at the food and say 'I don't like it' and refuses to sit down for the meal, touches my food etc. He is quite good at sitting at the table once he is there and does not get down without asking, but that's about the only good point.

He is just awful and embarrassing. Due to his Dad's working hours during the week it is only us who eat breakfast and dinner together, and he eats lunch at nursery (no poor behaviour at lunch there). We have stopped going out to restaurants, and even cafes we are starting to stop taking him to (will sometimes take a mouthful of a drink and then let the liquid dribble out of his mouth and down his clothes - he thinks he's funny).

The Dietician said to start a Reward chart, which I have 5 days ago and he is yet to get one star. I have explained countless times what I mean by behaving well at mealtimes but it seems he doesn't care and he certainly isn't interested in choosing a small toy after gaining 5 stars.

Does anyone have any ideas for stopping this behaviour please? I am mortified as I was brought up with fairly strict table manners and my child sometimes acts like a pig at the trough Blush

OP posts:
thisiscoffee · 16/12/2018 19:59

On three occasions I have told him to get down from the table, that his behaviour means he cannot remain there, and he's not bothered - he has a small appetite and not interested in food most of the time.

I'm dreading Christmas Day at the in-laws as our DNephew is 2.5 and loves food so he readily sits nicely at the table (most of the time).

OP posts:
Elektra2 · 17/12/2018 20:15

Sorry but this doesn't sound that abnormal to me - sounds very like my daughter! It's wearing at times but I'm sure it will pass, maybe focus less on it?

Rainatnight · 18/12/2018 04:20

Hm, I'm not sure it does sound normal, or at least, I can understand why you're pissed off, OP.

I have no direct experience of this, but is there anything at all going on that could be making him anxious about mealtimes? I know you say there might be sensory issues, but if he's not like this at nursery then there could be something else at play? Did anything happen 4/6 months ago that might have triggered it?

How his behaviour in other respects, ie away from the table?

If he's not bothered about stars, are there any other consequences you could try? I guess I mean if he's not motivated by rewards, how do you think he'd respond to negative consequences?

I also wondered, if he has this need to fiddle and play, that you could give him SOME things to fiddle and play with, while other things are strictly out of bounds. So here's a little toy salt and pepper pot, maybe dolly would like to have lunch too, here's her fork, etc...(and maybe not sweat some of the less bad behaviour like fork waving)... But we DON'T touch the food on each other's plate or throw things.

On Christmas Day, just as it's such a heightened day, I'd do whatever it took to get through it. iPad on the sofa if needs be. I'd cheerfully announce to my hosts that he's being a nightmare about eating, and you want to enjoy your dinner!

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