Feeding with the aid of kitchen utensils....or cars or clippits or anything to hand really!!

[fordywastaylor]

My 17mth old DS likes his food now, sits nicely in his booster seat for all his meals, uses a combination of his fingers and when he is in the mood will use his fork/spoon quite happily. Sometimes though he refuses his meal right at the beginning even when I know its his favourite. Initially I would think that he wasn't hungry, but I knew that couldn't be right since it would of been hours ago when he ate properly. By chance we gave him something to occupy himself in his chair (the proper high chair toys were hopeless as he was too strong and pulled the sucker off), so we gave him a wooden spoon, or a set of measuring spoons, or a toy car, basically whatever was to hand and wasn't dangerous. By doing this we have more success and he will eat because he isn't concerned by the food that I am spooning in, but more the car or clippit or whatever. Does anyone else experience this, and will we ever be able to have a meal without half the kitchen drawer as aid. Have I made a rod for my own back here???!!!!

Only a little stick for your own back! Various bits and bobs to keep them occupied helps ... thing is they do come to expect it/want new things/favourite toys etc, and then you wish you'd never started! But needs must ...! Otherwise we'd all go crazy. DS 3.4 now not allowed toys of any kind and we have other challenges with him getting up and down. DD 7 has quite nice table manners really most of the time ... so all works out in the end!

Thanks for the message, its all a bit hit and miss really, this morning we didn't bother with any "support items" and it was fine. I think sometimes I start feed times before I need to, the signs that he is hungry get mixed up with general afternoon whinging, so I set to and begin his tea, but probably too early and he isn't hungry yet!!! I am going to try and cut out snacks after 2 tho. Things may get better when we can actually communicate more effectively. How often people seem to say to me "You know your own baby", but 70% of the time I am not sure I do!! Or perhaps its just the rate of knots they grow up??

I have this with my 12 month old. He doesn't like being restricted in his high chair and I've always had to distract him with toys/ tupperware/ stacking cups! Same as you, I worry that he'll be eating school dinners whilst whinging for something to fiddle with!