Self-feeding toddler required

[alicatsg]

Ok wise ones. DS is 16 months old and is going through a terrible eating phase. He'll happily eat finger food but nothing that requires a parent and a spoon. How can I help him learn to feed himself with a spoon? Is it too soon?

He loves his food by the way so I know its not what I'm feeding him its how.

Thanks!

no its not too soon. ds2 is 14 months and has been very unwilling to be spoon fed for several months now. tbh I just give him the same food as before - its truly amazing what he can eat with his fingers - weetabix, yoghurt, mashed potato, you name it! - the mess is something else though. I've been giving him a spoon of his own for a long time now and just in the last few weeks he's been getting much more skilful at using it himself - in fact he could do it all himself with the spoon now I think, but he finds fingers easier!
ds1 was pretty much spoon feeding himself by now too, so I'd say go for it.

did you just leave him with the spoon and see what happened?

in terms of encouraging him to use the spoon, I guess it helps to give him something where a spoon would be helpful (not that he will necessarily use it!) - things that stick easily to a spoon wihtout being too stiff are good - like mashed potato, porridge, thick soup (give bread to dip in as well). I also often load up the spoon and hand it to him - or leave it loaded on the bowl for him to pick up. They just gradually get better at it ime, if sufficiently motivated!

sorry, cross-posted - but basic answer to your question is yes. At first I jsut gave him a spoon to play with while I sneaked in spoonfuls, but he's beyond that now and will dodge my spoon. so now I just leave him to get on with it pretty much. very very messy though. especially when he gets frustrated and throws the spoon all the way across the room!

right I'm off to install wipe-clean covers to the kitchen. Thanks for your help Elliot.

No, My 15 month old feeds herself with a spoon - very badly mind!!! So we have one spoon for her to fail to feed herself, and one spoon that I can actually slip some food in when she's not looking! It seems to work - as she eats, and she'd never just let us feed her!