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Behaviour/development

Talk to others about child development and behaviour stages here. You can find more information on our development calendar.

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Original poster

What should I do when he (10.5 mths) chucks all his food on the floor?

12 replies

starkadder · 19/02/2009 07:09

..?! He has just gone from 2 naps to 1 nap, crawling everywhere at about 100 mph, trying to climb up bookshelves....you get the picture. Oh, and also, waking up raring to go at 6am. 6AM!!!!! Anyway, part of his new thing is not being very keen on eating boring old baby food from a spoon, so we have started giving him more finger food, which he likes, so that's good...BUT, when he's in a contrary frame of mind, he just chucks it all over the floor.

If anyone had asked me, before he was born, what I would do if faced with this particular problem, I would have said - clear the food away and don't give it back, otherwise he'll learn that it's some kind of fun game.

But...of course...now it comes down to it...I am wavering, just because if I don't pick it up and give it back to him, he'll be hungry, won't he? Also it's such a WASTE...

Would love some advice from you experienced people...! Thanks

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AliceTheCamelHasGotTheHump · 19/02/2009 07:13

Goodness me, he's only 10 months old!

If he chucks his food on the floor you smile and give it back to him. He is exploring his world - he's very clever to learn that when he throws his food on the floor it still exists. It's a developmental stage to learn that throwing things on the floor for mummy to give them back is a fun game. Enjoy him! Be proud of your clever little man. Have fun at meal times.

twentypence · 19/02/2009 07:17

2 second rule. He's sticking everything in his mouth - a promptly lifted piece of toast won't harm him.

And at 10 months he doesn't have the brain function to get "into bad habits" or to learn that going hungry is a direct consequence of dropping your food.

Original poster

starkadder · 19/02/2009 07:51

Thanks for your replies He IS rather clever, haha! But I don't really want to encourage the throwing food around game either - if I do this now, won't it be hard to turn round later and start refusing to pick it up?

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LoveMyGirls · 19/02/2009 07:58

When he's older he will have more understanding and so eventually will stop throwing his food.

I'm currently caring for a child the same age as your ds and while he will start off eating it he does also chuck it on the floor or bang his hands on the tray so it all goes flying I just spoon feed him a bit of something else to top him up then give him a yogurt or something and then clear up the mess, yes it's a waste but this stage won't last forever.

Original poster

starkadder · 19/02/2009 08:07

Thanks, i think that is it. He starts off OK but then gets bored. Am glad the agreement seems to be that it's OK to give it back to him because that is what I have done - although it ends up in the bin after then 2nd or 3rd time n the floor....

OP posts:

AliceTheCamelHasGotTheHump · 19/02/2009 08:07

I think you wait to introduce the idea of table maners until he's old enough to have an understanding. You don't have to encourage him to throw his food around, but just giving it back to him isn't encouraging him to do it.

You also don't have to choose a day to suddenly decide that throwing food around is unacceptable from now on. It's more organic than that imo. As his understanding grows, you teach him that keeping his food on his tray is a good thing and you praise him for that. You gradually shift so that he knows that not throwing food is desirable, and then discourage him from throwing with a calm no, and very little reaction (esp compared to all the praise and attention he gets for eating nicely).

I wouldn't introduce punishment (taking the food away) until he's 2 at the very very earliest.

When dd was getting to grips with all this I used to give her a spare bowl, so any food she wanted to jettison she could put in the bowl instead of hurling. It was a compromise that worked for both of us.

piscesmoon · 19/02/2009 08:12

You put a big cloth underneath so that you contain the mess. You just pick it up calmly, without comment. He is a baby and it is only a phase.

scienceteacher · 19/02/2009 08:15

He has learnt to let go of things (as opposed to grasping which they do as newborns), and he is discovered gravity. He is a physicist, and perfectly normal.

ABetaDad · 19/02/2009 08:29

I agree with scienceteacher - its fun watching things drop from a great height.

Just watch watch Top Gear - us blokes never tire of it.

Original poster

starkadder · 19/02/2009 08:39

haha, it IS quite fun watching things drop. Specially biscuits, which break into many pieces, or bits of squash, which make a satisfying splat.

OP posts:

ABetaDad · 19/02/2009 08:43

Oh yes indeed - its even more fun if you can get control over Mummy and make her come and pick it up.

Us blokes like that part as well.

mumtolou · 19/02/2009 22:42

i have a 9 month old and he refuses to eat any food off of a spoon if i feed it to him .he prefers to do it him self.most of the time the food ends up on the floor and on the tray of the highchair.but he happily eats his dinner .he wont eat any baby food only home cooked food.so if the food ends up on the floor i pick it up and put it back my nan used to say that you have to eat a speck of dirt before you die lol dont worry this phase wont last for long !!!!

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