So when does the soil eating stage end?

[difficultdecision]

Have been failing miserably to do some weeding with DS in the garden (19m). Up until know it's been fine, he'll play with his football and run around gleefully or roll in the grass. Now it's stones and soil in his mouth, handfuls of the stuff if I don't catch him in time.

I'm afraid I've been a bit of a shouty mummy. then he wailed for 45 min because I stopped him and brought him in. Now I've put him in the other room watching cbeebies to keep him from harm until I've calmed down.

I have a mud, sand and gravel eating 18mo DD. She has been munching away for months now, and to begin with I was all over her like a rash - now I tend to be a lot more relaxed and not bother to much - she has been fine so far. Just keep an eye out for stones in mouth and then demand that they are spat out - which they do tend to be. DD likes to 'help' in the garden and I reckon better to have her out in the fresh air eating mud that stuck inside. Maybe I am just lazy mum but I wouldn't be too worried. My DD tried slug the other day - soon spat it out

Mine is 4 1/2 and still known to do this on occasion. My biggest problem is the collection of bugs he hides in his pocket everytime he goes out in the garden. I had a bee fly out his pocket this week. No idea how the hell he got that in there (without getting stung) Slugs are a particular favourite yuck!

Just make sure you havent go any poisonous plants/chemicals down. Then tell yourself he is just building an immune system. You are supposed to eat a handfull of dirt to be healthy.

it ends when the snail eating starts.

Sorry to break it to you

DD2 20mths still likes to taste everything and has been seen to give things she knows she shouldn't put in her mouth a quick lick if she thinks no=one is watching. Soil, sand, stones....

And yet I still steralize her dodie and bedtime bottle...

Who's the mad one here??

Pah, Hecate got there first.

snail eating hecate? oh joy!

I was pretty relaxed at first but after the first few (ignored) mouthfuls he got down to it in earnest and I might as well have just handed him a spoon!

Oh well, next one due in Jan so I guess he'll probably move onto snails just in time for his little brother to inherit the soil obsession!

Oh yes. snails. slugs. cat food. cat litter. newspaper...

Enjoy!