When did your DC start using a spoon to feed themselves?

[Dragonhart]

My 15month old DS has always been good with his food and has been feeding himself finger food for quite a while now quite happily.

We still feed him with a spoon if you cant eat the food with your fingers. When we try to get him to use a spoon at the start of the meal, he is too hungry and gets frustrated, then if we wait til he has had some and is not so ravenous, he just bangs the spoon on the table or pulls his hand away if you try to guide him.

Just wondering when eveyone suceeded in getting their children to use a spoon or fork themselves.

With ds he was about 15 months or more and I'd put bits of bread in a bowl of runny food or soup to scoop out. dd was just over a year and got bored one breakfast time waiting for me to be ready to feed her soggy weetabix so just picked up the spoon and got on with it ! Both used the short chunky plastic spoons, from Boots iirc, to start with.

Have you tried both having a spoon at the same time?

dd2 was 18 months when she refused to be fed so I set her bowl down infront of her with a spoon and left her to it.

My dd is the same age as your ds, and is managing a lot of things with a spoon although she sometimes sits and sadly watches everybody else tucking in. Then if you feed her the first few bites she gets going herself. Can manage a bowl of cereal and anything that "sticks" to the spoon, potato and the like. We've just got a new carpet though so we don't let her loose witha bowl of spaghetti and sauce yet! maybe when she's 18!

DD was 10 mths, DS was more like 16-18 mths (quite a shock after DD ) -- though about 2 for feeding himself his breakfast

Thanks everyone. Can I ask what you give them their food in? I use a plastic plate for DS and thought that I might try something with more of a lip on to help him shovel?

one
giev them it
and put newspaper down

Message withdrawn

Mine doesn't like being fed so has had a spoon since about 6-7 months

She is now 13 months and every mealtime is a TOTAL MESS

she also has a knife and fork now

lots of banging and flinging of food but some gets on target

DS has had a spoon since we started to feed him at about 6-7 months too. He is just too impatient as we can go it quicker. Guess will just have to leave him to it and as you all say clean up after. Thanks for all the advice!

DS is 16 months. REFUSES to use a spoon. will feed himself toast and fruit if pushed but otherwise insists on being fed. Very boring

Glad it is not just me then Alexh!