What age did your baby stop dropping food and other frustrating things

[MrsMaow]

I’ve just had a particularly frustrating lunch with 10 month old DD. I know when she drops and throws food it’s totally normal, part of learning, not deliberately annoying, just a phase etc but my god it’s irritating when she doesn’t even try it first. Probably extra annoying as I’m irritable with PMS and immediately preceding lunch there was an epic battle to change her nappy without getting shit everywhere.

So my question is, what age did your child eat food or push it away rather than drop it? Stay vaguely still for nappy changes/be potty trained? 18 months? 2 years? 3? Longer? Maybe if I have a rough idea I can distract myself from the annoying by trying to count down in years, months, weeks, days and hours and have a confused expression on my face rather than trying to hide an annoyed one.

To clarify I do absolutely adore her but I do also find annoying things annoying.

Also, if you can remember what age your baby stopped trying to shove his or her fingers up your nose every time you tried reading to them that would be good to know too.

Oh, and when can I expect her to keep hats and socks on? Probably years away right

I think with the dropping thing it was one of those very gradual changes that we didn't really notice until we realised it didn't happen anymore. Like most things with babies / toddlers really. Things really do pass and you can look back and think 'oh yeah remember when X used to to Y? That was difficult wasn't it. S/he doesn't do it anymore'. I feel for you though. It was SO frustrating!

Hmm, I have a 7 year old. I clean noodles off the floor every day! 😝

DS is 12 months nearly. We've encouraged him to move unwanted food onto the table from his highchair tray rather than drop it on the floor. We didn't do blw, he's spoon fed most of the time but he does this if given food to feed himself.

He's also discovered being read to in the last month - he didn't stick his fingers up my nose, but did grab the book and turn the pages. If they're not into it, then maybe give her a month or two.

For nappy changes, I do them on my floor and use my leg to restrain him (he's not able to wiggle out from under my thunder thighs). He's now resigned to getting his nappy changed, so it's usually only a battle for the pre nap and pre bed time changes.

I'm waiting for the day when he stops yanking my glasses off my face, it's really annoying.

My almost 3 year old twins - one still throws food on the floor despite repeated telling not to. My other one never does it, occasionally something might fall but she just eats with no issue/abnormal mess. She’s been like this for at least 6 months, probably longer.

As for nappies 2yr2 months and no nappies for one (the not messy one) and recently so 2yr9 months for the messy child.

Fingers up the nose/pulling my face off again it’s the messy one who has always loved doing this but that’s prettty much stopped now.

The non messy child throws enormous tantrums and the messy one doesn’t incase you thought I had one perfect child I certainly don’t.

My girls nearly 3. I have a mini Hoover and I use it after every meal or snack. She has never kept a hat or socks on either. All I can say is good luck 🤣🤣

@MrsMaow I didn’t have fingers up nose and now feel I missed out! I did have head butting and hair pulling though.
Most of these things stop at around 2 when they start a whole host of other annoying things. Nappies generally go around 3. But I have a DC age 10 who is still bed wetting so still have a cupboard of night nappies.

Yes to clarify mine still wear nappies at night

My 16yo can still trash a table on a bad day

It's hard to remember - DC2 is almost two and stopped some time ago, definitely by 18 months. He used to drop everything on the floor after he started solids and would ALWAYS dump his whole plate on the floor when he suddenly decided he was finished.

He's the opposite now - makes a massive deal whenever he accidently drops a piece of food and wont rest until we've cleaned it up! Looks like he's going to be a tidy one (unlike his big sister...)

I also want to know the answer to this. I have the added problem of a dog. They're a tag team. It's a nightmare.

A brilliant tip I got from SR Nutrition (great insta account to follow, realistic and easy to follow nutritional guidance for kids) is to put an empty plate or bowl next to their plate with the food. My little one now just moves what she doesn't want into that empty bowl (on the whole) obv not perfect. She seperates out what she doesn't want but usually then starts tucking in when nothing else comes and she's still hungry. Double win, basically.

I've got a 15 month old, and she's fairly still for nappy changes but will get bored half way through and try to crawl off. I just give her something she's otherwise not allowed, like my keys or the Wipes. If she pulls them out I just stuff them back in.

Haven't cracked the hat and socks. Or hairbands or clips and she's got a massive mop of hair that is just always in her face like cousin it.

Also get the fingers up the nose thing but not when reading, just every other time. I just ignore as far as I can and distract with something else.

To be honest, it's shit like this why I work full time tbh. They are hard work and I like having weekends to enjoy her without stressing about all the crap stuff. Are you planning on doing any work after mat leave, if you're not back yet?

I don't remember exactly with DD, but I remember at around 2.5 she was much more independent: potty trained, mostly dressing herself, climbing in her car seat, sitting on an adult chair (no high chair). The floor would still need wiping but she would have eaten most of the food or left it in her bowl. As others said, many of these things had gradually improved to this point. She is now 3.5 and shouts that she wants to do things herself e.g. serve her own food, butter her own bread!

They both stopped throwing food at about 18m, bar the odd tantrum. They both still drop it accidentally at times, but so does DH and he's almost 40.

Staying still for nappy changes has varied over time - DD was a nightmare at about 2, but then I got the hang of changing her while she was standing, and that improved things.

They both still pull socks off all the time, but I know 10 year olds who do that - think it's one of those things you just learn to ignore.

DS wasn't too bad with throwing food. I did mostly spoon feed because I'm allergic to mess but with things like toast I did tell him off every single time he threw it. I would also make a big fuss of getting a wipe, cleaning it, going to the bin etc while he had to wait to resume our picture book or whatever we were looking at. He soon got bored of it. By 18 months he was generally ok at the table. 2 years was another big improvement because he could communicate so much better. Potty trained at 2 y 4 months except at night obviously. Funnily enough he absolutely hates having his socks taken off so that's a battle every evening In general though, if you can get through the first 18 months it's all easier from then on I think! So you're over half way 😁👍

So maybe another 8 months if I’m lucky, 40 years if I’m not 🤣

Can’t believe I forgot about to ask about the hair grabbing and pulling off my glasses too, thanks to everyone who answered those without me even asking!

Stay still for nappy changes - never, but she was out of them just after 2. In my experience they dropped one annoying habit and they just pick up another.

I've been able to do nappy changes with cooperation (e.g. legs up, bum up) for probably 9 months now

DS is 2.3. We are occasionally getting him telling us he needs a change but we're still a way off being out of them

He doesn't throw food often any more but there is some deliberate dropping for the dogs

Oh and the last few months, socks stay on and he's worn a hat all summer outside with little to no prompting

20mo
Food has been good since about 14-15mo - we did BLW from 6mo so he's had a lot of practice
nappy changes - hellish since he learnt to roll at 4mo, I've given up hope
Socks - largely ok since about 15mo
Hats - definite no since birth
Hair pulling, fingers up nose, glasses swiping - all depends on what mood he's in.

Mine has never dropped food on the floor as he’s too greedy. Loves to smear it in his hair though! Hats are luckily fine but socks and shoes are a constant battle, as are nappy changes - he either rolls away or wants to play with his bits so it’s a nightmare keeping poo off his hands 🤢. He’s 17 months and I’m potty training next month as sick of it and he’s well capable.

I’m afraid I didn’t tolerate food throwing and neither of mine did this. Just a “no” if it happens and mean it. It’s not acceptable and it’s difficult to take them out anywhere. I put food out gradually so it got eaten gradually and there wasn’t piles of it to throw. Mistakes made with spoon to mouth co ordination but that’s ok.

Never had fingers up my nose either. Mine loved books and we had card ones which were more robust. If a baby wants to play, let them play. They don’t have to be read to if they are too young but mine engaged with rhymes and songs plus baby rhythmic books. Lots of pictures for starting to say words.

Hats and socks stayed on mostly but girls can wear tights! I sometimes think boys grab at things more than girls. I remember necklaces being grabbed but you soon learn not to wear them. Difficult with glasses but again, a firm “no” has to be the answer and an offer of a much better toy. When DC begin to understand what you are saying and that you don’t want them to do something, you get more control. Around 15-21 months I think.

Good luck with potty training at 17 months. Few manage that.

@bubblesbuddy he’ll be 18 months and I know loads of children of friends who managed it - maybe 8 kids? And it was standard in our generation - certainly I and all my siblings and cousins were trained by 18 months. Thanks for the concern though!

I’m afraid I didn’t tolerate food throwing

I hate this. You sound like you are saying any baby that throws food hasn't been told no or the parents tolerate it. Very judgemental.