1 year old food throwing

[BabyLlamaZen]

We did baby led weaning and try to be relaxed and positive when ds eats, letting him play with his food and not freaking out with all the mess. But it doesn't seem to have made him a better eater despite our hopes. Lately it's getting too much. He literally throws everything you give him apart from the one little thing he wants at that time (which will keep changing!) So we are constantly restocking with him getting annoyed at each offering and the floor a state. So we stopped putting the plate in front of him, trying to give him small bits at a time on his tray. Sometimes he eats some of it, but then he will throw it again. He doesn't eat much and it's like you've got to guess the sequence of how to offer things to him! We do this for about 40 mins to an hour.

We try to ignore when he throws and just be positive and praise when he tries things. Doesnt stop him! Sometimes we say "no" but hejust looks at us and does it more.

I'm not sure what else to do really. It's not like we're not going to get him more food when it's gone as he obviously gets hungry!

I just say we don’t throw food. And pick it up. It’s a phase.

How infuriating. I don't think you have any option other than to minimise what you give him and to ignore the throwing as best you can. Let's hope another poster will be more useful than me. One thing is for sure, he will grow out of it and take his cues for table manners from the family in the long term.

It's a frustrating, but very normal phase. We resorted to feeding DS2 picnic style on the floor on a big wipe clean mat because he was a nightmare. It is however all part of them learning object permanence and cause and effect.

My DS did this for MONTHS. I thought it was never going to end and then one day it did. We introduced a 'finished' bowl so that we could place all the things he didn't want in there- worked a treat!

That's why children that small need to be fed, not just given heaps of food to waste. I've seen this in a hotel - parents just shoved a pile of food in front of a tiny child and started eating their own meals, the child made a huge mess everywhere and the poor waiters had to clean it all up afterwards.

Wipe clean mat on the floor - pick up the food, put it back on the plate. No eye contact when throwing, no interaction or comment, basically we just leave DD to it, periodically putting things back in front of her, and let her eat at her own speed while we potter in the kitchen.

You’ve reminded me of this phase; it’s frustrating but it does pass and I found it better to not make it into a big deal in the way you are too.

@Moomin12345

That's why children that small need to be fed, not just given heaps of food to waste. I've seen this in a hotel - parents just shoved a pile of food in front of a tiny child and started eating their own meals, the child made a huge mess everywhere and the poor waiters had to clean it all up afterwards.

Obviously it's not appropriate in a restaurant, but letting a child feed themselves is hugely important - it lets them regulate their own intake, develops manual dexterity and fine motor control and is a huge factor in reducing future pickiness as they get used to a wide range of textures early on. There's a reason BLW is recommended now- putting your own desire for a tidy floor above your baby's developmental needs is pretty shitty.

Just give him a tiny bit and add more as he eats. This thread reminds me of when my husband put one pea on my son's plate with his dinner (trying to be funny), and son cried, "Daaadddy, one peeeeeeeeea!".