2 year old throwing food on the floor

[DaniTTC]

Hello all

so my 2 year old has always thrown his food on the floor when he’s done eating and says all done want out , when he does this I say we don’t throw food on the floor it makes a big mess now we clean up. Then I get him out the high chair and get him to help clean it up

is this just a phase they grow out of? Is there something I’m not doing right or could be doing better?
the thing is he’ll be eating fine then randomly start throwing his food then says he wants out sometimes he’ll even start eating again

we also only give him food we know he likes
just very frustrating as sometimes there’s so much food wastage and in this day and age it’s definitely not cheap 🤣

any advice welcome thank you!

Does he enjoy flinging it on the floor and then getting out the pan and brush to clean up? Maybe it's all just become a big game.

I'd just be really fast and stop him the second he goes to throw something and put him out of the kitchen.

Maybe at 2 he's fed up with the high chair and acting up. My son had a Tripp Trapp chair from before the age of 2 and prefers having the autonomy to get up and down to the table himself. I'd say a high chair is very babyish for a two year old so maybe that's why he's acting babyish. Try giving him more independence- his own proper chair, get him to help lay the table, let him butter his own bread or cut fruit etc etc.

I tried him with a chair and table for a few weeks but he just refused to eat on it he just kept getting up and running away and didn’t want to sit at it that’s why I reverted back to the high chair because at least I knew he’d be eating something

it’s all just such a difficult age lol

I think you just have to ride that out. Get him a chair at the same table as everyone else. Eat together. If he wants to get down then let him but everyone else stays and eats their dinner. If he's hungry he'll eat.

If he wants to run off he doesn't get to have any yoghurt or whatever afterwards, but dinner is there when he's ready to eat.

Borrow a labrador from someone. The food will barely have time to hit the floor.

https://www.etsy.com/listing/82423907/tie-on-child-chair-pdf-instant-download and use with a normal chair + booster cushion

its a phase, my now 3yo did for a bit and we have a dog. Not a lab so doesn’t actually eat 75% of the food thrown. We moved her to an adult seat and less throwing but that could also be a combo of growing up too.

we just had to keep reinforcing no and made her watch me clean. 😂

It's a normal (but annoying) phase. I used to put a plastic mat under the high chair to make it easier to clean up, and lift him out of the high chair as soon as he starts throwing to minimise waste.

My mum has a Labrador the dog loves it when my son comes over 🤣 my son thinks it’s funny to feed her his lunch so now we have to put the dog out the room when he eats 🤣

Ignore, give no attention and don't involve him in clearing up. Don't give him as much so if he does dump it not so much is wasted,he can always ask for more if hungry.

I saw a suggestion once about having a ‘no thanks bowl’ for a child to put any bits they don’t want it, so if he doesn’t like the look of something he can put it in there instead of chucking it, might be worth a try.

Do you eat with him? Similar to PP above, my 2 year old is on a triptrap type chair and gets up and down himself. He knows not the throw his food and will actually help clear the table -takes his own plate and empties it in the bin, then puts in the dishwasher- admittedly often does a terrible job but got to start somewhere! We give him lots of praise for this and he has older siblings to copy which probably helps. I'd say if he's helping you clean up the mess he's thrown maybe try asking him to help clear away 'like mummy' at the end of the meal and lots of positive reinforcement about how helpful he is, grown up etc etc.

Don't tell him what NOT to do, toddlers don't really hear the 'no' part and it just reminds them to do it. Tell him what TO do and make it a fun game. 'When we finish eating, we clap our hands and say 'finished!' Can you say finished?'

Also, try to anticipate it and take the plate as soon as you can tell he's going to try to chuck the food.

Dd had a "no thank you plate" for dgs. I was amazed that it worked from being much younger than your little one. He'd clear any food he didn't want onto the plate and anything spilled onto the tray too so all ddor I had to do was take away both plates and wipe the tray. I wish I had known that trick when mine were younger.