Chucking food on the floor

[shirleycat1]

DS is almost 11 months and BLWd. He eats really well, but the flinging food thing is doing my head in. He seems to be doing it more recently. I've tried to say no firmly, but he totally ignores me. I have tried ignoring it, which doesn't make a difference and I've tried to tell him simply not to throw his food on the floor. Again, I got nowhere. I think he knows he shouldn't do it, but sometmes he just looks at me, then chucks something down. I don't want to encourage him, or for him to think that it's Ok to be throwing food around at dinner time, but I also don't want to draw too much attention to it.

This must be a common problem. What do other people do?

Thanks in advance...

He's too little to understand. Agree with hanaflower's approach. It will pass.

I share your angst, I really do, our DS is 1 now, and BLW just doesn't work for us, he either thinks its a toy or throws it on the floor. Nothing goes down his throat. So we have given that idea a miss, its a personal choice whether you want to perserveer with it, or try a different method .

I know that eventually our LO will be able to feed himself and it actually be a success, but for the now we are spoon feeding him, there is nothing wrong with this, yes it means that you have to use your time feeding them rather than giving them selected foods to eat (or try and feed themselves) and you getting on with the washing up etc, but you still have to be in the same room to monitor them, so I figure that by the way I am doing it, the food goes down, and I personally have less wastage and less mess!!

It is totally up to you how you tackle it. At 11 months our LO was very knowing and really did know when he was being cheeky (polite way to put it!)He is a very observant child, and quite scarily like a mini adult. from the word go, if he was doing something wrong, we have said no, some babies may not understand it, but I am of the thought that the earlier I use it, the more used to what that word means he will get!

Can I ask a question? Why don't you want to draw too much attention to it? Again, every baby is different, and you know yours best so you will instinctively know what to do

With ours if he is doing something wrong, we do say no, and keep saying it, he does get the idea in the end, and stops what he is doing! I think (and it is prob just me!) that things like this should have attention drawn to it, otherwise how else are they going to learn the boundries we would like to set? I will say no don't do that (and explain the reasons why, if he does it again I reafirm the no,and if he does it once again then I say to him, if you do that once more, you will go without such and such (obv, insert certain such and such applicable to the issue!) and then if he does it again, the such and such gets taken away. It seems harsh I know, but I just don't see how else he will learn, and if I am leanient now, then I figure it will be twice as hard to guide with these sorts of things later on! I hope that makes sense? ( I do tend to rabbit on!)

You will know what to do, and what feels right instintively, don't put yourself down for being a mummy trying to establish some boundries.

It's perfectly possible to establish boundaries with young children, but I think that sanctions on a child this little aren't really necessary, nor understood, even by the brightest child. I promise you I'm not a soft touch by any means, (ask my 3 yo!), but at this age they don't know right from wrong - they know what gets a reaction from mummy or daddy, so ignoring can be the quickest way to stop any behaviour you don't like.

I appreciate what you are saying, and again, I do agree that for some babies this will not work Which is why I was just sharing my experiences and how we deal with it, which is what the OP was asking for I think.

It has worked with our DS, not in all cases, sure, but most times it has worked, if there is a time when it doesn't work, we have a different approach (I am not saying that is the only way we would deal with it )

I guess we are all entitled to our opinion, so that we can all share our experiences. Thanks for yours

Thanks everyone.

Abi, he has been BLWed and has had 3 meals and day + snacks since he was excatly 26 weeks and it's gone great. At first not much went in but now he eats loads and he loves lots of different things. I am pretty militant about him feeding himself and like to leave it up to him what and how much he eats. I don't want to draw too much attention to the throwing food thing, because he knows it gets a reaction from me and it he does it as much or more, not less. Meals have never been a battle ground because I let him please himnself.

I was asking the question because ignoring it seems to say it's OK, but getting cross seems to fuel it. Also I guess I thought it would be improving a bit by now, but I guess as he's got smarter and aware of getting reactions it's got a bit worse.

I think I'm going to keep telling him calmly that he shouldn't do it, but not get cross. Will keep putting the food back surreptitiously. It all goes down in the end and if he's full and happy and sleeps that's good for me.

When does the mess get less? The clean up operation after every meal takes bloody ages.

Any other suggestions welcome...

Cheers...

Hiya

well I am glad that your BLW had got off to a flying start and as I said before, you will know best how to deal with this current issue, and what you have in mind sounds perfect, calmly is the best way. Whenever I deal with our little one, I try and do things as calmly as possible, otherwise it would just be mean! I totally agree with that rationale.

I wouldn't be able to comment on the mess get less subject, because our BLW was just a disaster, but I hope for sake that it gets less for you soon.