|
Soon after a child begins
sitting in a high chair, she will probably want to try feeding
herself. At first, she’ll use her hands to pick up food, getting
some in her hair, on her clothes, and on the floor. Eventually,
she’ll become a bit neater and start eating with utensils, although
she’ll still use her hands.
Some parents are so bothered by messy eating that they try to stop
their child from feeding herself. They think that meals will be
faster and more efficient if they do the feeding, and they’re
probably right. Yet there are other considerations. A child can
become so frustrated when she isn’t allowed to touch her food or
feed herself that she might push away what her parents offer and
even refuse to eat. All children at some point have a desire to feed
themselves, and they’re usually more cooperative at the table when
their parents let them try.
When your child is ready to start feeding herself, you can minimize
messiness by putting only a small amount of food on the tray
(although some tolerant parents let their child plunge into a whole
bowlful). When your child is ten to fourteen months old, you may see
signs that she’s ready to try a utensil. She might reach for the
spoon you’re using or imitate your actions as you eat your meals or
feed her.
Her first utensil should be a spoon, since it’s safer to use than a
fork. You can continue to feed her with your spoon while letting her
dip her own spoon into the bowls of food. By the time she’s eighteen
months old, she may be ready to use a child-sized fork, as long as
you watch to see she doesn’t harm herself
Don’t be concerned about the way your child holds her utensils; if
she seems comfortable and is able to get some food into her mouth,
there’s no need to worry. If she seems uncomfortable, you can show
her how to hold a spoon or fork correctly, but don’t get into a
struggle if she refuses to follow your example. Eventually she’ll
learn by imitating you.
If she doesn’t want to use a utensil even though she’s old enough,
and prefers eating with her hands, try to accept the situation. She
may be more successful eating that way, or may just prefer to touch
her food directly. Since eating should be a relaxed and enjoyable
experience, it’s not wise to try forcing your child to use a spoon
and fork. Just have utensils available so she can try them out when
she’s ready. By the time she’s two and one-half to three years old,
she’ll be using utensils much of the time. |
