We've got so much sorted with our eating, except for throwing food, Gaah!

[Acacia]

We've finally got things sorted with my DD's eating now after quite a lot of stress (my stress, I mean) and a big learning curve for mummy of being able to let go control instead of it becoming a battle of wills between DD and myself. I'm so pleased that she is now eating most things with her hands now, and is even trying a spoon on her own (with a bit of help from mummy) and she sits at the table with us in a booster seat instead of in her highchair now. I love it, and I am so pleased we've got to this point after where things have been. She's eating so much better, and so much more variety. (See here for the story if interested!)

But... DD is becoming an expert at throwing food on the ground She does it to indicate she's finished, but she also does it when she's getting bored, and she does it to get a reaction out of me/her dad. She does it deliberately when you ask her not to (she knows!) and she does it when you ignore her because she knows you're ignoring it (smart little cookie!)

I'm keen not to get stressed about it - so far so good - it frustrates me, I understand it's normal and she's just playing/testing boundaries/being in control, but I'm just wondering what other parents do when their toddler throws food. When she does it when I know she's finished the food is immediately taken away, but what to do when she's doing it at other times? Will she grow out of the novelty of doing this? Is there anything I can do that can gently discourage it without upsetting the really good thing/atmosphere/situation we have going with her eating? Is it best to continue to ignore it or make it clear when/if it's acceptable or not? Not sure!

Thanks for your ideas and experiences!

[feeb]

DS! chucks food on floor when bored, finished or if dogs get in!!!

I ignore it mainly as he does it more if we react.

DS1 not good at putting fullspoon in mouth but gets empty one in well. He loves finger foods and feeding himself.

[briggsy's girl]

my DD isn't at that stage yet - any food that goes over the side is an accident - BUT, i'm sure i read that it's part of experimenting with height, weight etc - by dropping different things, they learn how long it takes different substances to reach the floor, what sounds they make etc. it's part of learning

having said that, it's damn frustrating even when it's accidental! hope you can get some answers to help you

[Visitor7]

DD2 is a little older than your DD, and she's still throwing food on occassion She mainly throws it to her big sister though as she knows she gets a reaction out of her. We just try to ignore it, or tell her to stop. If she doesn't stop when we ask her to, we just take the food away. She usually only starts to do it when she's finished anyway.

[Jennifer13]

When food starts getting thrown and a simple instruction not to is ignored, then meal time is over. That's how we did it with my little one. It only happened a couple of times. Simple. No stress for you and it gives her some control over deciding when she's finished. It's not fun if you can't throw it anymore, so it stops happening.

FWIW though, our DD was more worried about whether the dogs would eat her dinner if it got chucked over the side, so as long as she was still hungry it never went over!

[studymum]

cheeky little monkey, even if she is doing it cause she is being ignored you probably still have to ignore it, eventually she will decide its not worth while cause there is no reaction, the more reaction they get the more fun it is.

[Heaven]

PITA isn't it!! It's so hard to ignore when you're feeling really frustrated!! My DD does it for all the same reasons as yours. She looks at you and chucks it over the edge like 'Yeah, what you gonna do about it?'. I can give her dinner and before she even eats any she just chucks it all off piece by piece, ahhh..... Even when she's hungry!!

[Honeybee]

DS! chucks food on floor when bored, finished or if dogs get in!!!

Our situation exactly!! The only thing I do is try to make sure the dogs aren't in the room, because he prefers to feed them rather than to eat. I let the dogs in afterwards to clean up all the stuff he's thrown on the floor

I don't worry about it and hope it's a phase that will pass. We have floorboards and I just mop the floor afterwards. I guess at his age, I figure he's not doing it to annoy me, he's just experimenting with gravity, feeding the dogs and as a sign that he's had enough. When everything I offer goes on the floor, I end the meal. Having said that, it can be really frustrating when a meal you've spent ages on just gets chucked on the floor.

xx