Advice at Feeding Time

My 15mth old is a terror at mealtimes. Every spoonful that goes into his mouth is immediately taken back out and squished between his fingers. I don't mind so much when he puts it back in his mouth but when he throws it on the floor for the cats he thinks it's hillarious! (Even when they're not there!)

It doesn't matter what food it is: meat, vegies, custard, yoghurt; they all get the same treatment. And he likes pretty much all foods!

I've tried distracting him, locking the cats out at feeding time, telling him NO, ignoring it so he gets no attention/reaction for it...

Any other suggestions as to how I can get him to eat properly? :pray:

How does he go with finger food? I've changed our family diet so DS can feed himself - we have meat & veg and stir-fry more often and he's happier feeding himself - although I'm now trying to get him to learn to use his cutlery for things like risotto.

DS has improved now with spoonfeeding, but he now gets at least half of his food as finger food.

My cats come out as soon as DS is put in his high chair so I can relate to the feeding of the cats. I try not to react when he throws food on the floor 'cause I don't want to encourage him - its difficult at times not to react.

Generally pretty good with finger food, although when I cut up fruit or cheese for him to eat with his hands he can throw it then too.

I've been taking a gentler approach the last couple of days, when I see him reaching up to his mouth I take hold of his hands and say "no hands" until he's finished his mouthful, then I praise him. It's not foolproof but at least we leave the highchair in a much calmer mood!! :wall:

I might try leaving his food in bigger chunks so he can pick it up himself, see how he goes. Thanks.