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True Mom Confession:  I still feed my son more times than not.  What does that mean exactly?  I literally feed him with a spoon or a fork.   And he’s two.  I know.  It’s time.  It’s time for him to start feeding himself.  My husband, my mom-friends, my parents, my in-laws, his preschool teacher have all told me the same thing.  When he’s at school, he somewhat feeds himself.  He’s learning.  But at home, he still expects me to feed him.  And I oblige since he needs to eat.  So why do I continue to spoon-feed my 2-year old?  I’m worried he won’t get enough to eat. There.  I said it.

True Mom Confession:  I still feed my son more times than not.  What does that mean exactly?  I literally feed him with a spoon or a fork.   And he’s two.  I know.  It’s time.  It’s time for him to start feeding himself.  My husband, my mom-friends, my parents, my in-laws, his preschool teacher have all told me the same thing.  When he’s at school, he somewhat feeds himself.  He’s learning.  But at home, he still expects me to feed him.  And I oblige since he needs to eat.  So why do I continue to spoon-feed my 2-year old?  I’m worried he won’t get enough to eat. There.  I said it.

I thought I’d share some tips we’ve learned on how to help our toddler become a bit more independent.

1.  Eat meals together (at the table, of course):  The more opportunity a child has to observe mommy and daddy, the more likely he/she will want to imitate that behavior.  Meals in front of the television don’t allow for this.

2.  Practice makes perfect:  In order for our little boy to learn how to eat by himself, we’ve actually had to allow him the opportunity to practice.  Target, Babies R Us, and Walmart sell inexpensive, BPA plastic forks and spoons that are perfect for little tots’ hands.  I like blunt utensils to prevent accidental injuries (toddlers can throw like you won’t believe at this stage!).  And if you’re worried your toddler isn’t going to get enough to eat on his/her own, you can feed them small bites in between the bites that he/she is eating (I’ll very often do that with my son).

3.  Let them get messy:  This has been the hardest for me.  Do I really want to sweep and mop the floor every time my toddler eats?  No!  But, do I really want to be spoon-feeding him until he goes to kindergarten (we’ve got another coming, you know?)?  No!  So, we’ve just resolved to deal with the mess.  If you can get a plastic mat to go under the high chair that might make for less sweeping and mopping endeavors (but I’ve rarely found that my toddler keeps all of his food on the mat!).  My son does not like bibs so we haven’t quite figured out how to get around the messy clothing situation.  Any tips?

4.  Engage in pretend play:  Toddlers love to engage in pretend play.  We are reviewing a play kitchen by Step 2 (more on that soon!) and it’s given my son an opportunity to gain a little dexterity by playing with his pretend forks, spoons, bowls, and plates. The sandbox and the bathtub are perfect places for tots to practice serving and scooping!

5.  Choose the right foods:  Attempting to start with something like soup will only lead to frustration for both you and your child (not to mention it’s very messy).  Instead, opt for thicker, chunkier foods.

My Plate-Mate is one of the products we’ve found helpful during this stage.  The product is simply a semi-circular plastic attachment that you use on your tot’s plates to prevent spills and help him/her learn to use a utensil.  My Plate-Mate is designed for use on children’s plates.  It’s made of BPA-free plastic and free from Phthalates and lead. When toddler eat with a utensil, many times the food ends up on the floor while they are trying to scoop it up.  The goal of this is to prevent food from falling off the plate.  It’s not completely enclosed so that a child has a way to get the food to his/her mouth.  This works well if you don’t have a curious 2 year old who wants to know what happens when he turns the plate!  Overall,  I think the product is great for helping tots learn to eat with utensils.  We just need to convince my son that he doesn’t need to turn the plate!

My Plate-Mate retails for $7.50 and comes in white, blue, or pink!

What are your tips for helping toddlers learn how to feed themselves independently?

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