21 Month Old Won't Use Fork or Spoon to Feed Himself

Neither will my 11 yo. He's a caveman. Drives me crazy...
Good luck! Maybe there's a M. that's been able to tame the caveboy?
S.

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Half the time, we'll be eating dinner and I'll look over and my 4 year old is eating with her hands. *mommy hangs head in shame* She knows how to eat with a fork, she just has a hard time with it and she's hungry, and apparently is too impatient to use actual utensils to get the food to her mouth. Sigh. We're working on it, but it's an uphill battle, I'll tell ya!

At your son's age, I would seriously not worry about it. Maybe when he's my daughter's age and not using a fork, then worry. =-p

1 mom found this helpful

My son is also 21 months and does not use a spoon or fork either. I give him one most of the time, but he prefers to eat with his hands. As far as eating things like yogurt or applesauce, I usually still feed him since he just tries to eat those with his hands too! (messy!) I was a little worried too, but I feel better after reading your responses! :) Thanks and good luck!!

My daughter will be 2 in June... She cannot regularly eat with a fork and spoon. Sometimes she has a few successes with spearing a piece of meat or spooning a bite of cereal, but it's slow, frustrating and messy. I let her try whenever she wants to, but I wouldn't say that she is actually able to eat with a fork and spoon. If I left her to eat with utensils on her own, she'd be very thin. :) They're fine!

My boys are 3 and 5 and they still don't consistently use utensils.

We have the utensils there and we encourage them to use them, however we don't discipline them if they don't.

I'm just happy that they're eating what's on their plate! I wouldn't worry about it too much.

Not unusual at all. My son didn't use a fork for the longest time (still hardly does and he'll be 3 in July). He'd rather eat with his hands, but does try now to use the fork sometimes. He does use his spoon. I don't remember when he started, but for a long time he would put the spoon upside down before putting it in his mouth, now he usually will get it to his mouth and most of the time he'll turn it upside down in his mouth - LOL. I wouldn't worry about it. What we usually did (esp for the fork) is give him utensils with every meal that we could. Obviously not regular finger foods like sandwiches and stuff, but with mac & cheese, pasta, rice, etc. You'll probably still have to help him out with the spoon till he figures it out - maybe have him help you feed him. So don't worry about it. Just give it to him to use and if he uses it great, if not, he will. Good luck!

gently introduce them....hes a baby...and he will be grown very soon and wont even need help dressing...sad but true...enjoy this precious baby...hee hee...watch him...he is learning texture and hot and cold....and getting fed....hes enjoying himself....good luck momma:)

It takes lots of coordination to use those tools and he is probably pretty hungry. That would frustrate you, too, don't you think?? He is really a baby. keep offering the tools and give him other opportunities to use tools so he can build his fine motor skills without the stress of being hungry while mastering it. Y'know, crayons, playdoh with kitchen implements to make shapes in the playdoh, painting, sidewalk chalk, scissors. Model appropriately and just keep offering. he'll get there!

This is not a skill that a child of your son's age needs to master. My son is almost 2 and can use a fork but is just now learning how to use a spoon. And frankly, he prefers using his hands because he can eat faster. Each child is different and yours will one day watch you eating with utensils and want to try it. In the meantime, stick with foods he can eat with his hands and limit foods that require a fork or a spoon. Good luck!

Dont rush him push only keeptrying eventuallly he will learn my mother said hand came before forkes i did use untilli was ready now at 86 years old things get fine relax you want him to grow up to fast raised 4 now how have 7 grandchildren A. no hills

your child is way too young to have enough control over a utensil like that. Lighten up. I don't think the kids can use them until 4 or 5.