Throwing Food Anyone???

A firm "no" and if it continues he may not be that hungry take him out of his chair and try feeding him later. My little guys doesn't throw food on the floor he likes to feed it to the dogs but generally after he's done that he we know its time clean up and go play. The only other time he gives his food away is when he doesn't like something. Its just a phase and will pass they seem to get a joy out of seeing what does what or makes what noise when you drop it on the ground. He's old enough to help you cleam up the mess he made. I have my little guy helping clean his messes food, drinks, toys, etc for a while now. Good luck.

Hi H.!
My 9/07 born son is doing this exact same thing. He is my 4th after 9 yrs so I am a bit casual about it. While it is annoying, I am amused at how he can look me straight in the eye- with a straight face- then pick up a piece of food and basically dangle it over the edge of the highchair tray- never losing eye contact with me! He sometimes just drops it but lately he pauses, waits for me to say gently 'noooo', then he puts it back on the tray again and smiles. After we do this a few times I say, "all done?" and he will then try to push the tray away, so I know he's done. Sometimes they don't want to eat as much as we want or even when we want them to. Just offer the food, and when it becomes less eating and more playing, it's time to say 'all done'. It is just a phase- keeping less food on the tray means less mess to clean up too! Good luck :).

Totally normal phase. It drove my DH batty! As obvious as it is to us, it is not clear to a baby that if he keeps throwing the food on the floor it will keep splatting on the floor. He's experimenting with the world. I opted to not say "No" a lot and my daughter was really much later with her no phase than a lot of kids. It is more helpful to tell them what they should do I have found, rather than what not to do. I would calmly remind her that food stays on the plate and go on with what I was doing. I definitely didn't show anger or make a big deal about it. I didn't want to send the message that this was really some big important thing, there are way too many opportunities ahead for control issues. I also had a towel under her chair and did not fill her plate with a lot of food at a time.

I absolutely disagree with advice to take the food away and end dinner (unless you really think your child is done). Underfeeding a child as a punishment for experimenting with his environment makes no sense. We're talking about a baby here.

I find that if I look at whatever the annoying behavior is in the baby's terms it works better. If I think she is doing this to bug me or trying to be naughty or whatever, it puts me in an adversarial stance and that is not helpful for either of us. Since food throwing is not meant to purposefully annoy me, I should take it for what it is -a normal phase and try to give her fewer opportunities to do it. It really didn't last long in our house.

A firm "no" (you must not show any emotion to the tears!)
and a short explanation, "we eat our food, not throw it."

and a time out if it persists. At one year they won't really understand the vocabulary, but believe me they understand tone of voice, your reaction, and consequences. (In their minds, they still get, "if I do x, then y happens".)

Good luck. They will get past it no matter what you do but if you set x/y consequences now, they will respect them later.

Hello! Glad to know I'm not alone! We've had the same problem with our 15 month old, however it has gotten better. We have learned not to feed him in his chair unless we know he's hungry, which cuts down on the throwing, and also we ignore him completely when he throws which usually stops it, as he's looking for the attention of the "no" Good luck!

I would just give him a couple pieces on his tray and if he throws it, just ignore him. Just eat your meal and ignore him. I think the more reaction he gets the more he is gonna do it. If he eats those pieces of food then give him more, a little at a time. I can remember my kids doing that, it is a phase and he will soon stop.

I thought you were talking about my grand son when I read your post! LOL He does the same thing. I keep telling him no, and he flings it more. I have been taking the food away when he starts flinging it. he pouts up and crys, but when he calms down, I ask him if he wants his food back, and he looks at me says yes. So he gets it back, and eats it well. For about 10 minutes. Then he starts again. It makes for a very long meal time, but I think it's starting to work. The meal dropping is starting to subside. At this age, I think it's a power play, to see who is going to win.
Good Luck!

He's not throwing food to be bad, and he's too young to be punished. He's learning cause and effect, both in what your reaction is, and how the food splats.

It sounds like he is trying to get a response out of you, so don't give it to him and he should stop. For a week, give him less on his plate/tray. Then if he does throw the food, ignore it. Don't say anything to him, don't rush to clean it up. Don't react. Wait until mealtime os over to clean up the mess, preferably when he's out of sight. The behavior should lessen (maybe not stop completely, though, bc throwing food is fun).

It really is just a phase, and it will pass. Good luck!

He's NOT too young to understand that what he's doing isn't ok. DOn't freak, just calmly tell him that if he doesn't want his dinner, that's fine. Pick it up and either hide it for later or toss it and then tell him it's time for bath. If all his gets by his shenanigans is an empty tummy and no real reaction, it'll stop soon.

What ever you do, don't be phased by the tears. If you are unable to discipline because you can't take the tears, you'll end up walking a looong road ith your kids.

I think every little one that I know went through the food dropping phase to some degree. I gave both my boys firm "NOs" and took their food away. And as the grandmother below pointed out, they eventually calmed down and ate fairly decently. Our food dropping phases weren't long with either. One of my friends, on the other hand, had a real hard time being firm with her son and it went on 'til he was almost three. Incidentally, he doesn't come when she calls, he throws tantrums every time she asks himt do something, and he's difficult to manage with other kids at school and on the playgroung. As a result, she misses out on a lot of the little joys - for example, trick or treating has been a disappointing disaster every year for them.

Stand firm in the face of tears and you'll find that life is a lot easier for both of you as you face phase after challenging phase! Good luck!

Our daughter started throwing food about the same time and we instituted time outs. She gets one minute per year-old and we either immediately take her out of the high chair and make her sit somewhere (pick a "time-out"spot that is away from distractions and toys) and then we count or use a timer. I started time outs in regular play, too, and it works! When she throws food, I immediately take away her food and give her a warning. (Sometimes I think she does it when she is bored.) If she does it again, she gets a time out and no more food. Perhaps your son is not needing to eat as much (they go through those weird phases) so he is acting out at the table. I doubt it has anything to do with the type of food. Yelling "No" never worked for us, either. After her time out I always get down to her level and talk to her about what she did. Now she can say "i'm sorry" and then we end with a hug. It seems to be working so far!

H.,

Your son is in toddlerhood. He is testing his boundries, it's all normal although annoying for us. First lay newspaper under his high chair. I first saw my aunt do this with my cousin. She laid down newspapers, one day's newspaper opened at the center, one right next to each other so it was a big 'mat' around his high chair. After his meal she didn't have to clean the floor she just rolled up the top layer or two of the newspapers, thru them out and she was finished. Not having to clean the floor elivates some stress.

Secondly, only give him 2 pieces at a time. Or even one if he wants to thru them. Also the bigger reaction he gets from you the more he will do it. The 'oh, well' with a smile if I see it is all my daughter gets. I also found if I just am sitting with her while she eats and am concentrating on her eat she doesn't want to and just acts up. However, when I am interested in something else she eats much better.

Hope this helps and remember it's just a phase,
L. M

Yes, it sounds like he's just trying to get a reaction, and learn about "cause and reaction"-if drop it, it lands on the floor. If I drop it, mom yells".Give him a warning at the first dropping of food, "No drop! If you do it again, I take the food away". If he does it again say, "You dropped, you loose your food". He'll likely cry. Wait until he's quiet and re-present it, telling him, "no drop, or I take it away". Repeat as necessary. It's just a phase, as long as you set limits. If you don't it'll escalate. Good luck.

He's just testing his boundries... its just a phase. Try to stick it out, be firm but don't get out of control.

Hello H.!
I would have our 13 month old pick up what she threw over her tray. (Mostly Cherios at first) One time she had so many on the floor, I picked her up out of her seat and had her pick up all of them, then put her back in her highchair! And timouts work too. At this age they understand a lot more than we tend to give them credit for. She is now 18 months and is a good, clean eater!! Good luck.
L.

This is such a normal phase, and we all go through it in some version. I guess I would kindly remove it from the table or high chair tray, whatever you are using, clean up as much as you can, and not give him the "NO" he seems to want until he actually gets it an bursts into tears. Then give him one portion of the food and make sure he doesn't throw it - don't try to force him to eat it, but he doesn't get to treat it inappropriately. Remove it before he ruins it, and say "If you don't want the pasta, then you may want to start with the carrots." I would not give him more than 3 foods anyway - choosing can be hard - but giving him an example of a balanced meal is a good thing. Maybe hold the plate near you or on the table, and show him his choices for tonight. See which of those 3 he wants to start with. Try to be upbeat even though you are really waiting for the throwing to begin!

If it is an entirely new food, you have to give him a chance to try it and either like/dislike it. Studies show that kids may have to try a new food as often as 6 times to really decide if they like it or not. But if it's a food you know he likes, then you don't give as many chances.

If he continues to throw or reject food, remove it, and take him out of the high chair. Say, "I guess you are not hungry now. Okay." Put the food away. If he wails, put him back in the high chair and start over. DO NOT make something entirely new. The dinner you have put out is the dinner he gets - again, unless it's a totally new food that doesn't appeal to him, but you make the distinction that he doesn't get to throw it. Food is for eating, or for putting back in the refrigerator. Do NOT let him see you toss anything away because then he will learn to waste. You can even consider putting down a clean sheet or mat underneath the high chair - anything that hits the mat gets scooped up and put back on the plate! The trick is to do it without emotion. State matter-of-factly, "We do not throw food. Food goes on the plate." You can give him choices at this age of feeding himself or having you do it, of using his hands or trying to use a spoon, etc. All choices have to be reasonable but can offer him some control.

If he constantly refuses, let him get hungry. But the next time he refuses, THAT MEAL is the one he gets - even if it's for breakfast! If there is one food that he really dislikes, don't keep forcing it - but if it's a battle of wills, don't let him force you into making a meal of his choosing. That will just mushroom into you being a short-order cook and having to cook separate meals for him when he is 5 and 8 and 11. It's a slippery slope so try not to go down it.

And while I am not advocating that he be deprived, remember that he will not starve (no matter what my mother-in-law said!) if he doesn't eat much tonight and makes up for it tomorrow.

Good luck!

Hi H.,

This is just a phase, as much as you probably hate hearing that, there is no magic cure for the throwing the food on the floor phase. :) Just don't over-react...try to stay calm and gently tell him "No thank you, our food stays on our plate" or whatever it is that he is eating off of. Don't give it too much attention as that is what he is looking for and the moment you give it to him, he sees it as any kind of attention good/bad. Hang in there, it does get better and soon enough he'll realize that his food doesn't do him much good on the floor. :)

My 14-month-old DS is doing EXACTLY the same thing (although he doesn't cry when we scold him). We tell him "no" a couple of times, and that if he continues dropping food it will be taken away. Then we take it away. If he's really hungry, he will get food back after a few minutes. Most of the time, though, he's all done and just playing. I think the key is to be consistent, firm, and straightforward. Tell him the consequences and follow through. 14 months is young, but I know my DS understands quite a bit so I feel comfortable "disciplining" him at this stage.

Maybe if he really is hungry but won't stop making a mess, hand feed him. If he's hungry, he will eat. If not, it doesn't make sense to force him. Good luck!

I think it's normal. My kid does it. He also, takes a piece of food, looks me in the eye and tucks it into his high chair and says, "Uh oh!" It's funny sometimes, of course not always, after getting up 15 times during my meal to clean it up. Instead of saying, "No!" Just say Uh ah. And just tell him its wrong and not to do it. Eventually he'll understand or eventually it will stop.

When my son (15 mth) throws or drops food, I say no the first time, we don't throw/drop food. If he does it the 2nd time I tell him he is all done...no matter how much he has eaten. I let him out of highchair, he'll go off and play for a bit then come back and I'll ask him if he is ready for some more of whatever, I'll put him back in highchair and then he'll usually finish..or have a couple more bites.

it a totally normal phase I thought it wasnt but alot of people that I know who have gone thorugh this have older kids and told me that it will everntally pass. My 1 year old boy is in the same stage that your 14 month old boy is in right now,by kindly looking at you and dropping the food that you have prepared for him on the floor.I found that by him doing that it was him showing me that it was something he did not want or like at the time , sometimes they just dont want to eat because they are not hungry. I found that you just say a "FIRM NO" ONCE he should stop but if he keeps on doing that , I just kindly go over take the tray off the high chair clean him up and get him down im not taking his food away and im not being mean about this, its just that he rather be doing something other than eating at the time and thats ok, because Babies dont always eat or want to eat at that time if they are hungry like my 1 year old he will let me know by crying or whinning or being in a cranky mood soo then I feed him, but dont force your child to eat if hes not hungry he will eat when hes ready, also sometimes they just want a reaction out of you like its a game to them dont show them that its a game be serious tell them its time to eat and see if they will eat if not get them down from the high chair, sooner than later they will realize that they are hungy & that meal time is not play time. I also found that my 1 year old doesnt always like to be in his high chair so for snack time I put a snack on the living room table if its not messy and let him eat that way while im supervising him, I also found that if you eat at the same time and the same thing your child will be more likely to eat what you have made for them or let the share their food with you I do if he wants mommy to have some I do because it shows them that you like what they are eating and its also away for them to learn to share .... but it will all work out in the end believe me things will get better with his food issue, it has in my house ....
Good Luck :)

ahhh the cause and effect stage!
i dont miss it either haha! well this is my two cents...
your little one just wants to see what you will dom it is that simple.
ignore, ignore, ignore and dont pick it up he will just drop and drop again to see you pick it up each time...this stage will pass in no time! goodluck! :)

My darling 14 month old daughter does the same thing. She looks at me, grins a 6 tooth grin and very daintily drop the food over the edge of her high chair (usually into the waiting mouth of the dog). Most of the time with a gentle "Nooo/uh uh" she will put the food back down. If she still drops it over the edge, mealtime is over and my husband or I will take her out of her high chair. When she comes back looking for more food we put her back in her chair. Hardest part for me is not laughing when Lily looks over the edge of her chair to see if the dog is there before/after dropping the food. I don't want to encourage her!