Need Advice for Food Throwing Toddler

My daughter is 19 months old and will still throw her food when she is done - I know she doesn't want anymore when she starts throwing it. I still tell her no and take her plate away from her. When she was about your child's age it was terrible and I didn't make a big issue of it because then it was worse. I would tell her no, take her plate and give her a little food at a time on her tray - it got better, so just keep telling him no, but don't make it a big issue - hope this helps!

It does sound like he thinks it's a fun game. It will pass. but also I think if you just "matter of factly" take him down from the table when or better yet, before he starts throwing food. (so he doesn't take throwing food, as cue to get him down). If he's hungry later, you can offer him something later. Also, you can use distraction to deter him from throwing food. If he doesn't seem hungry, then I would think he can be dismissed from the table, I suppose might be a better way to say it. I hope I'm making sense?

Holly

When my daughter was this age and throwing food, she was all done. We just told her "All done." and took her plate away. Once we'd started doing time-outs with her (at about 18 months), she'd get one warning and then a time out.

M.,

They all do this. It's irresistible somehow. Really all you can do is take the plate away when piece one flies. I did not take my son out of his chair when I took his food away. I didn't want him to think that if he threw it, he could get down and go play. I would keep him in his high chair until my husband and I were done with our meal. If he was eating a snack, or we were already done, I would take the plate away, and then make him sit for an extra three or four minutes.

He's not really ready for this yet, but it will work in a little while: If he throws something on the floor, ask him to pick it all up when he gets down. I had trouble with my son dumping the food off of his plate onto the table. Now, if he does it, he has to pick it all up back on the plate, then I take it away, and he gets handed a towel to wipe up. No realy need for a reprimand, he makes the mess, he cleans it up, and he may not get down until he does.

Like everything else with a toddler, this too shall pass. As soon as he thinks up something more annoying!

Jess

How about giving him small amounts of food at a time (so there isn't that much to throw)? You could also make sure you are paying attention to him/ talking to him when he isn't throwing food, since that may be when everyone starts looking at and talking to him, which he probably likes. With my daughter, we would give her one warning and then take the food away. She stopped pretty quickly.

Also, I would cut down on the messier foods (cereals, pasta w/sauce, etc.) until it's under control. Give dryer things that are in bigger pieces for a little while (bananas, cereal bars, etc.)

Good luck! :)

Hi M.,

I had the same problem with my son, and it might not be a popular solution for many moms, but I fed my son for a while until I felt he forgot about how much fun throwing food was. I would keep him in the high chair, with the food away from him, and feed him for about a month (it takes 27 days to change a habit) then put the food back on the high chair and wean him back to feeding himself. he would feed himself things that he wouldn't throw.

Now, he did great for a while, then decided to start throwing his food again, and I would feed him again. He even did this behavior when he was in preschool because he liked the attention!

This happened off and on until I felt he was old enough to understand that it is not ok (2 1/2 - 3), then made him clean it up himself. of course he wouldn't do a great job, but he got the idea of how much work it was to clean up and he was responsible for his mess. He would then occasionally throw something after giving me that "I'm going to throw this food" smirk.

It finally ended after a few spankings when he was 4( I certainly don't recommend spanking 16 mo). Now he is 5, It took a while, but feeds himself just fine and doesn't throw anything anymore.

For now, it will make your life easier if you just expect him to throw, plan ahead for prevention or consequences. Don't let it make you crazy...he may like that reaction, too (mine did).

K.

I am a now SAH, homeschooling Mom in Middlesex County with a very energetic, fun-loving, determined 5yo BOY who thinks everything is a game.

My best advice is to just wait it out. He will grow out of it in time. Just TRY and not to feed into it in any way. Either take his food away when he starts or just give him very very little food at one time. Best of luck!

Kelley