Flippin' Plates and Spoon Feeding

How do I keep my boys from flipping their plates over when we're trying to let them eat with folks and spoons? I've tried the suction plates (not a very good product btw) and regular plates... they just want to flip them over for some reason and I get frustrated and end up feeding them myself. I do have a goal of having them feed themselves with a spoon by the time they are 2. This is the only thing that we're really behind on as far as milestsones and I feel terrible about it.

Ugh…

 

We don't use plates except for at restaurants. They generally eat straight off of the high chair tray. At restaurants, we take the plate away when they start fiddling with it and start giving them one piece of food at a time.

 

I would take them away. They can only use them if they leave them on the table/tray. Hopefully after a few times they'll learn that if they want to use a plate like a big kid, they can't throw them around. GL!

 

QUOTE(Leighann @ Jun 3 2009, 12:43 PM) [snapback]1339712[/snapback]
I would take them away. They can only use them if they leave them on the table/tray. Hopefully after a few times they'll learn that if they want to use a plate like a big kid, they can't throw them around. GL!



Same here! The bowl/plate flipping seems to come and go in spurts for us. They were doing good for awhile, then there was a major resurgence in flipping. Drives me nuts! Don't beat yourself up about it, though - I am sure they will master the skill eventually and everything will be fine. Maybe if you take a break for a week or so and try again they will have gotten the flipping out of their system and leave it alone. Good luck!!

 

One of my girls does this a lot. What we usually do is give them the food on a plate, but if they start trying to flip it or throw it, we take the food off it and put it right on the high chair tray. And that is how they eat it. I'm sure they will grow out of it eventually.

 

Thanks for the responses ladies – I guess I just needed confirmation that I wasn't the only one frustrated with this flippin' nonsense

 

I think this is something all toddlers go thru. My girls usually do it when they are done with eating. Sometimes before. I take it away. We always serve food on their plates or bowls with a fork/spoon so that when do go out to a restuarant it's not new to them. We go out occasionally. Isn't always a success but it's practice. They will eventually get it.