THEY ARE THROWING THEIR FOOD ON THE FLOOR!

It never fails, every meal that we have, our DD's end up tipping their plates upside down and eventually throw pieces on the floor. We have no idea how to get them to stop. They are only 21 months old, so threatening "no snacks" really doesn't work. Any advice???

-Jessica

 

Yeah - my little dog is now FAT for the same reason. I have started feeding them directly on the high chair tray so that at least there is no plate to throw - other than that I have NO idea!

 

i have the same problem...some folks have recommended giving them less food and replacing as they eat....which i find to be a pain...but it does cut down on the waste.

i do think (hope!) it's a phase. also, mine usually do it toward the end or with food they don't like...

 

It must be the age. My kids are doing the same thing too!

 

Yup, same here. 21 months here and still pitching food off the side. Usually it's the stuff that makes cool "splatting" sounds.

 

Mine do this sometimes and sometimes not. I give a few bites of something and when they finish, they get more or something else. Once the tossing begins, I assume they are done, tell them we don't throw food, take the food up, and they can sit with their sippy until "dinner time" is over (unless they chuck that...then they sit in the high chair until I've finished what I was doing while they were eating). Not sure it really means anything to them but that's what I do.

 

We found that if we put them on time out when they throw the food they stopped. Austin was very easy with stopping because he hates time out, but Justin was another story. It took us longer with him.

So if they throw food anytime of the day I would get them right out of the high chair and take them to their time out place. I would tell them in a harch voice not to throw food and than walk out of the room. Than they would come back after the time out was over. We just keep doing that and they don;t throw food anymore.

Erin

 

Definitely the age. <_< When mine would do that, I would push them away from the table and usually that was it for eating. We would tell them not to throw food.

I agree, putting less food on at a time works pretty well. I found once mine started using forks/spoons they didn't toss their plate or food off their plate as much. Hang in there.

 

my kids used to do the same thing. WE moved our kids to the table with booster seats and it stopped that behavior once they were at the big table.

 

My twins has been doing that since 12 mos old but they have improved so much latey because I put less food onto their plate. And if they are still hungry I just add some more food. I hate to see food getting waste. It is too bad that we don't have dog to clean up after, ha! The only thing they are doing still is turning the bowl upside down but I usually grab their paper plate/bowl as soon they are done.

With warm weather I have to make sure we have no food crumps on the floor otherwise we will have invade 'ants'. Yike!

D, w/Rianna and Justin (19 mos)

 

My twins are the same age and when they throw food, I take them down from their chairs and make them pick it up. I used to pass it off as the age, but my sister (who is a toddler veteran) told me to toughen up and make them pick it up, so that is what I do, and it seems to be working because I have seen an improvement. The key is to watch them when they eat and act immediately so they get the point. Don't wait until after the meal.

Similar thing with plates ... I say "plates stay on the table." If they continue to lift it up, their chair gets pulled away from the table or I take the plate away.

 

Mine do it too and it is soooooo frustrating!