Tray swiping at meat time

It's driving me beyond NUTS! Both boys will at any given time during EACH meal take their hand and swipe all of the food from side to side (i'm sure some of you are familiar with the technique :blink: ) making most of the food fall to the floor. It is probably my biggest pet peeve right now and I can't figure out how to get them to stop. I've tried ignoring and discipline but to no avail. Please tell me this stops because I've really reached the end of the rope on this one. They think it's hilarious! They will do it whether the dogs are in the room or not and at the beginning of the meal so I don't think it's a sign of them telling me they are done. What am I doing wrong in trying to get them to stop because this has been going on since they were efficient in table foods? What I did tonight during supper was after being told no once (and hand smacked lightly) I took the tray away and that was the end of supper. Is this too early of an age to do that???

The positive out of this is that I have dogs to clean up the mess but they are wasting sooo much food!! I know that's what toddlers do but leave it on the tray then!!!!!!! :crazy:

 

I'm interested in seeing replies bc I could have written the post myself....we've also started plates at the tables (recently switched to boosters) and they are constantly feeding the dog and if we lock her up they just throw it on the floor!!! Help me too!!! :headbang: :headbang: :help: :help:

 

I remember being VERY frustrated with this around 15 months... so yours are right on target!! not sure what I did to get rid of the nasty habit...

maybe they aren't hungry? are you feeding big snacks?

I know I've gone through a time trying to figure out how much to feed at what meals and snacks!!! its all such a learning curve.

as to the question of ending supper... I think its worth a try! I think I didn't get as disciplinarian as I should have with our two.... I know its not a lost cause yet, but I think its a good idea to at least let them know that its not appropriate. good luck.

oh, one thing I tried to teach ours was to "hand it to momma" if you're done... or if they don't like it... I actually think that helped a bit...

 

Just realized that my title should say "meal time" and not "meat" ... oops!

We only do occassional snacks and it's usually like cheerios or some type of crackers so I don't think that's it. I'm sure it's them just testing waters and it is probably fun ... I just don't like it! LOL.

We do do the "hand it to momma" with their sip cups so I'll have to try that with the food and see if it helps!

 

My guys do this too!! :gah: I've found the best way to limit this is to ignore it. If they get a rise (of any sort, positive or negative) out of me, they will escalate and go into a tray-clearing frenzy. It has gotten better in the last month or so, so I know it's just a phase. Now it's usually done out of frustration (Jack is seemingly cutting every baby tooth simultaneously AND is sick), and sometimes Nate will do a "monkey see, monkey do" and copy him. <_<

This behavior is worse at the end of a meal. If we're close to done, we clear the trays and move on. If we're not done yet, we'll just take what food is left (if anything) off of the tray, and give back a piece at a time when they've calmed down.

I hope you find a solution that works for you; this can be very frustrating and also (in my case) lead to a very FAT dog! :laughing:

 

Mine do this too! I get so frustrated! That and my dog has given up eating Cheerios. LOL So when they have that on their trays and swipe them I end up having to clean it all up. Fun fun! I'm glad to hear it looks like a phase and they get over it soon - hopefully!!!

 

[quote name='Nate and Jack's Mom' date='05 February 2010 - 08:33 PM' timestamp='1265420006' post='1573800']
and sometimes Nate will do a "monkey see, monkey do" and copy him. <_<

[/quote]



Same here....with everything that gets a "No" or "stop"

 

I got to the point you did when my two were that age, after one warning, if food was still going on the floor, meal time was over. I can tell you they do grow out of it and the rare moments that my kids still do it, it is usually them telling me they are definitely done eating.
I say keep on trying not to react to the behavior and set an end of meal time (i.e. it still continues after three warnings, meal time is over). Good luck!

 

The one thing that helped during that stage for us was to not load their trays up with food. Give them one or two pieces of food at a time. If they eat it, continue, if not mealtime is over.

My boys did this for the longest time and then one day around 16 months I decided to put them at the dining room table in booster chairs with plates and forks and there was no more swiping.

If you feel they are too young to sit at the table you can try giving the food on a plate with a fork on their trays.

 

Mine do it too. I think it's so cute!! If it does start to get out of hand, I just put my hand in the middle and tell the one who's passing the food to eat it cause it's his. He'll usually then eat it. Both of them will do this and just telling them to eat their own food and just stopping the flow with my hand in the way seems to help.

 

ahhhh, the dreaded tray swiping.... the only way i could get mine to stop doing it was with distraction. as soon as they started i would get excited and say, "oh my goodness! let's all clap our hands!!!!" then the clapping would start and the swiping would stop. if they kept up the swiping then mealtime was over. now they sit up at the table and eat out of a bowl and still occasionally throw handfuls of food on the floor, but now it means that they are full and mealtime ends.

good luck, i know how frustrating it is...

 

My girls are doing this now and it drive me and DH bonkers. I feel like I make food for no reason other than for them to just swipe it onto the floor. Annoying!!!