How do I get my ds to use a spoon?

cobbingstones

Hi all,

Well my little son (21 months) was invited to a party today and he was the only child there who insisted as usual on using his fingers after a couple of turns with his spoon. I could feel the other parents stare and even the other children stopped eating to watch him I so wanted the ground to open....

Anyway I have always asked him to use his spoon, and I feel some other ideas may be what I need. Is this common at this age? My dd never did this so its new to me.

TIA

MM

Millie's_Mum

My DD is 4 and still prefers to use her fingers, I can't say it really bothers me as long as she is eating!

Nicki

Using a spoon is a developmental milestone like any other. Some kids will get there faster than others, If mums of pre-schoolers really were staring at your child for eating with his fingers, they are the ones with the problems not your son!

The only way to help is practise. And the best way to get them to practise using a spoon is to give them food they like which it is easier to eat with a spoon than with your fingers - eg yoghurt, mousse, etc.

And if it helps my best friend and I had a conversation a few months ago about how to stop our children eating with their fingers, and they are aged 7 and 8 (years not months that is!)

f1re_cr4cker

Emily is 29months and perfectly capable of using a spoon 9 times out of 10 she will use her fingers- i just thank god she is eating at all (VERY fussy!) ignore those people staring he will do it eventually, i dont know of any adults that use their hands! (well bar finger food!)

FriendlyJ

Turn it into a game - my dd used to feed me & her doll then herself food that can't be easily picked up with fingers eg yogurt, ice cream, jelly,soup, baked beans etc. I also used to give her a saucepan & spoon with dried pasta to stir & pick up to get her used to picking stuff up through playing.
J

nickj_2

don't worry about it ,
let him do what he's happy with

misty

If the parents were staring they need to get a grip. My son was using a spoon very early - I fed him with one and he fed himself with another - he rarely spilt anything. He's now 6 and half and is always using his fingers and makes a mess like there's been a chimps tea party. Your son will do it when he's ready - as long as he's not doing it when he's 21 years - I wouldn't worry.

Savvy_Sue

I put one friend off having children for life when she saw my 2 yo DS2 eating soup with his fingers ... and I wish I could get my 15 yo DS3 to use cutlery!

So don't despair, you could always try bribery: if you eat your dinner with your spoon not your fingers we will have chocolate mousse for pudding and you can eat that with your fingers! :rotfl:

Bexstars

My daughter is 22 months and still eats with her fingers, she has a little go with a spoon or fork but I think its too much hasstle and much easier with fingers lol I always give her either a spoon or a little fork for her to have a go with but just let her get on with it really

Savvy_Sue

I think one tip that's worked for some mums is to put a spoon in each hand, can shovel twice as fast that way!

pulliptears

When my DS was a baby we had a nightmare trying to get him to use a spoon. it transpired that his problems stemmed from the fact he was left handed.

Now baby books will tell you that a child shows no preference at such an early age, this was completely false in my experience and only served to compound our problems.

His problem was most angled baby spoons angled for a right handed baby. he simply couldn't use them with his left hand because it pointed the other way. The poor child was so frustrated with it he would use his fingers instead. In the end my father in law solved the problem with a pack of teaspoons and a vice, he angled them so they could be used left handed and DS never looked back

DS is 15 now and I still have the spoons.......its also worth mentioning that even now there isnt a manufacturer that produces left handed baby spoons!!