[cairogirl]

Does anyone have any tips on how to help my 15 month DS learn to use a spoon? He insists on holding the spoon by himself (he will not let me guide his hand) and while I can put a spoon with food on it in his hand, he doesn't seem to know how to get it to his mouth. When I try to feed him with a spoon he refuses to eat and just grabs the spoon, causing the food to fall off. I've tried making his bircher muesli etc. a bit thicker to keep it on the spoon but it doesn't seem to help - he just tips it on the tray and plays with it. Nothing seems to be getting from a spoon to his mouth and it's very worrying and frustrating, especially as he's never been much interested in finger food, so he's not eating much solid food at all at the moment.
TIA.

[B-B-M]

I never really "taught" my girls to use spoons. I started letting them have the spoons once they were interested (prob around 8months) and, whilst i tried to guide it, really just let them "play" with it while i fed with another spoon. It didn't take long for them to figure out how to get food onto the spoon and into mouth by themselves.

Can you let him play with the spoon in his hand while you are feeding him with another spoon? Then he's happy holding it himself, will eventually figure it out, but is still eating at the same time?

This post has been edited by B-B-M: 20/09/2011, 04:19 PM

[Barefoot]

DS is 19 mo and only just got he hang of a spoon, he worked out a fork much quicker. We use the spoon in the mornings for thick sticky weetbix. It doesn't matter if he tips the spoon as it sticks.

Good luck, it is a messy phase.

[TheAP]

My DS has been using a spoon properly since he was about 15 months old. I used to give him a spoon at every meal time and let him play with it and/or with the food.

These days he's pretty good and verrrrry independent. He's 19 months old and won't allow us to help him. However there are days when I'm in a hurry and I have found that if he has his spoon and I have a second spoon I can spoon food in in between his spoonfuls. I just don't make a song and dance about it.

Let go of the worry about him not eating much (he's probably getting far more in than you think) and just let him go with it for the weekend. Make sure he sees you eating with a spoon/fork. You'll probably find that by Monday he's got the hang of it or he'll be happier to let you feed him again.

[bubinoven]

Apart from giving him a sppon to practice with, there isnt alot you can do.  its mainly to do with muscles and coordination. he needs to build the correct muscles so he can hold and turn it the right way. he will get there, most likely with alot of mess in between lol.

[cairogirl]

Thanks for the suggestions everyone. I've tried feeding him while giving him a practice spoon but then he demands to use both He is a very determined boy. I think I will have to go and track down some weetbix (not commonly available here) as it might work better than oats... here's hoping. We sit and eat together for each meal with me saying, "look at Mummy, this is how Mummy uses a spoon, wow it's so much fun!" but he just smiles indulgently and keeps wiping his brekkie over the tray. I can't wait for this stage to be over

[mayahlb]

I jsut give him a spoon and let him go at it with whatever is on offer (including dinner, lunch and breakfast). I found a good one to teach them with was risotto as it is normally a sticky consistency and stays well on a spoon. I jsut deal with the mess afterwards or try and attempt to get him to wear a smock bib (or feed him in just a nappy). He is starting to get much better at it.

Maya

[amabanana]

As a game, get a couple of bowls and fill one with large dried beans. (You can also use tiny lentils which are a bit messier, or water which is a lot more difficult!) Let him scoop the beans from one bowl to the other and back again. If he spills, show him how to pick up the bean and put it back in the bowl.

[**jade**]

Thanks for the suggestions everyone. I've tried feeding him while giving him a practice spoon but then he demands to use both He is a very determined boy. I think I will have to go and track down some weetbix (not commonly available here) as it might work better than oats... here's hoping. We sit and eat together for each meal with me saying, "look at Mummy, this is how Mummy uses a spoon, wow it's so much fun!" but he just smiles indulgently and keeps wiping his brekkie over the tray. I can't wait for this stage to be over

I have also used two spoons (one for each of DS's hands and one spoon for me to feed DS at about that age. I had the same drama that if DS had one spoon and I had one, he'd be going to grab for both. So I'd let him and then grab a third spoon which I'd be using to spoon food into his mouth. If he decided to get more interested in the one I was holding, I'd let him grab that and take the one he put down to grab mine. So it was a bit of spoon juggling for a while. There were also one or two occasions where he'd work out how to grab 3 spoons with two hands, so a fourth spoon came into play. I'm LOL just writing this because it seems like a circus and really it was lol! But it got the job done

[SarahBubble]

I know your pain

I've also found with my 15mo that she actually prefers using a teaspoon than the plastic spoons and forks. So, I give her a teaspoon to self-feed and hold on to another to get spoonfuls in as well. However, she's improved dramatically over the last few weeks and does really well. Also, this may sound odd but I read something about if kids feet are dangling and not on a footrest that they don't concentrate as well on eating as they do if their feet are supported. Does your DS have a footrest?

If you want the oats to thicken up, just make it a bit earlier than you intended - it'll end up nice and gloopy!