Toddlers: 12 - 24 Months
traveltheworld
member
Options
How long does your LO take to eat?
traveltheworld
member
I'm jumping over here a little early. DS is only 11 months but he refuses to let us feed him. He eats all table food with his hands. I love that he is so independent, but the problem is - it seems like he takes forever to eat! An average meal takes about 45 minutes. I like to eat dinner as a family, but I feel like meal time is cutting into our play time and/or bedtime. DS goes to daycare so we don't get home till 6:00 p.m. By the time he is done eating, it's time for bed.
This discussion has been closed.
Re: How long does your LO take to eat?
Same here! My daughter has been doing that ever since she could start feeding herself. She rarely lets us feed her anything with a spoon, so she picks away forever with her hands. Meals take at least half an hour (on a good day) or longer. She just isn't in a rush!
And same as the pp, if I notice she's just playing or becoming disinterested, I take the food away and get on with our day.
DD is the same way. She must feed herself, and it can take 35-45minutes and sometimes even longer. What I do is get her meal together first (she eats table food, but generally leftovers from our dinner the night before so it can be ready fast) and start to feed her while I am cooking that nights dinner.
Then she finishes her meal while we eat ours. If she is a little faster than normal I will give her "dessert" of fresh fruit to eat at the table with us while DH and I eat our meals.
Our little guy used to take even longer than that! 45 mins used to be a fast meal! lol It has just been in the last couple of weeks that he has gotten faster. He is almost 13 months. I also loved how independent he was, but there were many days that I had appnts to be at and we were late. Don't worry, he will get faster with time.