Throwing food on the ground

cls052909

So moms...when do you start trying to teach your kids not to throw food on the ground? I love my son with all my heart...but not enjoying the itme it takes me to clean up all the food on the floor and walls after he goes to bed Just wanted to see what other moms do out there.

rssnlvr

If my daughter was to that point, she was either not hungry anymore and just playing, or testing us. Either case, we would treat it like any other behavior we wanted to eliminate: first offense we'd explain the unwanted behavior and tell her how to behave instead, second offense we'd explain the consequences (taking her food away) if she did it again, and third offense we'd take the food away.

august8080

I treated it as a phase (we have dogs and it was very short lived, so it wasn't too hard on me!) but also did things to try and minimize it.

Like rssn said, often when he was throwing, he was done, so we'd end the meal. Also, I didn't put much food in front of him at once so there wasn't much to throw. I'd also use a simple verbal correction, such as, "no throwing, food goes in your mouth" or something like that. 

aggieoj

This drove.me.nuts. for a couple of weeks. But same as rssn we took it as a form of communication.  The first food on the floor I ask if she is all done or wants more (to get on to her and tell her "no, don't drop it" sends her off the way and she wants to chug everything on the floor). If she doesn't sign to us "all done" or "more" then we take it away immediately.  If she does sign we give her one more chance but by the second offense we've declared her done. 

I've also found when I explain (overexaggerating) the correct behavior before she gets riled up then she's happy to comply.

mlf625

Get a dog.  

DS did this for-freaking-ever.  Like, a year.  Annoying.  The more I got after him, the more he liked to do it.  With DD, it was like a monthlong phase.   

thethomps

mlf625:

Get a dog.  

Hee hee.  This was going to be my advice.  Like rssn said, when DD throws food it usually means she's done.  So we'll ask her, "All done?" and do the "all done" sign with our hands.  She usually does the sign back and then we say, "OK.  Thank you for telling us!  We will let you down to go play."  She's gotten waaay better at doing the "all done" sign, so we don't have as much food throwing.

MrsMillerTime

I treat it just like I do with hitting.  I attempt to catch her arm before she physically throws food on the ground and tell her firmly/directly: "We do NOT throw food on the ground."  Explain consequences and if the behavior continues, take the food away (or whatever consequence you're dishing out.)

If DD is throwing food because it is something she doesn't want, I give her a place on the table (usually the side of her plate or a napkin) to put food she doesn't want to eat.  If she's doing it "just 'cause" then dinnertime is over.