How do you handle LO throwing things?

Ledabe

DD get mad at the table and will throw food and sippy cup.  She will also throw toys when she doesn't get her way.  Redirection doesn't help.  She will go back to it 100+, distraction not helping either.  TIA!!!

sleepingbeauty825

Thrown food gets picked up by whichever kid threw it, thrown toys go in timeout. This works well for us.

TiffanyBerry

When she was young (<1yr), food throwing got a warning and a reminder of the correct behavior ("We do not throw food.  You may give it to mommy or put it on the table.") then on the second time a warning, the correct behavior, and a consequence ("We do not throw food.  You may give it to mommy or put it on the table. If you throw food again, you are getting down from the table.") then the third time, a review and the consequence ("I said that if you threw your food again, you would get down from the table.  You threw your food, and now you're getting down from the table." followed by me physically getting her out of her high chair/chair and putting her down on the floor).  Now that she's older, one warning, then the consequence.  And hey, if she didn't bother to finish dinner, oh well on her part.

Toys - I ignore it if it's a toy she's allowed to throw (soft toys) or take it away if she's not.  Again, at 2.5yrs old, I don't give lots of warnings about these big rules that she's had a lot of experience with.  When she was younger, I'd give her the standard "warning and appropriate behavior", "warning, appropriate behavior, consequence", "consequence" sequence.  Also, in the case of throwing something when angry - or any other expression of emotion that will some day be inappropriate - I try to give her an appropriate way of expressing her emotion that will still satisfy her need to express herself.

becasmeca

TiffanyBerry:

When she was young (<1yr), food throwing got a warning and a reminder of the correct behavior ("We do not throw food.  You may give it to mommy or put it on the table.") then on the second time a warning, the correct behavior, and a consequence ("We do not throw food.  You may give it to mommy or put it on the table. If you throw food again, you are getting down from the table.") then the third time, a review and the consequence ("I said that if you threw your food again, you would get down from the table.  You threw your food, and now you're getting down from the table." followed by me physically getting her out of her high chair/chair and putting her down on the floor).  Now that she's older, one warning, then the consequence.  And hey, if she didn't bother to finish dinner, oh well on her part.

Toys - I ignore it if it's a toy she's allowed to throw (soft toys) or take it away if she's not.  Again, at 2.5yrs old, I don't give lots of warnings about these big rules that she's had a lot of experience with.  When she was younger, I'd give her the standard "warning and appropriate behavior", "warning, appropriate behavior, consequence", "consequence" sequence.  Also, in the case of throwing something when angry - or any other expression of emotion that will some day be inappropriate - I try to give her an appropriate way of expressing her emotion that will still satisfy her need to express herself.

you are my hero! This is very well put!

We are not at the throwing stage yet, but I am going to tuck this method in my back pocket!

I had a prof in college talk about boundaries for LOs which never used the word "No"; e.g., "toys are not for throwing...toys are meant to be played with in this way (behavior shown). if LO throws the toy once more "Toys are not for throwing, toys are to be played with in this way. If you throw your toys again the toy will be taken away". If toy is trown again. "toys are not for throwing, toys are meant to be played with in this way, since you threw the toy it is now taken away".

I think the pp's response mimics this style, and I love it! it is affective and educational.

melissa0726

Crash Into Me:

Food: Is she throwing it because she's done?  We nip this in the bud and wipe the food off her tray if she starts tossing it over the edge.  Sippy cup gets 1-2 drops before it stays on the floor.

Toys: This one is tricky because we encourage her to throw a ball to the dogs but not her toys.  "gentle" is a big word in our house right now. It also depends on if she's throwing due to frustration or for some other reason.

This is exactly what we do with food.  Once she starts throwing food on the floor, we take her tray away and declare the meal complete.  If she starts a cup dropping game mid-meal, we take away the cup until she is done eating.  Then she get another chance for a drink.

LatteLady5

melissa0726:

Crash Into Me:

Food: Is she throwing it because she's done?  We nip this in the bud and wipe the food off her tray if she starts tossing it over the edge.  Sippy cup gets 1-2 drops before it stays on the floor.

Toys: This one is tricky because we encourage her to throw a ball to the dogs but not her toys.  "gentle" is a big word in our house right now. It also depends on if she's throwing due to frustration or for some other reason.

This is exactly what we do with food.  Once she starts throwing food on the floor, we take her tray away and declare the meal complete.  If she starts a cup dropping game mid-meal, we take away the cup until she is done eating.  Then she get another chance for a drink.

Yes this. Also we do baby sign and she knows, signs and now says "all done." She went about a month throwing food until she understood she could just sign and say all done and I'd get her out of her chair. If the sippy gets dropped more than twice I remove it until after the meal and she gets a drink.

"Not for throwing" is what I use when she's throwing something other than a ball. I redirect with "gentle" and show her the appropriate action. It has worked well so far. When it doesn't work she does get a consequence. If she continues to throw a toy after she's been told not to I just take away that toy and we move on to something else. This has only happened a few times though.

ETA: I just reread your OP and see that she throws toys when she doesn't get her way. When DD respond inappropriately I try to give her the words she needs. "I know you're mad but we don't throw toys" and take the toy. You will just have to be consistent. If she throws a toy because she's mad, she looses the toy.