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Success after IF
WWYD-- toddler eating misbehavior
Argh-- James has been really into eating cereal in the mornings lately. He loves his "wheat" (Mini Wheats). However, when he decides he wants attention, wants something else, etc. he dumps the bowl over on his high chair tray,milk and all. Sometimes this is when he's eaten enough and we're like "okay, breakfast is over," but other times it's when he's only had a few bites.
It's not possible for us to sit there in front of him and watch him like a hawk to grab the bowl away when he starts dumping. We're always all in the kitchen, but we're trying to also get Ben ready, get ourselves ready, make lunches and bottles for daycare, etc. So we never catch it in time.
I know a lot of people say that when they dump their food, then the meal is over. But I feel like it would not be right to send my son off to daycare still hungry. We always tell him he shouldn't do it, but he does it almost every day. Any thoughts on what we can do to make this behavior stop? Would you cut off breakfast altogether when he dumps it? Do a time-out (I try to reserve timeouts for when he does things like hit his brother and this would involve getting him all unstrapped from the high chair which would be a pain)?
Oh, and we've tried the bowls that stick to the tray but they never seem to last more than one or two feedings before the stickiness stops working, even though we don't put them in the dishwasher.
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Re: WWYD-- toddler eating misbehavior
What about buying some of the dog food bowls that are made to not be overturned? You could use those as cereal bowls.
Like this- https://www.amazon.com/No-Spill-Pet-Dish-24/dp/B0002ZS3KC/ref=pd_bxgy_k_img_b
Ha ha ha ha ha! I love the idea of feeding my son with dog food bowls.
Lol you gotta do what you gotta do! It would definitely work!
I know I would not want to be cleaning up milk and cereal every morning! I think that alone would make me stop giving cereal with milk. I would offer cereal on the tray with no bowl until he could learn to eat like a big boy.
) But I guess I am mean like that. Can you offer him things for breakfast that are easier to clean up if he starts tossing it?
I'd either serve it barely wet with milk on his tray, or serve it dry with a sippy of milk.
I would do time out. I know everyone has different feelings about that but it seems to work for us. (usually)
Garrison was a big food thrower so we still remind her that she will get a timeout if she throws her food and that seems to do the trick.
ETA: I agree with PP of taking the bowl away-- that will teach him. So maybe try that first a few times and then if it doesn't make the point try the time out. Progressive discipline : )
Reems suggested this years ago, and I did it, worked like a CHARM.
Make him clean it up. He'll never do it again. lol.
(Ava was TORE UP FROM THE FLOOR UP that I made her do it. Crushed. I bet it was her guilt that did it, but it was interesting)