20 Month Old Throwing Food!

My own daughter did the same thing. When she was a little older (about 2-1/2 yrs) I started having her clean up the floor when we were done eating. After about two weeks she stopped throwing her food.

My daughter would throw her foo she's 30 months old and sometimes she still throws it. What helped us was having her clean up the mess she made or helping us clean it up. I also know that they do it to watch us pick it up so, it's also and age thing.

Hi M.,
I nipped it "in the bud" with my first, and plan on doing the same with my new baby.

It starts out as science (exploration of the world around them), and turns into just an annoying, messy behavior.

Between a very sharp, "no" and a firm palm-pinch, my son never got in the "habit" of sending food "overboard," and we've never left a mess at a restaurant.

And at 20 months, I agree with the other moms: make her help clean it up, every time. Combine that with the "no," when she sends food flying (you shouldn't have to jump up the second she says/signs, 'finished,' that just makes it more fun), and I think you'll be free and clear of this prob. in no time.
Good luck!
T

I think that this is developmentally normal behavior for a 20 month old. Consider that she is conducting research experiments in cause and affect. The important thing is that she doesn't learn that she gets a really big reaction from you. Both my children have done this, and my solution was to hand them only a few pieces of food at a time. This distracted them from the temptation to chuck it all on the floor. I personally felt that "time out" was not appropriate until around 2 yrs old, but each child is different. If none of the suggestions from the other moms works...buy a dog.

Love the advice from "T D"! My advice simply is to echo what has been said, "Have her help clean the mess". Have her take responsibility for her actions.

I don't know if you give her food on a plate, but if you do... stop using a plate.

My son was the messiest eater and a thrower! He could get food in his hair, his ears... he even got yogurt on his back, under his shirt! For months, we honestly had to put one of those plastic drop-cloths under his chair! If I gave him anything on a plate, the whole plate was likely to end up on the floor. Just put the food directly on the tray or table (I used a vinyl place mat).

Also, give her very little to start with and hopefully she'll have to ask for more and then when she's done there won't be much left to throw. Personally, I don't think "discipline" really works much in this situation or at this age.

Try some rewards: If your son is in the habit of clearing his place at the end of the meal, you could try to let her do that, too. "If you throw your food/plate on the floor then you don't get to clear your place like big brother does." This worked for us since he wanted to do anything his big sis was doing and was very proud to carry his cutlery and cup to the sink all by himself. Now at nearly 3 and 4 1/2, my kids love to clear the table and even want to clear our things as well. It's their "job" and they are proud of their accomplishment. Big sis is even getting to carry some real plates and bowls, not just the plastic stuff.

Another "reward" is to let her eat at the big table when she's shown she can end her meal like a "big girl." Our high chair had a removable tray and could be pushed up right to the table. This may help reinforce that she is expected to model what big bro and you are doing. Good Luck.

Take her plate away, don't give her any more food, but keep her in her highchair. Tell her that she needs to wait until she is dismissed and she needs to have patience. Don't react to her throwing her food other than CALMLY telling her no and she needs to have patience....you don't want to give her attention for the things she is doing bad. Make sure you praise her profusely when she leaves her food on the tray though!

I don't know if you eat as a family or not, but that helps. My kids (3,3,2,10 months) have always known they needed to wait until Mommy was done eating (Daddy always finishes first :-D) before they could even ASK to get down. They have been eating with the family since they first started solids...they would sit in their highchair at the table while we ate from the moment they could sit up by themselves. We also don't have the tv on or any other distractions so there is no reason for them to want to get down--all the conversation is going on at the table.

If you don't take her down right away, eventually she will learn that she has to stay up there no matter what. Also if you don't give her food after she throws it on the floor, she will learn that a.throwing her food doesn't get anything accomplished, and b.it gets pretty boring waiting around in a highchair with nothing to play with.

To really drive the point home, wait until after everyone is finished eating, and then serve her favorite desert, but don't give her any if she's thrown her food on the floor. Calmly tell her that she doesn't get dessert if she throws her food on the floor. Do this everyday until she "gets it". Kids understand way more than most people think. The dessert doesn't necessarily have to be "bad" for her either...my kids think oranges are dessert and they have to eat at least a bite of everything on their plate in order to get an orange slice...the more they eat, the more orange slices they get :-D.

Hope this helps!

When the grown-ups are done eating, do they push their plates away? Kids will mimick everything you know that! She is getting it from some where; when you go out to eat maybe!

She will probably get over it soon, just make sure when every one else is done eating they don't push their plates away. Or when she is done take her off her chair, open the dishwasher and let her carry her plate to the kitchen along with everyone else.oh and i hope you are letting her eat out of plastic bowls. As for the discipline, at 20 months, all she understands is what she sees and she knows that is how she gets your attention. Do you have a little seat you can put on a chair so she can eat with all of you on the table? That way when she pushes her plate away it won't go on the floor and you will be sitting next to her and able to catch the plate if she does pick it up and throw it. Other than those suggestions, all I can say is, she will get over it and then she will start something new to get your attention!

From a grandma, who just doesn't sweat the small stuff, wait until she is about 13, you'll look back on her plate throwing and wish you were there again. One more suggestion, put newspaper all around her highchair, that way you won't have a mess to clean up!! Patience, it gets better until they turn 12, then the real heartaches and headaches begin. She seems to have alot of spunk and that personality trait will never go away! I was a full time working mom with 3 kids one year and a half apart. My husband was gone and I had to be their all, so i know what you are going through. All i can say is be thankful because things could be way worse.

God bless and hang in there M. b patient and thankful for this little gift from god, could be worse.

I feel your pain! All three of my kids did this! What I did was make them help me clean it up and then sat them in a chair, for 1 min. I know that is not very long, but everytime they did it they had to help and then sit out for a bit. It worked for me! It was frustrating at the beginning, but it paid off. Soon they realized that I wasn't going to clean it up anymore and they hated cleaning it up too! Good luck!

I'm a big one for letting the punishment fit the crime. If she's throwing food, have her clean it up.My 12 month old son now gets plopped on the floor with a paper towel and gets help wiping up his mess, then we walk it over to the garbaage and he trows it away. Good Luck.

Hi M.,
You could try only giving her very small amounts on her tray at one time, so that when she is done the temptation to throw the food won't be as great as there won't be much to throw. My kids have also been "throwers", but it always seem to be when they are done, so I just try to anticipate that so I can remove the food before the throwing starts.
Good Luck!
A. G

Can't wait to see the answers that you get because my 19 month old son also does that. The only thing that works for me is to try to get to him right when he seems done and take his plate. And if he throws his drink on the floor he doesn't get it back and when he does I give him a drink and then take the cup back. I am trying to also ignore it a little so he isn't getting the attention (even if it is negative) he is looking for.

have you tried time out?? I started time out with my son at 10 months!!! and by the time he was 18 months it was up to 2 mins!! we have a little chair by the wall and for hitting, biting, and now at 2 we usually get the behaviour to stop if we say "do you want to go to time out??" they are smart for their age, he laughs if tv is on or a toy is within reach,but as soon as tv goes off and toys are gone he gets the idea@!!! Good luck