[nancynic]

Ask a parent of a two year old how feeding is progressing and you might here, 'My kid is a slob!' Children drop food from their forks and become frustrated. They smear it around and sometimes throw their dishes of food on the floor. Kids like to be in control of their meals and don't want parent's help and often have temper tantrums when we suggest a different way to eat. Children want to 'do it' themselves.

Allowing independence isn't easy. If we tell our children to eat their peas with a spoon, we hear 'no peas'! Here is an opportunity to allow our children to make their own choices and accept the mess until kids become more proficient with utensils. It involves patience and encouragement.

Do you have some 'table stories'? We'd love to hear them.

NancyNic

[ll_bay]

Because our kids are from a culture with VERY different table manners, and because they were in an orphanage for a year, for the first few months our kitchen looked like a disposal had thrown up in it after every meal! And that's with girls ages 3 and 6! It's gotten 100 times better though- now we mostly work on not having food in our hair and chewing with our mouths closed.

My favorite table story is a recurring one with my daughter who just turned 4. She'll finish what's on her plate and say "more food, please." Well, sometimes, that means more of the main course, but just as often it's a subtle (at least she thinks so) play for candy or other treats! So when she says it, I'll offer a limited choice like "you can have more pasta, a banana, or a yogurt." She'll give me the cutest look on earth and say "mabye candy?" When I say no, it's suddenly "all done, Mom!"

[nancynic]

Thanks so much for your post ... a sense of humor is so very important for parents! And appreciating our children when they are sweet and funny is so important as a balance to when it is challenging and difficult!

all best wishes,
Nancy