Lefty or righty? How to teach self-feeding

Chippies

Mon, Feb 15 2010, 10:06 pm

My 14 month old doesn't seem to have a dominant hand just yet. He'll usually throw a ball with his right hand, but he reaches for things more frequently with his left hand. I read that this is normal for this age, but I'm confused as to how I'm supposed to teach self-feeding when he doesn't have a dominant hand.

I'm currently in the process of teaching him how to self-feed with a spoon. He has no problem bringing the spoon to his mouth with either hand, but I'm trying to teach the whole process of getting the food from the bowl onto the spoon and into his mouth. He almost always reaches for the spoon with his left hand, but he seems to be better at getting the food into the spoon when he uses his right hand. I try to get him to use his right hand because he does seem to be slightly more accurate with it, but he often insists on using his left hand and he's clumsy with it. What should I do?

Also, what is the age when a kid should be able to eat independently (ie. get the food onto the spoon and into his mouth without assistance)?

Thanks.

WriterMom

Mon, Feb 15 2010, 10:48 pm

Chippies wrote:

My oldest was like this - he'd pick things up, from spoons to crayons to cheerios one by one, with either hand. Our doctor said to follow his lead and with luck he'd be ambidextrous. By the time he was 4 he was strongly favoring his left side for all writing/drawing activities, but he still uses both hands for cutting, throwing a ball, other motor skills etc.

YALT

Mon, Feb 15 2010, 10:49 pm

As per DS' therapist: at this age it's important to encourage child to use both hands.
the age where they should start to have one more dominant is once they're in school (I think she said like preschool. Maybe 4-5? I don't remember, as this was about 2 yrs ago that she told me this.

DovDov

Tue, Feb 16 2010, 10:37 am

Is this your first? generally speaking, you don't need to "teach" self-feeding. Most kids figure it out on their own. If you're afraid of the mess, then you feed him the liquids and give him a bowl with dry cheerios or blueberries and a spoon to practice with. If he's not interested, he's probably not ready.

faigyl

Tue, Feb 16 2010, 10:43 am

Why do you have to teach him how to feed himself? I always heard just give them the fork or spoon with their food and let them play around with it.
It worked for me Smile

I always get lots of comments on how well my 20 month old feeds himself with the fork and spoon (it's adorable when he's feeding himself soup- he looks like a little man Smile

)