2 yr old throwing food on floor...

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Forum -> Parenting our children -> Toddlers

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Shopmiami49

Wed, Apr 21 2010, 5:13 am

Ok fellow mommies, I really need some advice here!!

My ds, a veeeeery smart 2 yr old has this thing that whenever he doesn't want anything more to eat, he throws or drops his bowl/plate on the floor...with all the leftover food in it. Of course, it makes a huge mess that I have to clean up. Now I KNOW that this is very normal behavior for a 2 yr old and I don't want to make this my biggest battle with him, however, it is something that reeeeeeallly gets to me...esp after I have just cleaned everything!! He knows very well what he is doing when he throws it on the floor and he knows that I don't approve of his actions. He also knows to tell me that he's all done instead of throwing it on the floor...sometimes he says it and sometimes he doesn't. He gets that little smile and then goes "Uh oh Mommy!" What can I do to stop this bad habit of his without making it into a huge battle?

TIA!

RachelEve14

Wed, Apr 21 2010, 5:56 am

Give him a very small amount of food at a time, and if he wants more refill with a bit more.

MiracleMama

Wed, Apr 21 2010, 9:24 am

I had this going on FOREVER with my son. I just told him every time: NOT NICE! We don't throw food. That's it - nothing more. And on the rare occasions when he told me "finished!" or "no more!" without throwing the food I praised him greatly. Took months but it finally sunk in.

mae1984

Wed, Apr 21 2010, 9:35 am

It's a phase, a really annoying phase.
Just keep saying "no, we don't do that" I used to have my daughter help me clean it all up afterwrds. And I'd make a big deal if she handed me her plate when she finished eating.
Sometimes, for a treat (haha - so gullible!) I would let her help me wash up her dishes afterwards, but only if she'd eaten nicely and not thrown anything on the floor. We would talk about it during the meal.. "Ok, we're eating now, and when you're finished you can give me your plate and we'll take it in the kitchen and yo ucan wash it up and make it nice and clean...etc"

chocolate moose

Wed, Apr 21 2010, 10:23 am

I had that too. Don't give him or her too much at a time.

flowerpower

Wed, Apr 21 2010, 10:25 am

Look for cues for when you think he is done. Then hand over hand have him give you the bowl and say finished. Keep doing it by every meal and he will pick up on it. Throwing food is a common two year old activity so remember that he will outgrow it-if consistant.

Rochelro

Tue, Apr 27 2010, 8:32 pm

For a while, my son would throw his yogurt all over the dining room. I know how it feels- its like why, why did you have to do that- (It could literally take 20 minutes to clean up)
But, B"H he did pretty much get over it. one tip that I found helped a little.

- Don't do anything else while s/he is eating. Sit right next to them and you will hopefully catch them getting that look that means they are about to do something naughty, and you can quickly take it away.
Good luck and happy cleaning!

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