Brilliant Ways to Stop Your Baby From Eating With Hands

What to Do if the Baby Eats With Their Hands?

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Very often, on forums for mothers, there are messages about how to teach the baby to use cutlery. What should parents do if the baby eats with hands?

The reasons are different, but by following some simple rules, you can cope with this problem. Here are some basic rules:

Rule No 1

The baby should get acquainted with feeding from the spoon as soon as they can sit. Probably, they can play with it as with a toy at first. It’s OK as the baby learns the environment through games. They’ll understand how to use it later, but now, the spoon should be the main attribute during every meal.

Rule No 2

A lot of parents prefer spoon-feeding even when the baby can already do it by themselves physically. Parents are afraid that the baby can smudge themselves from head to toe and everything around them. Such moments are simply inevitable, and you should accept it. It’s temporary, but children won’t accept the spoon as an item of cutlery until parents allow their babies to use it on their own.

Rule No 3

Over time, the baby’s taste priorities change. Now, in their bowl, there should be food which the baby can eat with their hands, with a spoon, or with a fork.

Rule No 4

The baby should sit at the table with the rest of the family. Children copy others. And if the baby is sitting alone at the table, there is nobody to copy.

The baby is grown-up enough but continues eating with hands.

If the baby is three but still eats with their hands, though parents did everything possible to stop it, it also has its reason.

The easiest way to figure it out is to talk to the baby about it. If the conversation didn’t work out, then analyze the baby’s behavior.

Possible reasons

The baby enjoys licking their hands. Yes, it’s really true. And, maybe, the baby might not want to tell anyone about it, even their mom. In such cases, parents put disposable gloves on the baby before eating.

The baby needs the parents’ attention. The time that parents spend with their babies is not enough. And in such a way, they try to draw parents’ attention. Here, playing together can help.

The baby tests adults for strength. Such behavior is common at the age of 3. If parents make it clear that such behavior is not appropriate and demonstrate the right way to behave, sooner or later, the baby will want to do everything right as well.

A protest. The reason can be some changes in the everyday routine. For example, such situations appear when the baby adapts to kindergarten. The baby really needs the parents’ attention more than usual. This problem of the baby eating with hands will disappear as soon as the baby gets used to changes.

Attention, care, and love, altogether will help to find the solution to teach the baby to feed himself with a spoon.

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Liliana

Liliana is a Licensed Montessori teacher known for her passion and dedication to education. She's been a teacher in the United States for many years, and she truly believes that education is the key to making the world a better place because today's students are tomorrow's leaders. Her experience with Toddlers, Beginners, VPK with Montessori methodology approach; Kindergarten, and first grade made her an authority and trusted resource. Liliana's family taught her important qualities like love, a positive attitude, strong motivation, and leadership. These values have guided her on her journey to becoming a professional and expert teacher. Her mission is to help children grow and contribute to a brighter future for the country.