Advice on coping with trying toddler behaviour
Toddlers chomping away happily (albeit making a mess) and then suddenly putting down their cutlery and asking you to feed them is a common occurrence in many households. “I had this with mine, and rest assured it will blow over quickly,” says Judy. “It’s another issue where your little one is wanting to regress back to being a baby, where perhaps she’s seen you feeding a younger baby in the house and wants you to do that for her too.”
Create a level of expectation at teatime and encourage her to feed herself. For example, ask her to let you know when she’s eaten five peas from her plate so she can see you’re focusing on her.
“Think how you as an adult eat at the table,” says Doctor Gill Harris of the Infant and Toddler Forum (www.littlepeoplesplates.co.uk). “You don’t sit there in silence staring at a wall, you interact with others, read, or perhaps watch television, so make sure your tot isn’t sat on her own, bored. Instead keep her interested and alert during mealtimes so she enjoys sharing the experience with you.”
