Spoon Full of Love

Learning to use utensils can be a very exciting and funny time for a child's development.  How many of us have those pictures that our mom's snapped of us with spaghetti on our heads or sauce all over our face?  And let's be honest, we have all done it to our own kids, right?

For some families, learning to use utensils can be a challenging time.  Children can become disappointed and then disinterested. Parents can become frustrated, making it difficult to assist in the learning process.

Here are some pointers to help both you and your child with success!

Dress the Part
I remember very clearly with my first child being so concerned about her spilling on her clothes.  I mean, not only was it going to be a laundry nightmare but she was going to ruin her new outfit!  I then realized that the problem was ME!  That's right, I had placed a barrier in her way of being successful because I would take over to avoid these spills (yep, even us OT's can be really bad about allowing our children to be independent all the time!).

Here are some things that I learned to avoid this problem:
1. Change before dinner when at home into something that already has stains or is difficult to stain (ie a black shirt)
2. I am a big fan of bibs, but I know they don't always cut it.  Use your old t-shirts to place over your child while eating...covers the whole body!
3. Bring a shirt to put over them or change them into at a restaurant.  This way the look nice entering and exiting and can still make a mess eating!

Set Up for Success
There are some food consistencies or substances that are easier for children to use their utensils for.  For example, soup is much more difficult than yogurt.

Here are some ways to set them up for success:
1. Start with thicker consistencies like yogurt, pudding and mashed potatoes.  These will stick to the spoon and spill with less frequency allowing more to actually make it to the mouth!
2. Be sure pieces are cut into bites that are smaller enough to allow for safety but large enough for them to be able to stab with a fork.  Just like Goldie Locks, you want it to be Just Right!
3. Give them a certain amount of time to try using utensils before going back to finger feeding.  For example, "Lets try our fork for 5 minutes and then we can stop if your having trouble." Or "Once you eat all your potatoes with your fork you can use your fingers for your peas."

Challenge 
Learning any new skills can be challenging.  We as parents want to be the gate keeper of pushing them to challenge them and meltdown mode.  Keep an eye on how they are handling the challenge.  Encourage them to continue with praise and support when they begin to display the first signs of disappointment or frustration.  We want to push them to allow for growth but do not want to pass that point where they will be discouraged and resistant to trying again.

Happy eating!!