How to teach a child to hold a spoon

The natural curiosity of a small child allows him to independently learn many skills. Parents can only support and guide the baby. The ability to eat with a spoon by yourself is one of the main achievements of a young child.

When a baby starts eating with a spoon itself

On average, spoons begin to be interested in 7-9 months. By the year the baby knows how to manage this cutlery more or less and carries food to the mouth at least a few times. By the age of two, the child eats with a spoon not only porridge and viscous products, but also soup. The final accurate skills of eating a baby masters only by three years. Although some fidgets can and at five eat so that all the food is under the table.

A spoon is not a toy!

From the very first moments when a child begins to be interested in a spoon, you need to let him know what can and cannot be done with it. You can play with a spoon at the table - exaggerate it in your mouth, knock on a plate, feed your mother, grandmother and doll. But when a child tries to start to carry a spoon around the apartment and stick it in all the cracks - gently take the cutlery from his hands. Thus, you fix a clear association with the child - a spoon is needed only for food. Not for picking in a flowerpot, not for pouring sand in the sandbox, and certainly not to knock on my mother's head. By defining the boundaries of behavior at the very beginning, parents free themselves from many potential problems.

How to teach a child to eat on their own

Sooner or later, the child will be interested in a spoon and pull it out of your hands. Encourage these actions - praise the kid for independence. After that, he will try to scoop some food himself. If he does not succeed in this, carefully help him - make sure that his spoon contains food. At first, the kitchen after the meal will resemble a grand battle - pieces of porridge are spread over the table, floor and walls. However, gather in a fist all your patience, be calm and balanced. Here are some tips that will help you facilitate the process of teaching your child to self-feeding.

1. Spoon should be comfortable. Do not immediately give the baby a metal device. First, such a heavy spoon - the child will not be able to manage it, there are still so little strength in his hands. Secondly, a metal spoon can cause injury - a baby can hit such a spoon on his head and hand, may bite his tongue because of it. It is best to use the usual plastic baby spoon, often it depicts fairy-tale characters that make cutlery even more attractive.For babies who have not yet cut their teeth, there are soft silicone spoons that can be bitten and nibbled.
2. The highchair must be stable. It will be convenient for the baby to poke around in the plate with a spoon if the level of the table is comfortable enough.
3. Separately, I would like to say about the plates. Buy a special baby platter on suckers. It is attached to the surface of the table and it will be impossible to remove it without special efforts. That is, your baby in a fit of the game will not be able to knock over the plate.
4. Teach a child by example. If possible, feed the child at the same time as the whole family is eating. Pay attention to the crumbs how the rest of the family eat with spoons.
5. Do not rush to feed the child with the second spoon - so you will discourage him from the desire for independent activities. At the beginning of the meal, when the baby wants to eat, and is not set up to play, let him eat himself. So hunger will force the child to throw all the strength to master the skill. And after a while you can help the child by feeding him the remnants of porridge.
6. While the baby is just learning to eat on its own, put only porridges and thick mashed potatoes in its plate. The soup is still too early for him.
7. In order for the child to eat with a spoon, put his favorite foods in his plate - fruit slices, sliced ​​pancakes, and sweet porridge. If the child does not like vegetable puree, put it in a plate for self-eating is better not.

If the child is already more than a year and a half, and he still does not try to eat on his own, do not rush to feed the baby every time. Put a bowl of tasty food in front of a hungry child and give a spoon. Say that mom is very busy and stand aside, engage in supposedly important things. The child must understand that sometimes there are moments that apart from him no one can help him. And hunger, as they say, is not an aunt, so the baby will quickly understand what to do and how to eat.

How to teach a child to hold a spoon

The ability of a child to properly hold a spoon comes with time. At the very beginning, when the baby is still very small, he will keep the spoon in the cam, this is normal. At a more conscious age, you can show your baby how a mom and dad hold a spoon. Each time, draw attention to this, gently correct the position of the crumbs' hands.

In children's stores there are special rubber pads on the spoon with special notches for fingers. They allow the child to fix the fingers in a certain position. Over time, when the child gets used, the simulator is removed, and the muscle memory does not allow the child to hold the spoon differently.

Teaching a child any skills at an early age is patient and hard work. Do not be angry if your baby has not everything turns out. It will take quite a bit of time, and you will remember with a smile about the causes of your concern.

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