Home Grape How to teach your baby to eat on their own. How to teach a child to eat with a Komarovsky spoon? How to teach proper manners: table etiquette

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How to teach your baby to eat on their own. How to teach a child to eat with a Komarovsky spoon? How to teach proper manners: table etiquette

The baby is growing, and it's time to teach the child to eat with a spoon on his own. This item has been of interest to the baby for a very long time, he gladly grabs a teaspoon, swings it and throws it on the floor. Do not interfere with his passion, but constantly remind him why cutlery is needed. Buy a doll set, sit toys at the table with your child and “treat” them with delicious dishes. Do not forget that children learn from the example of adults and if they are always fed alone, they do not see how mom and dad eat - in this case, it will take a very long time to explain the rules of behavior at the table.

How easy it will be for a child to learn to eat independently depends on the diligence and tolerance of the parents. The development of each child follows a separate scenario - it is impossible to identify a clear framework for the period of study. Mom determines individual readiness. The most important thing is that the child feels comfortable during the lessons.

Using a spoon is the first self-care skill

Some mothers make the mistake of not allowing the baby to develop independently. The child wants to eat with a spoon, drink from a cup, take a rag and wipe the dust together with his mother. After such exercises, you have to wash both your child and all the objects around him. No need to be angry with the baby, think: do you get any new business the first time? Find a reason to praise him every time, say that today is already getting better than yesterday, and the next time the baby will do his best to please his mother.

Even before the age of one, babies show a desire to do something on their own. Take this opportunity and teach him the first self-care skills. The main need of the child is food, and it is necessary to begin with the solution of this problem. Determine which foods your son or daughter likes the most, and for the first lessons, make just such a menu. It is easier to teach a child to eat with a spoon, starting with thick dishes: mashed potatoes, cereals. The soup queue will come when he can keep the cutlery level.

Any baby wants to grow up as soon as possible and learn how to do everything like mom and dad. Explain to the child that only small children are fed from a spoon, and big children eat and dress themselves. Well, if there are older brothers and sisters in the family, show by their example that grown-up children do everything on their own. Don't rush, be patient. There will come a time when your baby wants to get big too and grab onto a spoon on his own.

At what age should a baby be given a spoon?

You need to teach your child to eat on their own as early as possible. This does not mean that you can give table manners lessons to a three-month-old baby. First, the baby must learn to sit confidently at the table, develop coordination of movements. Now he already feels great in a high chair and at dinner he tries to take away cutlery from his mother. Give him another spoon, let him try to scoop up porridge or mashed potatoes. The baby begins to understand that the spoon is not needed at all for playing, but for getting food. Usually this happens after 9 months, but each baby develops differently. Someone after six months is already trying to scatter food on the table, and someone has to be fed almost up to 3 years.

By the age of one, the child makes the first attempts to control the spoon, he already wants to eat on his own. Not everything works out, often food passes by the mouth. The main thing is that he learns to imitate the movements of adults. According to the norms, the baby begins to eat on its own by the age of one and a half years, but a lot depends on the temperament of the child and the views of the parents. Often, for mothers who give little freedom of action, the child begins to eat independently only at 2 years old, while children in the nursery group master the skill of independent nutrition on average at 1 year and 3 months.

According to experts, training should begin no later than 10 months, and by the age of one and a half, the child will have mastered this science. These skills will be very useful to him: ahead of entering a kindergarten, and there the ability to use cutlery is a mandatory requirement. Each new skill increases the self-esteem of the baby, he is proud that without the help of his mother he was able to climb a chair or eat porridge. If you share his joy, show how pleased you are with the achievements of your child, his desire to learn something will increase several times.

Do not forget that the desire to master a new business arises from a certain age, and fades away after a while. A busy mother tries to feed the baby as quickly as possible and does not remove scattered food from the table, floor, walls and clothes. The child is comfortable: at the table, his task is only to open his mouth, everything else will be done by the parents. And suddenly, at about 3 years old, he hears that he should eat himself. The time when the kid wanted to learn this was missed, now the ability to wield a spoon does not attract him, so tears and tantrums cannot be avoided. Be attentive to the interests of your children - as soon as you notice their desire to learn a new skill, support this endeavor.

Required Items

Learning to eat with a spoon without the help of adults requires not only moral, but also material preparation on the part of his relatives. Now feeding will take longer. At first, not all the contents of the spoon will fall "at the address", so a thorough cleaning will be firmly included in the schedule.

So that feeding does not knock out mom from strength, she should purchase:

waterproof apron for the baby;
oilcloth material with which she will cover the floor;
children's high chair;
utensils for teaching self-feeding.

Portions of food should be increased by 2-3 times, as much will spill past the mouth. Cook your baby's favorite treat, it motivates him to eat more. But do not cook soups for this. First, the baby learns to eat solid food, only then - liquid.

What should be the correct spoon?

So that after the first experience the baby does not throw away the spoon with a roar and does not remember the offense for a long time, the cutlery must be chosen correctly. You can purchase a special anatomical spoon. It fits comfortably in a tiny hand, it will be easy for the baby to scoop up food. There is only one drawback: the child will not learn to eat with ordinary cutlery and after a few months he will have to be retrained.

The first spoon must be liked by the baby. Sometimes children, for unknown reasons, categorically reject some object, cry at the mere sight of it. If this happens, do not force him to use unloved appliances, get another spoon. In doing so, consider the basic requirements.

Children's dishes should be:

small;
easy:
safe:
comfortable.

Carefully approach the choice of material from which children's cutlery is made. Traditionally, babies were fed from a metal teaspoon. It is better that it be made of silver, this metal has the ability to destroy the infection.

On sale you can find models from different materials.

The rubber (silicone) spoon is soft, fits comfortably into a small mouth and does not injure it in case of careless movement.
Plastic is good because it can be used to make products of different colors. Colorful light cutlery is very popular with kids. In addition, you can find a plastic spoon that changes color depending on the temperature of the food. But in any case, it is always important for a mother to try the food she is going to feed the child so as not to burn him, so this quality is more likely to entertain the baby and is useful for experiments and games with water to a greater extent than for feeding.
For accustoming to the garden, it is better to use steel or iron spoons. With a child, you can go on a visit, where he will eat calmly and not look for his favorite red spoon with a roar.

Learning principles

To achieve the result, young parents must follow 4 basic rules.

Relaxed environment. You can't force a child to eat with a spoon. If you use violence, you will get backlash. Try to interest the child, motivate him to learn. For example, buy a bright spoon with children's drawings. The baby will definitely want to hold it.
Degree. Feeding may be delayed, but the child should not rush. Praise the baby, play with him, but do not rush.
Convenient time. To master a new skill, you should wait for the moment when the child is set to play. He is not too hungry, cheerful, does not want to go to the toilet, in a good mood.
Help. Teachers are convinced that there is no need to return to feeding from a bottle or from the hands of a mother when parents have already begun to teach the child to hold a spoon on their own. But this statement is often taken too literally. In no case do not leave a child alone with an unyielding spoon! Correct your movements. Help when needed. The feeling of helplessness will plunge the child into a panic, and then provoke whims and refusal of self-feeding.

How to teach a child to eat properly?

Teaching proper behavior at the table should begin long before the baby wants to pick up a spoon. The baby must understand that nutrition is a responsible process, at this time you need to focus on eating and not be distracted by anything. The mistake of many mothers whose children do not eat well is to entertain the child with cartoons, new toys, reading and discreetly put a spoonful of food into his mouth. Develop an appetite with the sight of a beautifully presented dish, the delicious flavors of food, and a pleasant setting at the table.

The baby is hungry and happily absorbs the porridge that his mother feeds him. At some point, he becomes interested in the spoon in her hand. Give him another spoon, and do not swear when the baby starts to spank food, scatter it on the table. The movements of the crumbs are not yet coordinated, he cannot perform complex manipulations. If dinner is supposed to be biscuits, fruit or other foods that you can take in your hand or put in a nibbler, give it to the baby, let him try to bring food to his mouth on his own. Such actions usually do not cause difficulties - all babies gnaw on rings, rattle handles and other objects. Place an unbreakable cup and a light jug of water in the corner where the child plays. When the baby wants to drink, he will be able to pour water on his own and quench his thirst. The first days you will have to constantly eliminate the consequences of a small flood, but over time, the movements will become more confident, all the liquid will get to its destination.

When the baby moves the spoon strongly, the plate can slide across the table. To make it more convenient for him, purchase a special baby plate with a suction cup, which will be securely fastened. But when using such a plate, make sure that the baby does not try to remove it from the table with effort, in this case, all its contents may scatter all over the kitchen by inertia.

At the first stage, when the baby is just learning to hold a spoon in his hand, gently take his handle and help direct food to his mouth. It’s good if dad is eating at the table at this time. If there is no one at home, put a plate for yourself, show how to take porridge with a spoon and bring it to your mouth. Remember that adults must properly hold the utensils and eat carefully. No need to think that the baby will not pay attention to your mistakes - he may not see a good example, but he will remember any flaw well. When the child begins to confidently eat on his own, you can teach him to hold the spoon correctly. Come up with a game in which each finger should take its place.

A good workout before learning to eat on your own is what Montessori and many other parenting systems call sandbox games. Give the child a small spatula or a real spoon, show how to collect sand in it. Let him pour small portions from one scoop to another, fill buckets and molds. Such an activity develops accuracy and coordination of movements well. At home, you can pour cereal from one jar to another with a spoon. Explain to the baby that this is how you cook dinner for his toys. Put the dolls and bears at the table, arrange the prepared “dish” on plates and “feed” them together with the baby.

Parenting Mistakes

A small child cannot be forced to do what he does not want. Parents who raise children according to the Montessori system or similar methods quickly teach the child to serve themselves without coercion. Do not force the baby to take a spoon if he refuses to do so. After a while, he himself will want to eat, like dad and mom.

Start learning when the child is cheerful and his favorite dish is on the table. Don't scold him if he drops the spoon and grabs food with his hands. It’s better to take the cutlery yourself, scoop it up from its plate, show by example and explain in words that it’s much tastier and more pleasant to eat this way. Do not start training if the baby is not in the mood, is naughty or does not feel well.

Some children do not want to take a spoon, but they grab the fork with pleasure. It's okay if the baby first masters this device. Get him a safety fork with blunt teeth and show him how to use it. The first lessons can quickly tire the baby. If he is tired, do not insist and feed yourself.

The child does not want to eat with a spoon

The child was taught to eat with a spoon, but he does not want to do this. He eats with his hands or asks to be fed. Many parents have experienced this problem. Their main mistake is to insist and demand submission. Don't force the baby. It's not his fault. Try to understand the reasons for this behavior. Perhaps the child does not like his spoon. Then try to choose another spoon together. If this is not the reason, remember the 2nd stage and show by personal example how to eat right. An example from peers has a positive effect on kids - take your stubborn visitor.

Teaching children to be careful

The kid already knows how to eat on his own, but he does it very slowly and sloppy. Perhaps he wants his mother tired of washing the dirty table and she fed him herself. This should not be done, especially since it is impossible to scold and punish the child. Wait until he gets hungry and put his favorite dish on the table. When you want to eat, the hand itself will begin to move faster. If the baby deliberately scatters food, do not scold, but simply complete the feeding and explain that the food is very tasty, and if he ate carefully, much more would get into his mouth.

If the child eats very slowly, sit down to dinner with the whole family. When the adults finish their meal, they leave the table and go about their business. Eating together was fun, but sitting alone over a plate is not at all desirable. To quickly play games, the baby will have to quickly finish the dish.

When the baby grows up and begins to confidently wield a spoon, you can teach him to clean up after himself from the table. Let him understand that after a neat dinner it is not difficult to wipe the table, and when all the food is scattered, it will be a lot to wash. Do not force the baby to clean up, but show what a beautiful place adults have and what a dirty corner it is. It will be unpleasant to eat there, it’s better to remove the crumbs with your mother and no longer misbehave at dinner.

Do not worry if the baby cannot learn to eat independently and carefully for a long time, over time he will definitely master this skill. Threats and punishments are bad helpers in this matter, they will only slow down learning and discourage the child from being independent. Show by example how pleasant it is to scoop up a delicious porridge with a spoon and put it in your mouth. Affectionately and kindly help the baby to cope with the naughty device. If you do everything right, very soon he will be eating his favorite dishes on both cheeks and asking for supplements.

Smeared food on the table or crumbs from head to toe, porridge on the wall or floor, spanking with the palm of your hand in a plate and much more ... Do you know all this? So, you have already tried to teach your child to eat on their own. You may have had great success with this. Then I congratulate you!

However, if this idea failed for you, then you probably thought: what to do next? Well, let's try to figure this out together.

Make sure your child is ready to eat on their own

In fact, it is not tied to a certain age of the child. Indeed, for one baby, the norm is to famously wield a spoon for a year, and for one and a half - with a fork. Whereas for another crumb to have the same skills a little later - a long way and hard work.

Better focus on the baby and try do not miss the favorable period. You will understand this when you see that the child is interested in the food of adults on the table: he stretches out his hands and grabs pieces of food, holds them in his hands, snatches a spoon from his mother's hands and, imitating adults, brings it to his mouth. It is believed that this usually occurs between the ages of 9-10 months and up to 1.5 years. However, this period in some children sometimes comes a little earlier - and this is absolutely normal.

Do not miss this moment, believing that it is better to feed your child yourself. Since then it will be much harder for you to instill independence skills in your baby.

Indeed, in this case, saving your time, keeping the floors and curtains clean in the kitchen are temporary victories.

General rules and principles of training

Remember, there are no absolute rules or dogmas that must be strictly followed when instilling independence skills in a crumb. Because every child is different.

Yet for success try to stick to some general teaching principles:

Make a decision as a family that it is time to teach the child to eat on his own. To avoid confusion. For example, a mother, with all diligence, is trying to teach her baby to skillfully satisfy her hunger on her own with a spoon, and a grandmother continues to feed her beloved granddaughter or granddaughter herself. This can lead to the fact that the child is lazy.

Try to feed the baby at a strictly defined time, because it contributes to the normalization of the diet.

Reinforce your skills daily so that the baby does not forget those that he has already acquired.

If the baby is sick, he is in a bad mood or teething, it is better to postpone classes until his recovery, or a good mood.

Follow the sequence: move on to acquiring the next independence skill after the baby has mastered the previous one.

Lead by example. First, be sure to show how you yourself drink from a cup or eat from a plate (your own!). At the same time, performing all the actions in turn, as well as explaining each movement. Then, together with the baby, repeat the whole process, but again, explaining everything in words. And then the baby will be happy to take an example from you. Indeed, at this stage, for the crumbs, you are a guide to a large and unknown world for him. Of course, the baby will not succeed on the first or even tenth attempt: on the way to the mouth, half of the porridge will fall out of the spoon, or it will be smeared on the table, and so on. After all, he is only at the beginning of a long journey. However, after some time, your actions will certainly be crowned with success: the baby CAM will wield a spoon.

Try to share meals with your family. After all, every child is a little repeater. Therefore, he will strive to imitate the actions of adults.

Encourage your child to use the spoon on their own when he is really hungry.

Arrange a game of learning independent eating skills. For example, play with the baby in the "excavator". Then the spoon is a ladle, and the mouth is an excavator. Invite the baby to collect the porridge in a bowl with a ladle (spoon) and send it to the mouth (excavator). Or arrange a large demonstration "meal": feed a doll or a bear with your baby, after putting on a bib on them. And it doesn't matter if after such a "lunch" these "eaters" will recover straight under the tap to "put themselves in order." The main thing is the visual process itself! There are a great many such games. Your imagination will help you choose a plot, or take the crumbs' favorite entertainment as its basis.

Teach your child to eat independently, starting with delicious and favorite dishes.

Do not forget that the baby gets tired while eating independently, because it consumes a huge amount of energy. Therefore, if you notice this, then do not insist on continuing to eat on your own, it is better to feed the crumbs yourself. Don't worry it will slow down the learning. After all, as you grow older, the proportion of self-eaten crumb portions will increase.

Always praise your child, even for small accomplishments.. After all, he tried so hard! The baby will enjoy both the food and the consciousness of what pleased you. Therefore, next time I will try to hear words of approval from you again.

Be prepared for "waste" and also sacrifice the cleanliness of your kitchen, which is likely to turn into a "battlefield" for the entire period of study.

Do not express your dissatisfaction and do not scold the baby, if he doesn’t succeed at once: he was smeared from head to toe, food fell from a spoon on the way to his mouth, water spilled from a cup, and so on. After all, he's just learning! And such a reaction of yours will discourage the crumbs from wanting to do something on their own for a long time.

Adhere to the principle: "Appetite comes with eating." To do this, beautifully decorate the table, use cute children's dishes and so on.

If the child stubbornly refuses to eat on his own, do not insist. Because it will form a negative attitude towards food in him. It is better to start again after a few days.

Try to instill good manners in your child from early childhood: before eating, wash your hands with your baby, try to explain that dishes are not toys, and food is not entertainment, and so on. Of course, the baby will not learn this right away, but as he grows up, such an attitude will become stronger in his mind.

For the baby, stock up on special baby dishes from unbreakable heat-resistant food plastic: plate, cup, spoon, fork. Because she will have to be on the floor many, many times.

Try to accustom the baby to what is needed in the kitchen or in the dining room.

If possible, purchase special children's furniture for eating: children's high chair with a removable table. To make it comfortable for the baby to sit and eat.

Try not to encourage the child to eat for "mom", "dad", "grandmother" or other family members. Because it forms the wrong eating behavior in the baby. And it is quite possible that in the future he will overeat, and this will lead to overweight or the development of obesity in him.

Try not to act like:“Today I will feed you myself, because I am in a hurry, and tomorrow you will eat on your own.” So the baby can get lazy. And nothing terrible will happen if you go for a walk 15 minutes later.

Stock up on several waterproof aprons or bibs, so that they can be changed and washed easily. Good bibs made of special soft and flexible plastic With bottom edge folded up. Because they prevent liquid food from dripping onto your baby's clothes. In addition, they do not need to be washed, because they are easy to wash and dry. Therefore, it is enough for a baby to have only one such bib.

And if the kid stubbornly does not want to be independent?

Perhaps you missed a favorable period - when the baby zealously wanted to show independence in everything, or mistakes were made in the learning process.

That's why:

* Try not to start training too long- not older than one and a half to two years.

* Do not put pressure on the baby and do not demand too refined manners- in time they will come. In doing so, you can create a negative attitude for the baby to self-eating and learning new skills.

* Try to call on the help of your crumbs peers, who already know how to eat on their own. Indeed, in the company of the same fidgets and "perpetual motion machines" your child will soon begin to skillfully use a spoon or drink from a cup on his own. Therefore, periodically arrange children's parties at home or invite children home for lunch more often. This recommendation is especially relevant if the baby does not attend kindergarten or is still far away from him.

* Try to give more independence to the crumbs and not patronize him too much. Then he will learn new skills many times faster, feeling his importance.

The ability to independently use a spoon and fork, drink from a cup - the necessary self-care skills for every kid. They will be useful to the baby not only in the distant adult life, but very soon. Since he will go to kindergarten - and you, of course, will worry that the little one far away from you will not be hungry all day. Therefore, of course, make every effort to teach your baby to eat on his own. Let's figure out together how to do it.

Choosing the first children's dishes

Give preference to dishes made of unbreakable food-grade heat-resistant plastic. At the same time, opt for certified products that are released by well-known manufacturers (for example, Philips AVENT, Bebe Confort, and so on).

The color palette is important: the brighter and more colorful it is, with color pictures, the more pleasure the baby uses it. Just imagine what joy the baby will experience when he sees the image of his favorite cartoon character at the bottom of the plate at the end of the meal!

So, let's start choosing dishes ...

Non-spill cup

Perhaps - the very first and necessary item of children's utensils for self-use by the baby. It is convenient because, thanks to the “non-spill” system, not a drop of liquid flows out of the cup, no matter how the baby “tortures” it. A special valve is built into it, which opens at the moment the child makes a sucking movement.

Non-spill cup types:

With two handles or ears, for which it is convenient for the baby to hold the cup with both handles - for crumbs older than six months.

With one handle- for a baby older than a year. It becomes a transition between a child's and an adult cup.

Thermodrinker-non-spill Convenient to use during long trips or walks. In them, the set temperature of the liquid is maintained for several hours.

Non-spill glass with straw or spout - for an older child who already knows how to independently hold a cup.

There are non-spill cups different colors or transparent with gradation for liquid level.

With silicone(so that the baby does not hurt the gums) or with a plastic spout.

Cups with a rubber base at the bottom which will not allow it to fall off a table or other surface.

Plate

Exist models:

with two or three sections - for different food

maintaining the set temperature - with a double or heated bottom

changing color depending on the temperature of the food

with or without handles and so on.

It is desirable that the first plate the baby was deep, had the shape of a shamrock or an inclined bottom - so that during the meal it was convenient for the baby to scoop up food and eat it up. It is good if the plate is equipped with a suction cup at the bottom on the outside - so that it does not accidentally slip to the floor while eating.

Plate size choose according to the age of the baby, as well as the volume of his usual portion. Thanks to this, over time, the child will form a habit: to eat as much as they put.

A spoon

It is recommended to use a plastic spoon with a physiological shape. This spoon is curved so that while eating, its handle does not touch the surface of the table, and it is convenient for a small eater to pick it up. In addition, the handle of the spoon should be rounded and not slip.

Fork

Plastic, with blunt and rounded teeth so that the baby does not get hurt. A physiologically curved fork shape is also desirable.

Knife

Special children's and mild. It is better if you get the first knife made of plastic for a child.

It is noteworthy that some companies produce whole sets of children's dishes, which is very convenient. Because it saves you from choosing each item separately.

As you can see, there is a great variety of shapes and colors of children's dishes. When choosing it, it is necessary to take into account the main principle - so that the baby likes it, and it is convenient for him to use it. After all, not everyone likes innovations, so the child can be capricious or show discontent.

Teaching a child to use a cup, plate, spoon, fork and knife independently

The process is quite lengthy, requiring patience from you, as well as the skills of real negotiators. Because you have to not only show, but also manage to convey to the little fidget how to do it right.

Learning how to use a non-spill cup on your own

Some children manage to drink almost immediately from an ordinary glass or cup: they took it and began to drink, imitating adults. Of course, while doing this, he can spill some liquid on himself. But is this the main thing? After all, the little one did it himself!

Other babies need to be helped to learn how to drink juice, tea, water, milk formulas from a cup on their own.

Let's start learning:

Should start from the moment when a child confidently picks up and examines objects with interest, and also tries them “by the tooth” - from about five to six months. So give your baby a non-spill cup to get to know each other.

As soon as the baby begins to show interest in a new subject (at about six to seven months), show yourself how to drink from a cup(but only from his own!), taking a small sip.

Teach your child to drink from a non-spill cup. To do this, pour a small amount of drink into it, but more than one third. Next, put the cup to the baby's lips, supporting it by the bottom so that he can take a small sip from it - and give him a little time to realize the taste of the drink. If the kid shows interest in a new skill, then you can proceed to further learning. If there is no interest, then wait a little and return to classes again in a few days.

With time the baby will want to use a beautiful object Yes, and with deliciousness inside.

Make sure your baby has a non-spill cup at all times while feeding. with tea, juice or water. Let him drink from it from time to time.

If the baby has not drunk the drink, you do not need to pour it into a bottle. Better help the baby: hold the cup so that he does it himself or drink it from a spoon. If all your efforts are unsuccessful, do not be discouraged, but offer the crumbs to drink more often during the day.

As soon as the baby begins to confidently drink from a non-spill cup, it's time to say goodbye to the bottle. This item is relevant when the child is on artificial or mixed feeding and already knows what a bottle is. If the baby is familiar only with mother's breast and mother's milk, then do not accustom him to a bottle, but rather go straight to a non-spill cup.

The moment of weaning from the bottle is individual. As a rule, it occurs by 10-11 months, and for someone - by 1.5 years, but sometimes - a little earlier or later. It all depends on how attached the baby is to the bottle.

Before you start teaching, make sure the baby is ready:

Start in the daytime: Instead of a bottle of formula or juice, offer your baby a non-spill cup. If the baby after a few days already confidently completely switches to the drinker without tantrums (small tears will inevitably shed, so be prepared for them), then everything is in order.

The hardest thing for a baby is weaning from evening bottle feeding. Therefore, here you will have to show great stamina and ingenuity. Distract the baby: tell a story, praise him for the fact that he confidently uses a drinker, and so on.

If the baby was very painful about replacing the bottle with a non-spill cup, then wait a while with weaning. But don't delay too long. Because the older the baby, the harder it is to wean him off the bottle.

Then proceed to teaching the crumbs to drink from an adult cup (approximately at the age of one to one and a half years), adhering to the same principles: show, perform together, help.

Usually, by the age of one and a half to two years, babies are already confidently drinking from an adult cup on their own. However, if this does not happen, do not be upset, do not scold, and do not force him to do this. Better to continue with patience - and the time will come when he will learn to drink from a cup himself.

Learning to use a spoon on your own

In fact, it is ideal to start teaching your baby to use a spoon from the moment the first complementary foods are introduced - at about six months. But that time may come later. Of course, this does not mean at all that at this age the baby will pick up a spoon - and will famously wield it.

Let's get to work:

Start training in "four hands": at the beginning of each feeding, give the child a spoon in his hand, let him hold it, and feed him with the second. And it doesn’t matter that during feeding he slaps porridge or mashed potatoes with his spoon, knocks it on the table, and so on. The main thing is that he showed interest.

When the baby is a little older (around the age of 8 to 9 months, but possibly a little later), and his movements become more purposeful, start teaching your kid to hit the target - mouth.

After all, the baby has an inaccurate idea of \u200b\u200bhis body. Therefore, instead of the mouth, at first it gets into the chin, nose, cheeks, smearing them. In addition, at the first attempts to eat from a spoon on their own, another problem arises: lack of coordination of movement. That is, a spoon with food at the mouth, but it does not open, so you need to wait a bit. In addition, it is difficult for a small eater to consider the length of a spoon.

Therefore, to help the baby, at the beginning of feeding, show him how you can eat on your own by your example (from your plate, using your spoon!), Explaining each movement. Then, together with him, repeat all the movements several times, holding and directing the baby’s handle in the desired direction. But already with a spoonful of the baby and from his plate.

For the first attempts of the child to use a spoon, thick food is better - cereals or mashed potatoes. If you offer the baby soup, then he will simply splash it without reaching his mouth.

Some time after the start of training, the baby will begin to wield a spoon on his own, satisfying his hunger. As a rule, this happens by one and a half to two years, but often - and somewhat later or earlier.

Do not worry about this or set an age limit for the child. The time will come - and he will definitely learn to eat on his own. But even in this case, there is a risk that the pasta will be under the table, and the soup will spill on the floor. After all, the baby still has to hone his skills.

Learning to use a fork on your own

The acquisition of this skill, as a rule, should be started after the baby has already learned to handle the spoon on his own. This usually occurs at the age of one and a half to two years, but sometimes - and a little later. However, this is not fundamental, since everything depends on the desire of the child himself. Indeed, sometimes some children begin to confidently use a fork even earlier than a spoon.

The principle is the same as with a spoon:

at the beginning of feeding, show by example, explaining each movement: how to hold a fork so that the baby does not get hurt, prick pieces of food (cutlets, meat, and so on)

then repeat all the movements several times with the baby, taking his hand, explaining each step

Learning to use a knife on your own

Not all parents teach their child to use a knife at an early age, believing that it is dangerous. However, it is much better if the baby learns about this subject in more detail and from you. Then he will not strive to know the "forbidden fruit", because, as you know, he is sweet.

If you still decide to instill this skill in your baby, then proceed to his acquisition should be no earlier than 2.5 or 3 years and sometimes later. The principle is the same: show, repeat, explaining how to use a knife correctly.

For the first acquaintance of a child with a knife, you can use soft fruits and berries: raspberries, strawberries, kiwi, bananas and so on.

After the baby learns the skills of independent eating, as he grows up, he will hone them. Therefore, after some time, he will be able to gradually begin to use dishes for adults.

Perhaps this is all that could be said about the acquisition of much-needed independence skills for each child. However, I would like to note that in practice everything does not go so smoothly, and the probable terms for mastering the skills of independent eating “jump”. Since a lot depends on the aspirations of the baby.

Plus, you'll probably have to deal with your little one's whims and stubborn reluctance to learn new skills. Or, on the contrary, with the excessive desire of the baby for independence, even with the risk of remaining hungry.

Therefore, listen to your baby, try not to miss the favorable moments for them to gain new skills. The main thing - remember that everything is purely individual.

Any parents sincerely rejoice at the success of their baby, because this is not only an indicator of the full development of the little man, but also the growing independence of the child, gradually untying the hands of adults. That is why the acquired skill of using a spoon is one of the very important milestones in the development of the child, because now he will at least be able to eat on his own. Many parents are puzzled over how to develop such a skill - let's try to figure out how it's done.

Optimal age

Of course, the primary learning of any complex skill requires a good teacher, and for a baby, believe me, eating on his own with a spoon is not an easy task, because he was born, practically not owning his body. For this reason, it largely depends on the desire of the parents when their child begins to eat on their own. At the same time, you should not rush into this either - you can come to the conscious use of cutlery only gradually, having previously mastered the skills of holding objects in your hand.

Experts point out that the specific timing of acquiring the skills to use a spoon is highly dependent on the individual characteristics of the child. The average figures say that at the age of one year, the baby should simply be able to hold the spoon for a long time without dropping it - then by about a year and a half he will be able to use it for its intended purpose.

Naturally, certain deviations from the schedule are quite possible and cannot even be considered an obvious problem - for example, some small individuals know how to operate the device a little by the age of ten months, and someone even needs feeding even at their two years.

At the same time, child psychologists note that in the process of learning the personal interest of the child in the process is extremely important. It is no secret that children are very fond of imitating adults in everything, and on average, about a year old, the baby begins to think about whether to start eating on his own. Naturally, for such conclusions, he need a constant visual example of how adults eat on their own otherwise, mother's hand can be perceived by the same device as the spoon itself.

If there is an example before your eyes, and the child understood everything, sooner or later he will make it clear that he would like to try to wield the cutlery on his own. It can be said with absolute certainty that the child will not succeed either the first time or the tenth, therefore the mother should prepare in advance for the soiled table, clothes and face of the baby. Nevertheless, you should not refuse a child - after all, he will never learn if he does not start learning. note that it is fundamentally important in the course of training to show angelic patience, because once you yell at a sloppy kid, you can scare him, and he will generally give up trying.

Remember that he soils everything around him not from evil, but simply because he still cannot do everything neatly.

Calculate your feeding schedule

Choice of cutlery

If you are purposefully going to teach your child how to use a spoon, the latter should be bought specifically for this purpose, making sure that it meets the task in all respects. Practice shows that if the spoon itself is chosen wisely, then the study is easier, and there are fewer dirty things.

So, a few tips on how to choose the first device in the life of a baby.

Instrument safety is the most important requirement. The child is still sloppy, so in no case should the spoon have sharp ends or edges. A classic metal device is also unlikely to fit - it can be heavy for a baby, and if it falls, it can hurt and scare a lot. When choosing a product from alternative materials, pay attention only to the range of specialized stores that provide all the necessary certificates - the current plastic can be extremely harmful.
Feeding aid and first spoon are not the same. In the first case, a narrow and rather deep scoop is used, since neat parents will operate the device. As for the product for self-catering, it must first of all have a certain width - this allows you to drop food less often.
In no case will a novice gourmet hold a spoon correctly, the way adults hold it - it is easier for him to grab the handle into his fist. With an elongated and narrow shape of the handle with such a grip, a stable position of the device cannot be achieved - it will periodically turn around its axis, scattering mashed potatoes and spilling soups. For this reason you should find a product whose handle would be relatively wide- this will stabilize the spoon from the "rolling". In addition, the handle should ideally be shortened - the closer the child holds the device to the scoop, the higher the likelihood that it will still get to the mouth.
Many experts claim that for kids for learning it is better to purchase models with curved handles- For a child's hand, they are a little more convenient. There is also a rather rare option with a rod inside - there the scoop always maintains the correct position, even if the handle is tilted. Such a spoon is good because you can master it much faster, however, it, in fact, does not teach you how to use an ordinary spoon.
Of the variety of children's models of spoons, often it is advised to pay attention to plastic, even despite all the information that many varieties of this material do not shine with environmental cleanliness. Such a product has a lot of advantages - it is both light and not sharp, it cannot be hit, it does not break when it falls, and it is often painted in bright colors. A beautiful plastic spoon can be perceived by a child as a toy, it attracts interest, and therefore learning will go faster.
Simplify the task not only for the child, but also for yourself - buy additional accessories. The plate, ideally, should also be made of food-grade plastic.- then it will have all the same advantages that have already been described a little higher. Some models especially for small children are produced with a suction cup - even with a targeted action, it will be difficult for a baby to overturn such dishes. Another useful accessory is a fabric bib to protect clothing from spilled drops. An even more effective alternative can be a plastic apron - it does not absorb water, so it does not need to be washed after each meal.

The subtleties of learning

It is impossible to teach a baby to use a spoon without his voluntary desire - so far he does not know the word “must” at all. In fact, there are no tricks to stimulate interest, and the only thing you can think of is to regularly sit down at the table with the whole family. As already mentioned, even a small child strives to inherit adults in everything - this is the incentive to learn how to properly hold the cutlery yourself.

Forcing a child to learn if he does not show any interest in this is unacceptable - you will not drive a layer of knowledge into his head, but you will achieve hysteria and categorical rejection of what he does not like.

Even worse, if you force the baby to train on a dish that he would not eat even with your help - then you should not be surprised why the child has no incentive.

Teaching a child to cutlery before he becomes interested in them will not work, but as soon as he shows interest, be ready to satisfy curiosity. The first workout shouldn't be too hard. - it is enough to achieve at least that the baby securely fixes the device in his hand, albeit in a slightly wrong position.

Experts say that it’s not worth waiting specifically for the “suitable age” - if suddenly a child becomes interested in a spoon even at the stage of feeding, you can already acquaint him with this subject.

Instructions for targeted training are as follows:

all surfaces near the "training ground" should be protected with oilcloth materials - first of all, this applies to the floor and table;
if the dish has a suction cup, fix it on the countertop and check the fastening, then pour the food;
it is best to start training in the summer, when the child can be almost completely undressed - then you won’t have to wash almost anything, however, a cap to protect your hair will definitely not hurt;
show a good example: attract the attention of the child, taste the food from his bowl with a spoon and do not forget to praise both the food itself and yourself - for independence;
pass the spoon to the child, and if he cannot hold it tightly, squeeze the child's fist with the spoon in your palm and feed the baby in this way;
when the ward learns to regularly bring the spoon to his mouth, he no longer needs help, even if he constantly gets dirty - this is a difficulty that you need to overcome on your own.

The child gets tired quickly and can put the device aside without eating - praise him at least for what he tried, and do not forget to feed the child.

Common mistakes

Often, adults themselves are to blame for the fact that a child cannot learn the art of holding a spoon for too long.

Let's look at a few examples of how not to approach the learning process.

If you have already begun to teach the child the independent use of cutlery, let all the rest of the household adhere to this rule. Children have too short a memory, they easily forget newly acquired skills if they are not constantly needed. Therefore, it is enough to send the child for a few days to visit a compassionate grandmother, who will feed him with a spoon - and that's it, you can start studying again.
The regularity of exercises is important for the lasting assimilation of new skills. However, certain situations still occur when, as an exception, you can briefly return to spoon-feeding. This is done when the child is sick or feels unwell. Even an adult, experiencing severe discomfort, can perform the usual tasks inaccurately, without paying enough attention to them, so do not be surprised if a sick baby suddenly has difficulty eating on his own. Sometimes it will be easier to help him a little than to wash the whole dining room and comfort a hungry child.
Even if the child seems to have managed to master independent nutrition well, at first it is unacceptable to leave him to eat alone. First of all, a child can choke on an unchewed piece, and so far it can’t really call for help. Tired of wielding a spoon, but not having eaten, it will probably burst into tears, and you will not be able to understand what is happening. Finally, in the absence of control, the child may simply begin to act up, and you, relying on his responsibility, after the allotted time, will find him over a still full plate or in the middle of a dirty kitchen.
It is generally accepted that cutlery for a child necessarily begins with a spoon, but some children are much more interested in a fork - if this happens, it will not work to replace it with a spoon, the baby will not show interest in learning. Special forks with blunt teeth also exist, and training can also be carried out using their example - at least how to properly hold the device in your hand.

Of course, the dishes that are served for training can no longer be either liquid or puree.

How to teach a child to eat with a spoon on their own, see the following video.

If you want your baby to quickly become independent and learn to eat with a spoon, you can start teaching your baby to use this cutlery at the same time as introducing complementary foods. Of course, a six-month-old baby still has great difficulty in controlling his movements and cannot feed himself, but it will be very interesting for him to hold a spoon in his hands.

Often you can observe the following picture: a mother feeds a baby, he grabs a spoon with his hands, but the woman hastily releases the cutlery and says that this is not necessary. After several such jerks, the baby will lose interest in this subject, or even remember that it is not necessary to touch it. As a result, when parents begin to teach the child to be independent, he may refuse to feed himself. It will take a very long time to teach such a baby to eat with a spoon. That is why it is necessary to accustom when there is an interest in it. When giving a baby self-feeding, try to minimize possible “damage” in advance. If the house is warm, it is better to undress the child, but if it is cool, put on clothes that you do not mind getting dirty. Do not sit your child over a carpet, next to wallpaper, curtains, etc. - it is quite difficult to predict the flight path of mashed potatoes or porridge.

How to teach a child to eat from a spoon?

To begin with, the child should have individual cutlery. A spoon for a baby should be comfortable, light and cute. It is better to immediately buy two identical spoons in order to give one to the crumbs in the pen, and feed the second. In the first year of life, most children have a good appetite, and the feeling of hunger makes them try their best to master the management of cutlery. Given this, you need to give a spoon to the child at the very beginning of feeding, and not when he is already full. At first, help the baby by holding and guiding his hand. Learning a new skill is hard work, and the baby can get tired without eating, then you just need to finish feeding him yourself.

It is good if the baby learns to eat on his own in the company of other family members. Looking at how adults eat, the child will begin to adopt this skill faster. In no case do not swear when food falls to the floor or is smeared on the table, be patient. Think about the fact that everyone was once small and did not know how to eat themselves, but this does not prevent anyone from now building houses and piloting airplanes. It will take only a few months, and the movements of the child will become more accurate and confident. Not wanting to put up with dirty floors and clothes, some parents leave accustoming to a spoon for later, thinking that at an older age the child will learn to eat faster. However, in this case, the baby can get so used to being fed that he simply does not want to bother himself.

Ekaterina Rakitina

Dr. Dietrich Bonhoeffer Klinikum, Germany

Reading time: 6 minutes

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Article last updated: 03/27/2019

The kid is growing, and parents are proud to watch how every day he becomes more active and independent. The child wants to try to do everything without the help of adults - he grabs a bottle and drinks from it, takes his favorite toys out of the basket and then throws them back.

Also, the first attempts at independence relate to the process of eating. A discarded bowl of soup, smeared porridge, mashed potatoes on the head, clothes and hands - such pictures mother sees every day.

Of course, young parents lose patience with the constant dressing and washing of the child's things, and therefore strive to teach the child to eat on his own. In most cases, children happily grab a spoon and try to imitate adults - they scoop up porridge with it and carry it to their mouths. And sometimes the process of eating on your own with a spoon for a baby can be delayed, much to the bewilderment and regret of adults.

The peanut shows the first effective attempts to eat on its own at the age of 1 year; by the age of 1.5, usually all children eat relatively carefully with a spoon.

Experts advise to accustom babies to a spoon after 10 months, but not really hoping for success.

Which spoon should be chosen for the crumbs?

One of the most important questions in the learning process is which spoon to give preference to? The following types are usually used: silver, special rubber, anatomical or tea. All are good in their own way and each has its drawbacks, but as practice shows, it is best to teach a child to eat on his own with a plastic spoon. Such spoons are light, compact, bright and colorful. When a baby sees a bright spoon, he perceives it as an object of play, and will be happy to try to eat with such a spoon.

When children get older, experts advise them to choose ordinary tablespoons made of iron.

Of course, there are a lot of tips from grandmothers and girlfriends, rules and recommendations in specialized literature, as well as a video posted on the Internet on how to teach a child to eat on their own. But most importantly, every mother should remember: all children are different, the schedules for the development and knowledge of the world around the kids are individual.

Therefore, in their attempts to teach the child to eat on their own, all mothers must be patient. Today the child throws a spoon or plays with it, and tomorrow he confidently holds it in his hands and makes the first successes. All moms should try to show their talent and arm themselves with perseverance and patience before she picks up the approach to the baby and can teach him to eat properly.

A great incentive to take a spoon in your hands and try to eat without help is the presence of the whole family at the dinner table. Adults should be sympathetic to a long meal, because often joint dinners for young children are not a satisfying hunger, but a time when you can play and chat with loved ones. It's also wise to allow your baby to eat off their parents' plates, as long as they use a spoon.

It often happens that the science of teaching a toddler to a spoon is not always simple and easy. You can slowly take a small hand along with a spoon in your hand and gently guide it to the baby's mouth. In no case should you force a child and put him in any framework.

Nutrition experts have long proven that any violence during meals negatively affects the digestion and psyche of a person, especially children.

It is important to accustom the child to a spoon when the child is really hungry and wants to eat. In the desire to satisfy his hunger, he will not be indulging in food, and the hungry state will be a good incentive to learn how to eat with a spoon.

You should also not miss the moment when the child is full and begins to grab food with his hands or smear it on the table. It is necessary to immediately stop such actions and remove the plate with a spoon.

Eating with a spoon is the best way to teach a child his favorite dishes, which invariably arouse his special delight and interest. An important point is the consistency of the cooked dish. The food should be easily scooped up with a spoon, not be too liquid or hard. Accordingly, it can be cereals, thick soups, children's cottage cheese.

Essential in the study will be the observance of the feeding regimen. Even if the baby still does not quite know how to use a spoon, you should immediately give it to him in his hands as soon as he sits down at the table.

Experienced mothers practice this way of learning how to handle a spoon as eating “two spoons”. One spoon is in the handle of the baby and he tries to eat to the best of his ability, and the other carefully feeds his mother.

Almost all pediatricians who have published books on child care, including Dr. Komarovsky, emphasize that in the beginning, when the child is just learning such an object as a spoon, the mother should feed him the main dish herself. Well, a delicious dessert, you can offer to try to eat it yourself. Especially, this applies to those mothers who are worried that after using the spoon on their own, the child will remain hungry.

Also, a variety of popular methods of raising children (methods of Montessori, Doman and others) convincingly argue that the child must be given freedom and choice of actions. Therefore, when adults impose a spoon against the wishes of the crumbs, this can lead to an increase in the period of getting used to it.

Neatness and good table manners

At first, you can not remember the good manners and accuracy of the child at the table, the process of mastering independent food does not contribute to their development. Starting from 2-3 years of age, a mother should slowly teach her child how to behave at the table, gently and patiently explain what behavior at the table is acceptable and which is not. Remember, accuracy and good manners are a matter of time. It is quite possible to teach this.