S/O silverware and the finger eater

[Mom2Connor]

Our DS is 2 yrs 3 mo. He's been using spoons/forks for quite some time now and totally capable of it. A few months ago he started petering off on silverware and is back to just using his hands. We tried to push the issue at first but I'm sure you can imagine how that went. Just let it go and he'll start using silverware eventually again?

[nicolemariep]

Yeah, my son is 2 and is great with a fork and spoon, but sometimes it's just faster to scoop oatmeal into his mouth with his hands. I offer silverware with every meal, sometimes he uses it, sometimes he doesn't. I don't think there's much to do but wait for him to grow out of it.

[danner]

I think so. With my 16 mo and my 4yo daughter, I always set the table with a napkin and appropriate utensil for every meal. We model the behavior and encourage the same. But at your child's age I'd let it slide after asking him to try once. That way he understands that he's still expected to participate as a full member of the family and he will rise to the occasion eventually.

[EmilytheStrange]

I let it slide with my 25month old. She's not overly competent with the utensils yet.

We encourage and praise for good tries, but we don't push it. Well, I do push it for oatmeal, but not to the point of tantrums or anything.

[jbug_4]

Maybe. DD is 5 and she eats with her fingers. She starting eating with silverware pretty early and knows how, she just likes to eat with her fingers. Now she only does it at home, if we are at a restaurant she will eat with silverware. We do remind her about once a meal that she should be eating with silverware- mainly when she does something really funky like pick up a scoop of mashed potatoes with her fingers. Other wise since she only does it at home we don't make too big of a deal. On the opposite side ds refuses to use his fingers to eat anything- he won't even eat finger foods with his fingers which is almost just as messy as using fingers for non finger foods.

[VinhThiMom]

Originally Posted by jbug_4 Maybe. DD is 5 and she eats with her fingers. She starting eating with silverware pretty early and knows how, she just likes to eat with her fingers. Now she only does it at home, if we are at a restaurant she will eat with silverware. We do remind her about once a meal that she should be eating with silverware- mainly when she does something really funky like pick up a scoop of mashed potatoes with her fingers. Other wise since she only does it at home we don't make too big of a deal. On the opposite side ds refuses to use his fingers to eat anything- he won't even eat finger foods with his fingers which is almost just as messy as using fingers for non finger foods.

My 5 and 6yo will eat corn with their fingers at home. LOL

[tallanvor]

I would probably go a middle route and insist on silverware depending on what it is. Anything messy, I would insist on silverware. Something like a hamburger or chicken, to me it wouldn't be a big deal to use fingers.

[aries416]

My 24 month old has zero interest in using a spoon or fork unless it's to bang or chew on. LOL. I don't force the issue with him. I figure he'll learn eventually.

[badmisterkitty]

LOL - My DD who is almost the exact same age did the same thing there for awhile. She's gotten better in the last month or so with using utensils. I think she finally realized she didn't like food all over her hands. I agree, though, it's probably faster for them.

[aerobebe1421]

Carter goes back and forth between silverware and fingers. We don't push the issue. He has silverware at every meal available for him to use if he'd like. Usually he uses it for part of the meal.