Children like to imitate adults, and this is their desire to be sent on time in the right direction. It is necessary to seat the child from an early age for a common table with all members of the family. Looking at adults, the kid tries to repeat all actions, thus, begins to learn to eat on his own.
To teach the child to eat on his own - there should not be an obsession with parents. The kid himself must love the process of feeding himself. The main thing is to be patient and remember simple rules:
- not to force the child to eat;
- do not rush;
- to praise and encourage;
- Help to learn how to hold a spoon.
The age when it is worth starting to teach the child is independently depends on its individual characteristics and level of development. The kid himself shows interest in the spoon from 7-8 months, and you need to use the moment to entice him and encourage the interest to learn to eat yourself. If you do not be afraid of stained clothes and frequent cleaning of the kitchen, then by 1.5-2 years the child will master this skill.
How to teach a child to eat independently?
Fundamental rules:
- Give the child to eat on his own when he is really hungry. When a child wants to eat, he is not in a mood for vagaries and pampering.
- Do not let the baby play with food. When the child is satisfied, he begins to smear food, feel and knead his fingers, throw. In this case, it is better to immediately pick up a plate and a spoon, so that the child understands the difference between playing and eating.
- Do not force the child to strictly keep the bread in his left hand, and the spoon in the right. Up to three years old children try to do everything with their right and left hands. And perhaps your child is left-handed, then retrain to keep the spoon in your right hand, all the more you do not need to.
- At the beginning of the child's education, it is better to offer his favorite dishes and decorate them nicely. This will cause more interest and appetite, and the baby will easily learn to eat independently.
- At a time when the child begins to eat alone, adults need to be patient and not nervous. The ideal cleanliness in the kitchen will have to be forgotten at this time. There is no need to wipe every spilled drop and pick up the fallen crumbs while eating the baby and distract him. Cleaning the table is better to do together with the baby later, so he will get used to cleanliness and accuracy.
In practice, each mother will need patience and her approach to the baby, before she learns to eat and behave properly at the table.