Do You Still Spoon Feed a 12month Old?

[MomBoss]

I have an infant that will be 12 months in March. I want to give the parents a heads up that at 12 months i will no longer spoon feed, as they bring pureed food from home. The child knows how to use hands to eat and eats solid food fine here. The parents are so afriad of the child choking and claim they have choked. (Its actually gagging, normal)
Do you agree? Am i being harsh?
Im big on kids learning independence and self help skills.

[jenboo]

At 1 year they would eat at the table the same meal as the big kids (cut and cooked appropriately for them) with their hands. I would actually give utensils but wouldn't expect them to use them.

[Blackcat31]

I have an infant that will be 12 months in March. I want to give the parents a heads up that at 12 months i will no longer spoon feed, as they bring pureed food from home. The child knows how to use hands to eat and eats solid food fine here. The parents are so afriad of the child choking and claim they have choked. (Its actually gagging, normal)
Do you agree? Am i being harsh?
Im big on kids learning independence and self help skills.

I have addressed this in a "letter" to parents just prior to their baby turning 1 yr old.

I'll PM it to you...

[ColorfulSunburst]

I don't allow kids to eat without utensils.
I continue spoon feeding 12mo kids and teach them to feed themselves properly.
Now I have two boys (1.6) - most of the time they eat by themselves and do not make a mess. One boy (1.4) still needs some help. In a couple more months they will be completely independent during meal times and mess free.

[hwichlaz]

I never start spoon feeding. Baby led weaning all of the way.

[gumdrops]

I don't allow kids to eat without utensils.
I continue spoon feeding 12mo kids and teach them to feed themselves properly.
Now I have two boys (1.6) - most of the time they eat by themselves and do not make a mess. One boy (1.4) still needs some help. In a couple more months they will be completely independent during meal times and mess free.

I'm impressed with "mess free". I have a 4 yr old who can't leave the table without being a complete disaster. She uses utensils, but uses her extra hand to help scoop the food onto her spoon (and eats like there's an emergency). The other day while she was waiting for seconds, I caught her with her hand in her spaghetti sauce that was left on her plate. Not intentional, just oblivious.

[gumdrops]

By 1 yr I have them eating what everyone else does. I give them utensils, but don't expect them to use them.

At what age do you all expect them to use utensils consistently?

[Blackcat31]

I don't allow kids to eat without utensils.
I continue spoon feeding 12mo kids and teach them to feed themselves properly.
Now I have two boys (1.6) - most of the time they eat by themselves and do not make a mess. One boy (1.4) still needs some help. In a couple more months they will be completely independent during meal times and mess free.

By 1 yr I have them eating what everyone else does. I give them utensils, but don't expect them to use them.

At what age do you all expect them to use utensils consistently?

My kiddos are like ColorfulSunburst's kiddos...they are given utensils as soon as they sit in a high chair.

I encourage and role model proper usage.

Usually by 1.5 yrs old, none of mine are eating with their hands other than to use a thumb or finger to help push the food onto the spoon/fork.

I do not allow them to use their hands to pick up and place food anywhere other than back on their plates. No food directly from hand to mouth (other than finger or hand held foods of course)

I don't use sippy cups or cups with lids for any age.

We practice table manners for every meal/snack.

My youngest is just over a year and my oldest is 5.
They are all independent eaters and are fairly clean about it.

[Ariana]

I never start spoon feeding. Baby led weaning all of the way.

This is me too. I will start them off with mushy foods to see how they do (think steamed carrots or potato) and then warm up to regular foods. If mom sends purees I give the infant the spoon and show them how to eat with it and give them regular food with it. It is a slow transition. By 15 months they are eating the same as everyone else.

[Pestle]

I spoon feed only until the child is capable of holding a spoon. Thin foods like soups and applesauce and yogurt need a spoon, so I put one spoon into the infant's right hand (so they get used to holding and controlling it) while I use a second spoon to feed.

Other than that, infants transitioning onto solids get diced foods they can feed themselves. They need to develop their pincer grip. And a toddler who has backslid will not be getting me to spoon-feed them.

[flying_babyb]

I'm impressed with "mess free". I have a 4 yr old who can't leave the table without being a complete disaster. She uses utensils, but uses her extra hand to help scoop the food onto her spoon (and eats like there's an emergency). The other day while she was waiting for seconds, I caught her with her hand in her spaghetti sauce that was left on her plate. Not intentional, just oblivious.

I had this kid. This may sound like harsh advice, but I cured this issue by sitting by the child and only allowing them to have one hand on the table at a time.

[ColorfulSunburst]

I prefer to grow "my own toddlers" It means I have infants in my care. So since their first day here, we keep them very clean during each feeding. Any drops or pieces of food on their lips and cheeks are getting wiped away immediately. It creates a good habit to be clean during eating.
While we teach kids to eat with a spoon we clean their faces and table around their plates during each meal time. So, for them being mess-free is as it must be.
I do not believe in "finger food". Mealtime is a time for eating and learning good table manners. Fine motor skills exercises happen at any other time of a day but mealtime.