Need Help-Food Issue

[Heidi]

I would only give them one bite on their plate at a time. If they spit, the meal is over. If they hold food, do a swipe at the end of the meal time and again, meal is over. eventually they will eat....or not. either way, you dont have to struggle through more than one bite per meal time. no more food until that bite is chewed and swallowed. you cant MAKE them eat, but you dont have to get into a huge battle over it either. kids wont starve themselves.

I agree...I wouldn't make it a fight, just a safety issue, and low-key. I also would never put a child to bed with a mouthful...choking hazard!

I'm guessing these kiddos have a sensory issue with some foods. My nephew was like this for years, but eventually outgrew it.

[Blackcat31]

I would only give them one bite on their plate at a time. If they spit, the meal is over. If they hold food, do a swipe at the end of the meal time and again, meal is over. eventually they will eat....or not. either way, you dont have to struggle through more than one bite per meal time. no more food until that bite is chewed and swallowed. you cant MAKE them eat, but you dont have to get into a huge battle over it either. kids wont starve themselves.

Mine wouldn't care. I could give him just one thing on his plate and he would sit with it in his mouth. I could swipe it out at the end of meal time and he would go along his merry way. He couldn't care less. I don't fight or struggle or bribe or stress about it. I am just wondering what makes a kid do it :confused:

I need to also re-clarify, mine isn't spitting...as in spitting in a bad way, I meant if I don't swipe it out, he will happily spit it out into a napkin or whatever at the end of the meal to empty his mouth. If I didn't tell him to spit it into a napkin, he would just continue holding it.

I suppose I could solve the issue by just not giving him any food but he does need to eat and the holding chewed up food is usually from his last bite of food anyways not the first so...

He is a pretty good kid all around but is an odd duck when eating.

Maybe they are twins with different moms tho, because mine just keeps saying, "that's naughty, I guess you will eat extra food at supper huh?" I know with that attitude, chances of him stopping are slim.

Is your's napping? Mine is one of the screaming, crying, talking, rolling all over that is probably keeping your group up some days

Mine doesn't think it is naughty or anything...he just does it. His mom is at a loss too (she is a school pyschologist) and she has no idea why or what to do besides just do what we are doing. Which is here is your food, when the meal is over and you have chewed up food in your mouth, you either swallow or spit it out and get down. Nothing else. No bribesm no rewards, no punishment.

Mine does nap. He sleeps no problem and is usually one of my best nappers.

He is just a quirky kid I guess. Hoping yours gets better for you as it sounds like it is a bigger hassle than mine is.

[mema]

I wish mine was his last bite, but it is usually one of the first. When he first came, he was a shoveler and I got him slowed down. He did great for 5 months or so and then started this.

Dcm says she just lets him eat however much he wants, when he wants, and how he wants (aka....shovel tons and tons of junk all night).

I think I will just put the one bite on his plate and make him spit it into a napkin at the end of lunch-if he hasn't already spit it all over the floor first. I think as long as he gets what he wants at home, he will keep it up here. I would just like to know why he changed. Once I had him slowed down, he was an awesome eater. He wasn't picky and ate/drank everything.

[countrymom]

I would put one bit on their plates. The other children would have full meals. Make sure they see that. Ususally when they see the other kids plates they'll want more food too. Also, I know some people would be be mad, but what happens if you didn't offer him anything, what would he do, I'm just curious.

[littlemissmuffet]

I sweep the food from the mouth or clean up the spit up food and remove them from their chair immediately. It's nap time right after lunch, so they would be put on their nap mat or in the PP to start nap early while everyone else ate. I have had three kids like this - within a week, all of them stopped!

[SilverSabre25]

I had one that would do that when he didn't like what was being served. I think he had some serious sensory issues/oral defensiveness/texture/etc. I never did get him to stop before he left my care back in may. I did, however, have to check his mouth at the end of a meal and make him spit it out or sweep it out.

So glad I wasn't the only one to deal with this...

[Blackcat31]

Also, I know some people would be be mad, but what happens if you didn't offer him anything, what would he do, I'm just curious.

Mine wouldn't care one bit.

Today he was great, he ate everything and didn't keep anything in his mouth. Go figure.

I can't say tomorrow will be the same so who knows. I just make him get rid of it or swallow before leaving the table.

Can't really do anything else so.... it will just have to be a day by day thing for me...or rather for him.

[mema]

Well, I put 1 piece of each item on his plate at lunch. He stared right at me, aaaaannnndddd...flipped the plate over. So, he didn't not chew, nor did he chew and spit. Put him right down for nap (after he picked up his mess) and he just laid there staring at the ceiling with a little bit of a smirk on his face.

So glad tomorrow is Friday!