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Heidi gave me some great ideas on helping with meal times a while back. I loved the placemat idea for teaching kids where to put their plates/cups, napkins etc. I have one little girl though who really struggles to sit still ever. haha Meal time included...she wiggles constantly. She stays on her bottom, but she is twisting, turning, arms up, arms down, very dramatic in conversation etc. She is almost 2. She drops her cups/silverware many times every meal. I feel like all I do is pick up and replace her spoon. And with 3 meals a day that can be many extra pairs silverware. She is not throwing them. She holds them in her hand and actually eats well with them, but she moves so much that swinging her arms around she actually drops them like 3-5 times a meal. Same thing with her cup. She's not knocking it off the table. She is holding it while she gestures wildly and drops it. I've told her lately I'll only pick it up once and then she's done with it. But if I do that with silverware she will end up eating with her fingers every meal which is just gross. Should I move her from the table and she's just done if she can't hang on to them? Am I making too big a deal out of it? Its just frustrating and then I'm up 5 times each meal when I'd really like to sit and eat with them calmly to model good manners.
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Apparently she is unable to eat AND talk so one activity needs to be curbed until she is capable of managing both properly and since she is eating, I would suggest she focus ONLY in eating and not talking and that would eliminate her need to gesture or move/wave her hands and arms around thus leaving her utensils and her cup on the table intact.
"Janie, its time to eat. You can tell your story after we are finished up."
"Janie, it's time to eat."
"Janie, eat"
"eat" -
I'd seat her right beside me so I could help without too much interruption. I'd also place her cup just out of reach and have her ask for my help when she wants a sip, until she better grasps the rhythm of lift-sip-set down and stops waving it around. Helping her that way is easier than cleaning up spills. I've had to do that with kids who don't use open cups at home. They learn it quickly enough, because at 2, they want to do things themselves!Comment
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My daughter throws her cup, plate, utensil (usually with food/drink still present) on the floor when she's done. I live in an apartment with carpet, and even though her chair sits on a piece of vinyl table cloth she aims for the carpet.
I have tried talking to her about it and immediately taking the stuff away but sometimes I can't get to her right away. And I know she knows it isn't okay because she never does it at daycare - she asks to be excused and takes her stuff to the dirty bin!
So I'll watch this for suggestions.Comment
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