When to use a spoon

[Anonymous]

My 15th month old twins are having a hard time using the spoon to feed themselves. I just introduced the spoon maybe a month ago. Before this, my twins did not have the "coordination" to try to feed themselves. Now that I have introduced the spoon....My son is in no way interested in using the spoon to feed himself. Instead he would rather use the spoon to spread the food all over his high-chair tray or use the spoon to fling the food on the ground. He continues to eat with his hands and not the spoon. My daughter is so intrigued by the spoon that she just sits there and plays with it and forgets about eating. She actually stops eating all together once she gets the spoon and then gets upset when I try to take it from her (to get her to eat again).


Are my kids to young? Did I start too late? I'm not sure what to do or how to get them to use the spoon. What is the best way to go about this? I would say they get finger foods as often as they get spoon fed foods. Should I increase the spoon fed foods so they get more practice?

Also, not to compare my kids to others but aren't kids usually using the spoon and feeding themselves by this age. I dont want to think that my kids are behind in development but I'm just curious. I was told by someone a long time ago that my kids may be behind a little because they are twins and they were born at 37 weeks. I did not know how to take that at the time...but now I'm wondering if it's true. But of course I dont want to believe that.

[Anonymous]

My son is about 20 months and just now figuring out how to get stuff on a spoon and into his mouth. He does well with rice and such but I wouldnt give him soup or yogurt yet.

I have a soft bucket like spoon from gerber. It works well.

[Anonymous]

my kid is 17 months....born early, also, at 36 weeks....he is a little bit behind on some things (was a late walker, not really talking words we can understand yet) and definitely not a regular spoon user yet. he actually used a spoon correctly for the first time last week (fed himself applesauce). but usually he's just throwing food around with it. try not to sweat it. babies move at their own pace! and don't let other people tell you where your kids should be. enjoy them! they are learning!

[Anonymous]

My DS was born almost 10 days late. He is now almost 14 months and nowhere close to using a spoon to feed himself.... so I wouldn't say yours are behind by any means! He likes to play with the spoon but the food always ends up in his hair or eye or something like that... I also can't see him drinking out of a regular cup anytime soon because whenever I give him a cup, he sticks his hand in it to try to 'grab' the water and put it in his mouth. This is before he turns the cup upside down over his fist and spills the water all down his arm. LOL.

[Anonymous]

OP here --- thank you so much. This makes me feel a lot better. I know babies usually move at their own pace but was just curios as to maybe we should try something else...or wait and try again. But this makes me feel much better. I will keep at it and just wait and see. I guess they'll get it when they get ready.

Also, the PP who's child is 17 months and born at 36 weeks, my son was an early walker. DD late walker. Neither one of them speaks anything I can understand. Except "mommy" and "daddy". I do realize they have a "language" only they can understand because they are constantly babbling to each other and laughing their butts off.

[Anonymous]

I think they just need to get used to the spoon for a while. It is a fun toy to them, but they will start to see you use it and will model that behavior soon.

Personally, I love the Boon bendable spoons for toddlers. You can bend them into shapes that are easier for the kids to feed themselves and they stay that way. You can get them at Target, they are BPA and phtalate free.

http://www.target.com/Boon-Bender-Adjustable-Utensils/dp/B000WEJS5C/sr=1-5/qid=1234555837/ref=sr_1_5/185-5473785-2373212?ie=UTF8&index=target&rh=k%3Aboon&page=1

[Anonymous]

My 15 month tries to use both a spoon and a fork with about a 50% success rate. He has an older brother though that he completely emulates. It is generally very messy at meal time in our house, but the spoon/fork amuse him if nothing else.