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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]for 18 and 26 mo olds:
pastas with and without sauce
veges cut in bite sized pieces and steamed to be soft.   Easiest to use already cut up frozen veges and then steam them. carrots are a choking hazard so slivers is the way to go (not round circles) and cook them WELL
chunks (small!) of cooked hamburger and chicken
crackers of all types
fruits of all types as long as cut into bite sized pieces, and perhaps she's not ready for apples, although other 18 month olds are.  
these should be good:  kiwi, banana, oranges (make sure those seeds are GONE) and cut them in bite sized pieces, not wedges, canteloupe, melon, watermelon, blueberries, strawberries (no raspberries yet, there are so many stupid seeds).
small chunks of cheese
hummus with crackers or soft veges to dip and eat
yogurt and tzatziki for dipping soft veges in - just put a little in a bowl and she can dip.

NO: nuts, grapes, peanuts, raisins, sunflower or pumpkin seeds
no, an 18 month old is not expected to use a spoon perfectly.  they still eat with their fingers, so everything needs to be in bite-sized pieces for easy feeding. we still give them a spoon and encourage it's use, but often they hold it in one hand and eat with the other - cute and just fine!  But we do give it to them. 2 yr olds are starting to master the spoon but if you 26 month old isn't yet able to, then fine.

Now, of more concern is not telling them about her developmental delays.  Frankly, it's illegal to refuse a child enrollment who is delayed, and your child is.  So they must accommodate her in their age appropriate toddler room.  This means that she'll do lots of crawling and cruising until she walks, they'll have to use a stroller when she goes outside on walks, but you'll also have to understand that her knees are going to get dirty on the playground as she's going to be crawling where others are walking. Because they cannot hold her at the playground, and they shouldn't, she should be encouraged to move at her ability.  And talking to them about her oral motor development is critical so they understand that either YOU will provide all her meals right now OR THEY must cut things in small pieces and give her only a few things on her plate so she isn't overwhelmed and isn't grabbing 10 of something and jamming it in her mouth (which all toddlers will do, LOL).  Honestly is the best policy so it's a positive and safe experience for all.

[/quote]

OP here. Thank you so much for the food ideas and for the advice. I'm scheduled to go back in March to drop off her enrollment forms and I'll talk to the center director about her delayed feeding issues. I am hoping she'll be walking by then, but if not we'll just have to figure out how they can accommodate her until she can. [/quote]

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