spitting while eating

[sasholi]

Hi All.
My son has a trick. He loves to spit every single time he eats. It is worse when he is eating something *other* than fruit (less favourite than fruit) but lately it is all the time.

Yes, the first few times he did it it was extremely funny. And yes, we laughed a LOT. But it is not so funny now (it has been going on now for well over a month! I thought it would have run its course by now.... .

I have been saying, "No Aleksander, eat properly" when he does it, but it isn't working. He just doesn't get it. likewise, when he eats properly, i tell him, "that's good, you are eating properly". I dont force him to eat all his food either...

I have heard that you need to begin as you mean to go on. I don't want to freak out too early about good manners etc etc, and I know he is only just over 9 months old. BUt I just want to nip things in the bud before they get out of hand and he does even worse things, even when we are at a restaurant or something. I really want him to learn there is a time and a place for things, and eating is a time for manners. I'm not really strict about things (really, i'm not!) but i'm not enjoying this spitting thing...

Any ideas about introducing disciplinary tactics would be greatly appreciated!!!

Phew, and I thought the new born stage was hard. I'm sooooo nervous about the toddler and disciplining business...

happy parenting all...

[drewid]

My 10 mth old son went through a stage like this a few weeks ago.

When he first did it, it was soooo funny and I was amazed that he had learnt to do it really. But after a week of messing eating and mucking around, I stopped being amused by it (at least externally) and was more stern. I didn't say anything at all to him when he acted up - I would just continue feeding him with a straight face. He learnt pretty quickly! If he got NO reaction at all - good or bad- then it was no fun anymore. Now we have good sensible eating again!

[reAllytee]

Aleksander's mum - Ok this is now getting freaky !
Harry started this the other week also & its driving me nuts !!!!
Especially as his teeth are hurting now so he doesnt want to eat instead his spits it everywhere !
Ive tried the "please stop now & eat properly" they dont understand yet & so no wonder its not working hehe.
I think Nicole79 has the answer for us with the no reaction because i realised this a few months back when Harry started his "fake" cough at first i was always worried he was choking or the likes but he just loved the attention he learnt quick that he wont get a reaction that way now.
Harry learnt it was fun to dribble onto his highchair tray the other week then play with it as well as spit on it
Hope things get better arent boys fun !

[xkwzit]

Hi Aleksander'sMum

It is so hard not to laugh when they do this (and I think they all do this, at least both DDs did). You've done the right thing by stopping the laughing and if a dead pan look isn't getting through to him, I'd remove the food for a few minutes. My girls usu only did this once they had finished eating (I found if they were really hungry they were focussed on eating - not spitting), so it was a cue to end the meal.

If he's really still hungry, you can give him back the bowl "But no spitting - or the food goes away".

I think that positive reinforcement whenever he's eating well is a fantastic idea too.

It really doean't last for a long time - hang in there.

ps just thought to say that I agree with Nicole has said, no reaction might actually be better than telling him off (some kids like ANY attention, positive or negative ). So taking the bowl off him with a neutral comment "Finished, have you?" minimises his payoff.