Using a Spoon

A lot of parents push for their child to start using utensils early.  They think it's nice to have a child who can feed his or her self without help.

I wasn't that parent.

I am perfectly happy feeding Baby myself.  Or, if she must be independent, she can eat her finger foods.  I have no problem spooning gobs of whatever it is into her mouth while simultaneously making sure I get a few bites of my own food (we eat dinner all together around the table).

However, Baby decided she wants to be a big girl and use the spoon herself.  She sees us doing it, so she wants to as well.  She will grab it from us, usually flinging globs of food everywhere, and aim for her mouth.  Half the time the remaining food (the stuff that didn't get flung under the table or across the room) will fall off the spoon and down Baby's shirt.  Then she will look confused and hand the spoon back so we can get her some more to do it all over again.  It takes longer time, makes more of a mess, and wastes a lot of the food.  Do you see why I didn't want her to learn?

I did find a compromise, though (yes, she's barely one and already we are compromising on things).  I gave her a fork to use.  Gasp!  Yes, a real metal fork with tongs.  When she jabs at stuff on her plate I can guide her and stick the fork in it.  Then she can bring it to her mouth and bite off whatever is on it.  It's brilliant.  None of this losing food because it slid off business.  Food isn't being flung quite as far because most of it has a prong through it.

I know there are concerns out there about safety.  So far she seems to be doing pretty well.  No eyes have been poked out or nostrils impaled.  Maybe next we'll graduate to a spoon.