As your little one learns to feed themselves, expect the food to go everywhere – not just into their mouth – because their coordination isn’t fully developed.

Be patient. Clean up the mess without reprimanding or complaining.

Make each meal an enjoyable experience. If eating is fun and pleasurable, your toddler will sit happily at the table without wanting to get out of their seat. Create a relaxed atmosphere; sit beside them and chat with them while they eat on their own.

Stop the meal after a fixed time. To ensure that self-feeding does not become a lengthy play activity, remove their plate after a reasonable time (say, 15 minutes) and warn them in advance when that time limit approaches. This discourages them from wasting time.

Give them small amounts of food on a large plate. Your young child may be put off by large mounds of food on their plate – it may seem overwhelming to them.  Also, get them used to the taste of vegetables by mixing them up with food that you know they like.

Keep cutlery child-friendly. Your child’s hand is small, so give them a spoon with a handle that is appropriately sized and shaped for those little fingers to grasp. Show them how to grip the handle properly.

As their hand-control improves, reduce your direct involvement. Encourage them to hold the spoon on their own, even if they ask for your help. Get the grandparents and domestic helper not to give in, too. The more they manage by themselves, the less they’ll need you to help.

This story originally appeared in Young Parents.

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