It’s a common parenting experience: a child, in a fit of frustration or playfulness, will throw food. The sight of their toddler’s food-throwing antics may make parents feel embarrassed, ashamed, or inadequate. After all, it’s not acceptable behavior in the public arena. It’s also not healthy regarding nutrition – we all want our kids to eat their food, not throw it. So, what can be done to help kids stop throwing food? Let’s explore ways to help your kids to stop throwing food and learn to control their impulses while still having fun at mealtime.
Understand Your Child’s Needs
Everyone has needs that must be met for them to feel comfortable and secure, and children are no exception. To help your kids to stop throwing food on impulse, it is vital to take a step back and understand what may be driving their behavior. Is your child feeling overwhelmed or overstimulated? Are they trying to get your attention? Are they looking for physical relief or a way to express their emotions? Some children may be seeking an outlet for their aggression. By understanding their needs, you can more effectively address the behavior.
Create a Calm Eating Environment
Making mealtimes fun and engaging with conversation, music, and games can be helpful. However, if your child is prone to throwing food, it might be best to create a calm and relaxed atmosphere during meals. Minimize distractions and create a peaceful, quiet place for meals. It’s also important to provide simple, healthy meals that your child will be more likely to eat without putting up a fight.
Set Clear Rules
Once you create a calm environment, be sure to set clear rules and expectations for mealtime. Explain to your child that throwing food is not allowed and that they must be respectful during meals. Setting clear expectations can help your child better understand the boundaries and know what behavior is acceptable.
Model the Behaviour You Expect
As parents, we need to model the behavior we expect from our children. This means eating a healthy meal, speaking to your child calmly and respectfully, and not throwing your food. Kids learn from watching and copying their parents’ behavior, and it’s essential to be a role model.
Be Patient
Learning to control one’s impulses and emotions can be challenging for young children and requires patience and consistency. Be sure to praise your child for good behavior, and remain patient if the food throwing persists. Avoid using punishments – punishments can often be counterproductive and can make your child feel worse.
Encourage Positive Behaviour
When your child behaves positively, it is essential to acknowledge and praise their behavior. You can let your child know how proud you are of them for eating their food nicely and offer rewards for good behavior. Rewarding good behavior is a great way to encourage more of that behavior and is a great way to enforce the rules.
Try Redirection
If your child is about to throw their food and you can anticipate it, try redirecting their behaviour. Offer them something else that is more appropriate to play with, or take them away from the table if they continue to throw food. This will help them learn to control their impulses and not resort to inappropriate behaviors.
Reduce Food Waste
Food can be expensive, and wasting it is not good for the environment. If your child is throwing food, it’s a good idea to reduce food waste by preparing smaller portions and letting them ask for more if they are still hungry. This way, you can ensure that the food is going into their mouths rather than on the floor.
Play Gently With Food
Many children will naturally be drawn to playing with their food. This is normal and healthy behavior for kids and can also be fun for them. Instead of introducing food as a “yucky” thing to avoid playing with, try to make mealtimes fun by preparing interesting and colorful dishes. This way, your child will feel free to explore and make a mess without receiving a scolding for their behavior.
Get Professional Help
If you’ve been trying different techniques but still can’t get your child to stop throwing food, you may need professional help. It is important to remember that although food throwing may seem like a minor problem, it can be a symptom of underlying issues. A therapist may be able to help you identify the underlying cause and offer solutions to help your child better manage their emotions and behavior around food.
Conclusion
Food throwing is a common problem for many parents. It is essential to take a step back, understand what is driving this behavior, and then address the root of the problem. Take the time to create a calm and secure dining environment with clear rules and model appropriate behavior. Patience and consistency are key when helping your child overcome this behavior. If the food-throwing persists, seek professional help to get to the root of the problem.