Still doesn't like using utensils

Ds is 17 months old. I give him utensils, but he could care less about them. He's a great eater and has been using his fingers to pick up food for a long time.
I start out with putting something on the spoon or fork and sometimes he takes it off with his hands or eats it correctly, but then that's it. He'd rather use his hands. I try yogurt and he still would rather me feed him. I give him his own spoon to feed himself and he just plays with it. I walk away and it gets thrown. He's stubborn! Anything goes on the floor that he doesn't want. Been working on that with him too.
He is great with his hands too at opening things and drinks perfectly fine too. It's just getting him to use the utensils on his own is tough. That's why I hardly give him soup. Lol
He mainly gets food he can pick up himself.
He also hates taking bites and shoves it in his mouth so I cut up the food into bite size pieces. He can shovel a few pieces in.

Re: Still doesn't like using utensils

This sounds basically like my DD at that age. She's now 20 months and likes to try to use utensils but isn't very good at it. I haven't given it much thought or been concerned about it. When she eats yogurt we both get a spoon and feed it to her together. If I just give her a cup of yogurt and spoon by herself, she winds up with a huge mess, yogurt all over herself, the high chair, floor, etc. She seldom eats soup but when she does I feed her. Maybe this is bad but I wouldn't let her try to eat soup herself, she would maybe get to eat 2% of it and the rest would be soaking her and the surrounding area.

I would talk with your ped if you're concerned but it sounds normal to me, at least compared to my DD. I would just keep offering the utensils and encouraging him to try.

edit for typo

Message edited 12/13/2012 1:49:53 PM.

Re: Still doesn't like using utensils

Also, at 20 months I'm still cutting DD's food up into bite size pieces. I think that's pretty standard. They're still at a decent risk for choking and just recently DD was choking on an apple piece that I actually HAD cut up. The only time I give her things to bite off and chew up is if I'm holding it and watching her like a hawk. I could never just let her sit and eat a whole piece of something (taking her own bites) at this age.

Still doesn't like using utensils

Can you try fun spoons/forks? They have ones that look like tractors or maybe let him pick out the ones he wants?

Re: Still doesn't like using utensils

Thanks all. Just thought it was me bc I've seen other toddlers at that age eat their food perfectly with a fork or spoon.
Wasn't us if he was behind, but sounds normal. I'll just keep at it. Totally afraid to give him soup on his own. Lol

Still doesn't like using utensils

I think it's normal. DD is 17 months also and can't use a spoon. She gets the fork sometimes. However she does like the idea of using them - just doesn't possess the skill yet. Her daycare told me they were going to start working on it with her a couple of weeks ago. I asked if she should know how to use utensils by now and they said not yet. But she has fine motor skill delay and is receiving OT, so they want to work on this now so she hopefully doesn't end up delayed with it.

Still doesn't like using utensils

DS didn't start regularly using a spoon or fork until he was approx 2 - he definitely didn't at that age.

Re: Still doesn't like using utensils

My DD just turned 19 months and just started using a fork. She won't put the food on the fork, I do and then she puts the fork in her mouth.

Still doesn't like using utensils

I give DD a fork with every meal, she will do it sometimes, but 90% of the time it's still hands.

Re: Still doesn't like using utensils

My DS is 18 months and is pretty good with a spoon, but cannot use a fork at all. At his checkup this week the ped seemed surprised when I said he could use a spoon. So I think it's pretty normal not to be using utensils at this age. I would just continue offering it at meals and eventually he'll get interested.

Re: Still doesn't like using utensils

DD is 22 months. she eats great with a spoon...fork not so much...she uses it sometimes..other times she just takes it off the fork with her hands...

so it all depends...just keep practicing. they eventually will get it.