When did you start letting them feed themselves with a spoon?

DS is 13.5 months old. Should I be encouraging him to eat with a spoon by now? I'm honestly more afraid of the mess he's going to make!

Re: When did you start letting them feed themselves with a spoon?

I was just wonderinf that myself. I should be already - Sara is 14 months and I still havent attempted a spoon or a fork . I really dont want thje mess. I guess I will try it over the summer if not sooner

Re: When did you start letting them feed themselves with a spoon?

Yes, you need to let them feed themselves as soon as they seem interested. If not, you will miss the window of opportunity for them to learn on their own. Ava is 10.5 months and has been feeding herself with a spoon for a while now. Just encourage it, and feed them in their diaper when eating something messy!

Re: When did you start letting them feed themselves with a spoon?

My 11 month old has been feeding herself with a spoon & fork. It's anything but graceful, but she's gotta learn somehow! hehe

Re: When did you start letting them feed themselves with a spoon?

DD started early 7 months or so? We each got a spoon. She pretty much fed herself by about 14=15 months except for things like soup and such.

Re: When did you start letting them feed themselves with a spoon?

okay, i guess i should break out the spoon tomorrow. what foods are good to start with the spoon?

Re: When did you start letting them feed themselves with a spoon?

Wow - I didn't know that.
I guess I will try it with DD too

Re: When did you start letting them feed themselves with a spoon?

Re: When did you start letting them feed themselves with a spoon?

Let them use their hands and plastic forks as well. I usually walk away and get things done while she is eating.

Re: When did you start letting them feed themselves with a spoon?

We've been using a fork for a while now but she is not very good at getting the food on yet although she tries...I still have to put it on for her...
we are not working with the spoon yet b/c she always shakes the fork when the food is on so I know the spoon thing will not happen!

Re: When did you start letting them feed themselves with a spoon?

What kind of spoon should I have give him? The ones I use are by gerber with the metal handle.

Re: When did you start letting them feed themselves with a spoon?

My son started pretty early - I started with the baby cereal since it was less messy than jarred food and then moved on to that. He was using a spoon by like 10-11 months - not all feedings but definitely a bunch. I would say we introduced the fork about a year or so. Took time but he got the hang of those things pretty quickly but it was a messy process. I didn't push it - he always wanted the spoon and did well with it.

You can buy a baby fork and spoon sets (BRU). The spoons that are short with wide spoon part - kind of shovel like seem to work best but my son did use the Gerber metal long ones too early on.

Message edited 5/1/2007 8:27:23 AM.

Re: When did you start letting them feed themselves with a spoon?

at around a year old i let my kids hold the spoon, even tho they were still so young to grasp the concept, they were at least getting used to holding them,and by about 15 months they got the hang of it(although not so neatly!)

Re: When did you start letting them feed themselves with a spoon?

Definitely start if they are showing interest. Alex can feed himself but he is too lazy because he still makes me do it at 2.

Re: When did you start letting them feed themselves with a spoon?

Our little one has started to show a lot of interest as soon as he turned 1. I have been giving him a spoon while I feed him. He knows what to do. It's messy, food all over Sometimes, I have to take the spoon away because it is just so messy. I have to try to just let it be and have him learn.

Message edited 5/1/2007 1:12:39 PM.

Re: When did you start letting them feed themselves with a spoon?

We have only started at going on 19 months now! I am the mommy who hates mess, and everything they eat always ends up in their hair. But, I guess they gotta do it sooner rather than later!