How to get a 3yo to stop playing with his food @ every meal, he gets t/o, but this seems ineffective now.?

Question

It is a battle at every meal. We have to tell him over and over to stop playing with his food. We make him get down and put him in time out. The real battle comes at bedtime when he is probably starving from not eating his dinner. This has been an ongoing problem since we started giving him his own plate/bowl at 10-12 months old. We thought it was just that phase, but it hasn't stopped. We are realizing that our punishments are not working, please help?

Answer 1

making him stay at the table ~ No time out spot. Just take his plate away & make him sit & watch the rest of the family eat.

When he starts playing with his food give him a warning by saying something like " If you play in your food I'm taking it away" When it happens a second time firmly, but clamly say... " I'm sorry but we don't play with our food" & take it away. Tell him "you can have your plate back when you can eat without playing in it" Wait the same amount of time that you would send him to time out for. Re-offer the plate, saying something along the line of... Are you ready to eat your dinner without playing in it? Then let him know that if he plays in it again then he will have it taken away again.

Answer 2

Our son has always played with his food to some extent and while I believe some play is okay (it's how toddlers learn and discover) it's not okay to throw your food and make a mess.  When our son does that we say, "Oh, it looks like you're done let me take your plate and let's get cleaned up."  That's it and because it's done in a calm and kind manner you retain control.  The most important thing is that you MUST follow through for it to work.  Don't even allow him warnings.  If in a little while your son wants to try again give him the same plate of food and be consistent.  If he starts to play remove the food.  Eventually he'll become hungry and won't be tempted to play.

Answer 3

Give him less food.  

Or dont put him in time out anymore, take his plate away while you and his other parent eat.  Tell him when he's done playing he can have his plate back.

Answer 4

My mil used to only give a couple bites on the plate at a time.  That way, there's less to play with, and if he only sees a little at a time, he might be quicker to eat it.

Answer 5

If he is playing but still eats it then there is no reason for disciplining him many children will play with their food and create things with it before eating it.  Now if he is playing with it and making a mess and not eating it then there is something that needs to be worked.