Mmmmm....
one of my most favorite pleasures in life is food....I attribute this to my mother, who is a fantastic natural chef; constantly whipping up delicious, beautiful, and thoughtful dishes...
It seems that our entire family revolves around food!
When W turned 6 months, we all watched with anticipation as he took his first bite of a steamed sweet potato wedge...kind of anti climactic, as it rolled out of his little mouth not a second later!
W has never had a *huge* interest in solid foods.
He really "holds out" for nursing sessions, and I am happy to oblige.
Just in the past few weeks, he has started to come around to the thought of food. (he is presently 15 months old.)
His time in the high chair or on my lap is beginning to become more like a "real" meal time, instead of a food fight!
From the beginning, I wanted mealtime and food in general to be an enjoyable experience.
When he throws food, I try not to react one way or another. Some members of my family think this is insane....I think it is a part of him examining what is put in front of him. I don't think a 15 month old throwing his food is "wrong"!
nice gash on the forehead, huh? ahh..the joys of walking and running!
....taken immediately after a spoonful of oatmeal was flung across the table...
When he reaches for a bowl of food, I let him stick his hands in and mush everything around! What a tactile experience! Again, my family thinks this is ridiculous, but....hey! That's what a warm washcloth is for at the end of a meal!
Before you start assuming I'm down for letting my kids do *anything they want*, let me assure you that they will learn table manners...eventually. I am simply letting W enjoy this time of exploration! Would he "know" that throwing food is wrong? I don't believe so. Steiner asserts that children don't *truly* know the difference between "right and wrong" before the age of 5. Of course, our children know what we, as parents, tell them is right and wrong...but to intrinsically know the difference? That is a developmental milestone! And like everything else....we will wait and gently guide.
We always light a mealtime candle before we sit down (lately, it has been lanterns we had made for Martinmas...I'm in love with the soft light!)
Soft music is sometimes in the background (seasonal songs), but most of the time, I prefer the uninterrupted rhythms of conversation. Even just between me and my babbling baby boy when Daddy is at work.
We sweep after every meal (we all make a mess!) ... W loves to help me push the broom!
Bibs are thrown in the basket for washing...little faces are wiped...
so goes on our day....
I love letting my children explore their food, and determine their own experience with dining. When they were little I would feed them naked, its much easier to clean them up that way. Even in a restaurant I would strip them to their diaper. My family thought I was crazy. One mother's crazy, is another mother's clever!
ReplyDelete^^ I love it!! ^^
ReplyDeleteHappy exploring to your little boy!
ReplyDeleteThere is something so special, about a rhythm. love and light Marie
ReplyDeletehe he sounds like fun:) Ive always let babies feed themselves messy foods from as soon as they can hold a spoon (I dont send them home filthy, I found some clothes protectors for winter and in summer they eat in their nappy(diaper):) its worth the mess to see how proud they get.
ReplyDeleteLuckily it looks like baby W loves the clean up as much as the mess making!
W knows best what is good for him, so keep following his lead here. I remember doing the same thing with my son - for a long time he just played with the food and explored it - now he eats anything. Doubting family are now amazed - especially if there are bowls of olives around :)
ReplyDeleteThe Interrupted Gardener
W is adorable. He's also blessed with a gentle, loving mama who seems very in tune with his needs.
ReplyDeleteI so agree with you on allowing children to explore food and I'm thrilled to hear that you haven't forced solids on him! You will know when it's time to start encouraging appropriate table behavior. Honestly, he will pick up a lot simply from sitting with you and his daddy each night.
ReplyDeleteI agree! Manners and the actual eating of food come in their own time. I don't know how many times I've washed the floor three times a day (or more!), but they're getting fewer. :-)
ReplyDeleteDon't worry about what they think.. you are doing a great job being a mama!
ReplyDeleteMy favorite time of the day. And as a mama of two blossoming foodies, let me attest to the truth that this is the way to go.
ReplyDeleteYesterday Hazel (3) said " and now it's time to fold in the egg whites" while making our pancakes, ahhh, a proud moment.
It sounds like a nice meal time rhythm. They eventually stop thinking that food throwing is interesting and stop doing it.
ReplyDeleteA wonderful, calm, enriching Mama you are!
ReplyDeleteMuch love, Nicole
A few of my little ones took time to enjoy solid food too. Some folks thought I was nuts for not pushing solids at three months, 6 months etc. I did not introduce trem until they were at least 6 months. I just followed their interest. Everything is fine. You are doing an awesome job! This is the perfect time for exploration. I totally agree not reacting is best. After a while, they look for the exciting reaction from the adult and do it even more. I never understood all of the commotion myself. W will get tired of it and decide eating is more fun and move on and you have not created a power "issue" in the meantime. Keep on truckin'. xo Angela
ReplyDeleteWhat a lucky boy he is to have an understanding mama! His manners will probably be better than a child who is restricted from early play because he will have all the knowledge he needs. Good for you! I really enjoyed this post.
ReplyDeleteChildren experience everything else with all four senses, why not food, too? We always had a more lenient attitude to the "mess" of mealtime and now, at four, our little man has fantastic table manners (well, most of the time!). Plus, a really cool love of all sorts of foods!
ReplyDeleteLovely breastfeeding photo...I wish I had taken more of those.