Hello Everybody,

I need help! My little girl is 2-years-old and she is having trouble using the fork and spoon. She can use it if I give it to her full of food, but she does not take the initiative to get the food herself on the fork or spoon. She was a preemie and started eating later than the full term baby would, but her doctor even says that she should be using it better by now. Does anyone have any suggestions of what I should do to encourage her use of these utensils. I have tried different toddler spoons and forks. She likes to just use her hands, which is easier. It can be frustrating because she eats her carrots well with fingers but not with the fork or spoon. She is my only child, so I am new at this. I know that she will eventually learn to use them. I just wanted some advice for now. Thanks so much for listening. I am praying about it too. [praying]
Kendra

Hi Kendra!

I am the mom of a premie girl also, she will be 3 in March. Usually unless the dr. says otherwise they do catch up fairly easily and early depending of course. Mandy did by 6 months catch up she was 10 weeks early, but I was ever so careful until she was a year.

Anyway I was just going to suggest not pushing the fact of the fork and spoon. Try to encouragement fine motor development with other items, like crayons, markers, paints, even playdough. Playdough or maninpulatives that use the fingers specifically are the best.

Try those and if you see no interest in her holding any of those things talk to your ped and they will have great suggestions and advice for you too.

Just try not to worry you're doing just fine!

The hands are just faster, easier, more efficient hehe She realizes this and doesn't want to take the extra effort needed to use the utensils. Just remind her. Help her scoop/stick, but also encourage/expect her to do some on her own. Guide her in doing it. Mostly, it'll take a considerable amount of reminding.

My 2 yr old will shovel it in with his hand. He *can* use the utensils quite well, just knows it's a slower process and he doesn't want to go 'slow'. hehe Sorry bud, shoveling food doesn't work in my house, even at 2. Therefore, he must continue to work on utensil usage. We just remind him "use your fork" and will scoop/stick a bite for him, then set it on his plate for him to take over. He will generally do another couple of bites on his own after that. But as soon as a bite is lost off the utensil, he resorts to fingers. You know "Hey, I gave it a try, but that didn't work for me, so, uh, I'm doing it my way" We just start over, remind and encourage :)

Don't stress. It just takes some time and patience. We may it look so easy ya know?

We have a slow spoon eater here too. We are still in the process of working with him. One thing that really has helped him show more interest and effort in using the spoon was giving him things to dip. Graham crackers in yogurt and apple sauce, chicken and tater tots in ketchup, breakfast food into syrup. That was much more appealing to him yet gave him practice with the motion of using a spoon. I know you said you have used many different utensils. Have you tried the ones with loop handles? Those have seemed to work the best for my little guy.

I would also do hand strengthening things like Renee mentioned.

I also do think you as a Mom need to eval the situtation and if its a matter of can but won't I think I would follow Tara's advice. If it's that she can't then I would not focus on the utensil usage but the fine motor skills that she needs to be able to scoop her own food.

Hope this helps.

I agree with Tara. Don't stress. I had a son who wasn't a premie but struggled greatly to use the fork and spoon...actually he is still a sloppy eater! LOL! Patience, practice and perseverance. She will get it eventually.

Something that may be fun, Kendra... Let her feed you. :-D Make it a game using easy scooping food like applesauce or mashed potatoes. Then you be super excited when you get a bite from the spoon. My kids loved feeding Mommy. They were always offering me bites, and then they'd give themselves a bite. Just an idea.

Good luck, sister, and like the others have said, don't stress. She'll be holding a fork by the time she graduates, for sure. :-P

[heart]

Joy [welcomewave]