About a week ago K-fer reached what is, in my mind, a pretty big milestone. I know crawling, walking and talking are some of the biggest, but I’d say this ranks in the top 5 along with those. He mastered fork skills! I’m a proud mama, and he’s a proud, adorable boy.
Now, I know the big trend these days is to let babies feed themselves, so they can experience texture and improve their motor skills and be more willing to eat different foods and blabbity blah blah. And I also know I have many negative personality traits that could use some work, and one of those is saying “blabbity blah blah” about things people do that I don’t agree with – I’ve been told it’s a little bit less than nice. I’m sorry. That area clearly needs a bit more work, and I really will try. And I truly don’t judge you if you do it, I am just secure in the fact that it is not for me.
One of my traits that may be seen as negative that may or may not be related to my baby-feeding methods is my slight (maybe more-than-slight) tendency to OCD. I like piles straight, I like my kids’ toys put away exactly as they arrived from the store, lined up in their dishrack or stacked from biggest to smallest, I like symmetrical lamps, and yes, I like my kids’ meals to land up at least 90% in their mouths.
Really, I’m pretty sure this trait is the only thing that keeps me cleaning bathrooms and washing dishes, so I won’t be trying to improve that area anytime soon.
This is why it’s a good thing I’m married.
I tend to think a child probably shouldn’t be allowed to feed themselves until around age 2, when motor skills are reasonably developed and they also have the mental capacity to understand where food belongs and that trouble will ensure if food starts making appearances on the wall across the table.
Carl, thankfully, gives kids a little more credit. While I was happy to continue inserting food into K-fer’s compliant 10-month-old mouth, Carl quickly grew bored with this tedium and, while I wasn’t watching, showed the little guy how to use a fork! What a good man.
In other news, over the past couple days both at home and in my sister’s kitchen with the help of my beautiful sister and mother, I’ve made 7 new recipes I can’t wait to share with you! Once I emerge, hopefully unscathed, from the resulting pile of dishes and scribbled recipe notes, there’ll be a bunch of goodness coming your way :)
Happy Monday!
LOVE the pictures!!! He is soooo cute!!! BUT I do have to agree on the not letting them eat by themselves until 2!!! I couldn’t HANDLE the mess!!! BUT.. .it has backfired a little… Luke still likes us to feed him (although he does it himself… he tries to get us to!!) and him being 31/2… maybe that is a bit obsessive?? But… pretty clever little chap you have there!!! xox
I am with you Anna. Part of staying sane as a mom is that feeling of being in control…and when you have more than two you do mellow a little or you go crazy. I like a clean house, etc…and I would simply not give my boys spaghetti. The youngest are 4 and 5 and they still need help eating at times. They were only allowed to eat with their fingers things that were finger food. :-) Yeah, it does get perceived by others as a bit strict but our kids do thrive on some structure and manners and are easier to take places since they can behave… I also make them try a lot of new things and if they don’t like it only have to have a “no thank you helping” but can never just not eat it. Each mom has her own ways that work best for her family and most kids turn out just fine. :-)
hahaha we are so much alike! I sometimes still feed Luca his yogurt/applesauce/pasta/anything messy just to avoid the clean up!
He is so adorable!!! Looks so much like Carl!