September 21, 2022
While developmentally appropriate, messy eating can be super frustrating for parents. Food waste and constant clean-ups may drive parents to spoon-feed their toddlers, but research shows there are important benefits in having toddlers practice feeding themselves. Suggest to parents that they consider serving smaller portions at a time, introducing utensils, and encouraging messy play elsewhere - like in the sandbox or bathtub. For more ideas on addressing this with families, check out this clip from Keystones!
