Towards Self Feeding

Much has been said and written about toilet training but what about "Self-feeding training"?

Now, I'm very, very bad at this. I don't have the patience and I can't stand the mess. Many a time when I try to get my girl to feed herself, I would end up doing it myself as more food gets into her mouth in less mess and less time that way. How will she ever learn then? And it doesn't help when the Mister (ie Mr MG) acts as a back seat driver with his "Let her practise/You have to train her/let her finish her food herself or else don't give her desserts" etc etc and a host of other back seat driver suggestions. Oh they're really very good ideas and suggestions and he means well but.....

And so on and on we go with the endless cycle. I worry that I'd still have to feed her when she is a lot older than she is now at the rate I/we are going. When I see how well other kids of her age eat on their own, I get even more worried! (BTW, "I worry..." is one of the main vocabulary of a mum). She even hates to eat finger foods as she is afraid of the mess too (must have got that vibe from me) and her baby brother feeds her instead!

Baby is very different from her when it comes to foods and eating habits. I often have to cook two dishes, one for her and one for him as their tastes are so different. Baby likes to try new foods and loves to feed himself. I really should encourage that love so that he can be an independant eater earlier . Usually I encourage the finger eating but when it comes to spoon feeding, I freak out at the mess and take over. Haiyah! When will I ever learn?