Sometimes spoons are too heavy or your beautiful toddler’s arms are tired. When that happens, it is your responsibility to help. While feeding a baby is easy on account of them being powerless, toddlers require more consideration.

Follow the instructions below for feeding success. When you’re done, give yourself a small pat on the back. Small.

Pre-feeding

You most likely have a toddler seat in your home whether it’s a high chair (LOL) or a booster seat on a regular chair. That said, allow toddler to decide where he or she feels the most at home. When toddler is seated comfortable in your lap remind yourself that children are a blessing.

If you’ve already made your sweet child a plate, that’s your bad. We will be sharing with you.

Find a toddler-sized spoon, not a ladle. You’re ready.

Feeding

You might be asking yourself why toddler needs to be fed. Just because we’ve used utensils before doesn’t mean we remember how or that we’re up for the task. This is not a Stouffer’s commercial, this is real life.

1. Put 1 teaspoon of food on the toddler spoon. Examine the food:

• Does it contain more than one flavor or type of food? NO.
• Does it contain more than one color? NO.
• Does it contain multiple textures (crunchy AND soft)? NO. Exception: Ice-cream and sprinkles
• Is it HOT? I shouldn’t even have to say this. If you burn your toddler’s mouth with too hot food please look for the small “x” in the top right-hand corner of your browser and click because you are banned from this website. You have lost my respect.

2. Say something nice like, “Here you go, amazing baby, a little bite for you” in a genuine voice.

3. Bring the spoon slowly up to toddler’s mouth so that it can be visually inspected by your client.

4. Hold the spoon 1/2 an inch from toddler’s mouth DON’T YOU DARE TAP THE LIPS WITH THE SPOON SO INCREDIBLY RUDE and wait for toddler to have a chance to smell.

5. If toddler hits the spoon out of your hand, laugh and move on to dessert.

6. If toddler eats, bravo on the mac ‘n cheese.

7. Wait 8-10 minutes.

8. Repeat this process until toddler jumps off of your lap. Note: Between each new food (rice to chicken, beans to marshmallow creme lol I had to try), announce the name of the food.

Post Feeding

1. Did you make any promises? “If you finish your food, you can have a cookie.” Keep your end of the agreement whether or not toddler kept theirs because a child cannot legally enter into a binding contract.

Things to Remember

It’s so cute that you love cooking but when your hobbies start to hurt the children,  it’s time to move on. There are many restaurants right in your city with prepared food available for purchase. Many of these places also deliver for your convenience. Pizza without toppings is always a wonderful option that will not only put a smile on your toddler’s face, but make you a hero. Thank you for thinking of others.