#10 Meal Time Messies

Taking a few minutes at the beginning of the meal will make cleanup easier.

Keep a supply of bibs on hand. Bibs take up less space in the laundry than a toddlers outfit. Keep a supply on hand and in the diaper bag. I personally like the type that are made out of a hand towel with an elastic hole for the head. They are very absorbent and work well in the clean up at the end of the meal plus there's lots of coverage!

When you are teaching that little one to eat:

Put just a few things on the tray at a time. Cheerios, small vegs, fruits, meat cubes, cheese etc DON'T get stuck in a rut! Have the child taste new things. Too many children have whittled their menus down to chicken nuggets, mac and cheese and canned applesauce. Don't let this happen!

Don't let Johnny play with his food. He is in the high chair to eat. If he throws his food on the floor stop him with a firm "no". If he continues clear the tray and take him down.

Supervise the meal. This is a teaching time. I have seen moms put whole plates or bowls of food on the tray only to have a mess on the floor...dinner in the hair and everything smeared like a work of art.

If he is not ready to eat don't make a big deal out of it. This is training time. Take him down and don't give him anything until the next meal. He will not starve and he will eventually learn. When I say don't give anything I mean just that! You want him hungry at the next meal time.

Be conscious of what he is eating. Little ones are growing at alarming rates and need good food...fresh and wholesome. I always have a fruit bowl out. It is much more likely to be eaten if it is within sight. My children ate a piece midmorning and one midafternoon. Even today I sliced peeled oranges on everyones plates at lunchtime to go with the meal. Sometimes when the girls (teens) are studying at the table I will set a plate of apples slices and peanut butter or crackers and cheese out for them...it always gets eaten. Otherwise they tend to look for a quick fix of chips and or candy that just add empty calories and do nothing good for their bodies.

Clean up that tray/eating area right after the meal.
Have you ever noticed that food tends to turn to cement over time? It is much easier to take the time, at the time, to have it clean and ready for the next meal. Works good with the dishes in the sink as well....just start:)
1. empty the dishwasher, if there is one
2. empty the sink and clean it out and fill it with fresh hot soapy water
3. put rinsed dishes in the dishwasher ,if there is one, or rinse and set in the soapy water. If they have been hanging around for hours let them set for a few minutes to soak. Wash and rinse, stack and dry and put away WOW the kitchen looks great and you are ahead of the game! Great Job It is much easier to keep up with them than have a weeks worth ahead of you that just cause you to be stressed and irritated! It really WILL NOT take that long.

Well thats all for today Blessings Marnie
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