Finger Feeding!!

FINALLY!!!

Kaiden has never, EVER finger fed in all of his 4+ years, until Monday.  We've tried it time and time again, hand over hand, and it's always been a tantrum-filled struggle, but we kept at it. It's never been a matter of motor skills - he can easily bring his toys and hands to and into his mouth.  With food, he'd pick it up, squish/explore it, drop it on the floor, throw it, feed it to the dog, feed it to me . . .but would NEVER feed himself.  Because, apparently, food doesn't go into *your own* mouth with *your own* hands . . .

We've gotten tons and tons of advice from helpful people - friends, experienced moms, therapists, doctors . . . and the kid just would not do it.  Uh-uh, no way, not gonna happen.  While I appreciated the advice, none of it worked.  Because again, this was not a matter of learning the skill or about the sensory part of touching food.  He just plain-out refused to do it.

We've been doing lots of me finger feeding him lately, and he opens his mouth like a little baby bird.  Sunday, I did hand over hand with him with grapes, and he didn't argue too bad.  But it was ALL hand over hand.  Then Monday, I did hand over hand for the first grape, and was going to continue to assist, but the second grape . . . all by himself.  And he ate the rest of the whole damn bag all by himself!  And has continued finger feeding since.  He prefers foods that he can easily pick up - grapes, blueberries, raspberries . . . he didn't like cut up pieces of banana, just couldn't get a grip on the slippery little buggers.

Lest you think our feeding issues are over . . . ha, ha, ha . . . if the food is presented in a bowl or on a plate, there BETTER be a spoon involved (which is still hand over hand to scoop the food - again, not a matter of can't, but a matter of WON'T).  He will not pick up the food off of dishes with his fingers - well, let me clarify that.  He will not pick up HIS food off of dishes.  He has no problem picking up MY food off of MY plate and putting it onto his.  He will only finger feed off the table or a napkin.  Eh, well, baby steps.  At least snack time is easier!