Wow, it’s infuriating isn’t it when your child throws their food don’t want it or their plate when finished?!

Throwing food is normal and lots of children go through a food throwing phase much the same as they go through a phase of throwing toys.

For young babies, it happens as a result of learning to coordinate getting hand and food to mouth and is rarely intentional.

With older babies (9-12months), it’s about understanding cause and effect and whilst intentional, it isn’t naughty behaviour.

When it comes to toddlers and young children, it is usually intentional and designed to get a reaction from you. Positive or negative, it doesn’t matter, they just want attention.

How you react, even at the very early stage, is important.

And, the best thing to do is not to react at all!

Do not reward the attention seeking behaviour since they will quickly learn that it results in a reaction from you and they will repeat it.

Remain calm, pick the food up but don’t give it back to them. Explain that it’s OK if they’ve had enough or that they don’t like it but that food stays on our plates or on the table.

Be consistent in the words you use and use a phrase such as this one that explains what you want to see happen rather than what you don’t want to happen (so avoiding “we don’t throw food”).

Talk to older siblings about doing their best not to react either – no laughing!