Good manners have put aside a natural and necessary practice for a child: eating with your hands . If your baby is six months old and can stay seated, try putting small amounts of food in front of him so that he can touch and taste them. You will get him to try new foods and self-regulate the amount to eat. He himself will stop when he is satiated. Two tips: a large bib that covers it and healthy food; eliminate fried and sweets, abuse fruits, vegetables, legumes, fish and meat . All chopped so that the child can handle it easily and can bite or suck it without difficulty. Be surprised by this “new” trend that is actually as old as humans.
It’s fun
Nothing to do with the routine and boring cutlery. Here the child touches and discovers things that would go unnoticed using a spoon or fork: the food is soft or hard, it is cold or hot, it slips, it is necessary to concentrate, to separate…, to play while eating. Sometimes it’s rough, smooth, sticky… Do we really have to say it’s fun?
Helps develop fine motor skills
You have to grip well, exercise the grip, which is the thumb-index movement so necessary in everyday mobility. Let’s think that taking the spoon to the child’s mouth does not exercise anything, and we will realize how beneficial this practice is. In addition, the concentration it requires makes you eat with real interest and not get bored until you are satisfied.
Improves hand-eye coordination
This is the name given to the action of using the hand as indicated by the brain, in this case sight. And by letting the child feed with his hands, they are the ones that bring the food to his mouth, achieving excellent coordination, although at first it is a bit complicated. You have to be patient, the hunger reflex will do the rest and soon our baby will be able to eat alone.
Increase your independence and confidence
Not having to be aware of the “plane” or a thousand other tricks such as songs, stories or, in the worst case, television, while the child eats at our autonomous and calm side …, it is priceless. Anyone who has children will appreciate that. Put on a large rubber bib that is easy to clean and let her feel up to it. Experimenting and knowing yourself independent will increase your confidence and have a positive impact on your development.
Promotes chewing
Even without teeth, the baby begins to make the movement of chewing with the gums. On the contrary, other children who eat only porridge do not “chew” and when it comes to having to really bite and crush, they find it much more difficult to do so with the consequent danger of choking.
Integrate the child into the family
Ideally, every time, or at least most, the child shares the table with us, so he will see us eat and feel like an active member of the family. He will imitate us and be curious about what we eat. The feeling of belonging to the family clan is fantastic for him, making him a sociable and caring little person. We can also cheer him on, chat with him, rejoice at his achievements. In short, love it a lot and notice it. Also at lunch, of course.
And now we can only tell you … Bon appetit!
