When does food throwing stop?

My 14 month old DD throws her food on the floor when she's full or when
she doesn't like something. Up until now, I've ignored this behaviour.
This week, I've started calmly removing her highchair tray as soon as
the first piece of food hits the floor. Mealtime is done. When should

Nikki...

I think this is a good thing to do.

When should

I starting telling her that "Food is for eating, not for throwing."?

Nikki...

I would start now. I think I said something like "The meals over if you
throw food."

bizby40...

Why would you wait? They don't have to be able to
understand for you to tell them something. In fact,
that's how they learn to understand. You might
want to keep what you say a little simpler -- like
just "No throwing." But say it every time. You
can even say it when you notice she's planning on
throwing it, and take the food piece away.

Ericka Kammerer...

Personally, I do that from the beginning, so I'd
start ASAP.

Best wishes,
Ericka

Mandy (eternally mopping)

Just me :)...

My DS is 11.5 mths and we've been telling him "NO" when he starts
to throw food/drop it off his try since the first time it happened.
We don't do much else right now, because he is so young. If it's
his sippy or a spoon he throws or drops then we take it off his tray.
But he does know "NO" when he hears it. And sometimes he will
bring whatever he was going to drop back onto the tray if I tap it.
(not always, or a lot).
Keeping only a small amount of food on his tray at a time helps, he
tends to just "play" with more than 2 or 3 pieces after eating the
first few. You can try giving her only a few pieces at a time.

I think others may have better advice, but I'd say it's not to
early for a "no", she may not remember not to do this from day to
day or meal to meal, but it's a start.

I can't remember where I ordered them, but we have these big plastic
mats that we put under DS's highchair, makes for easier cleanup of
even unintentional spills :)

dragonlady...

That sentence should always go along with removing her tray.