Dear Dorie, My toddler seems to enjoy eating, but continues to throw things off the high chair. I’m more than willing to give him appropriate things to throw in the right place, but why does this continue to happen?
Floor Sweeper Dear Sweeper, Child development can be incredibly complicated, but on the this one, I’m going to go out on a limb and say he’s probably just having fun. You may want to offer him other opportunities to throw things in a safe and fun environment – try moving the high chair outside, for example, with a pile of cheerios or a bowl of blueberries. He could also be exploring cause and effect in that particular setting and you can let that happen without breaking your back in clean-up.
From the other perspective, you’re definitely on the right track with getting him the correct objects to throw in a safe environment (aka, carry a squishy ball with you everywhere and have it handy to re-direct. Memorize your own version of, “It looks like you want to throw something, try this” and stick with it. Whether this is his idea of entertainment and/or a development phase, as my mother would say, “this too shall pass.” Support it and enjoy it to the best of your abilities. Good luck.
Originally published in the Santa Monica Daily Press print edition on February 21, 2006. Read the original PDF.