My really stupid questions...

[crunchy_mommy]

1. How long do you let your toddler eat a meal? Until they finish whatever you gave them? Until they throw it all on the floor, even if they scream for more? Until the rest of the family is done eating?

2. How on earth do you get the groceries in the house if you're by yourself with your toddler? He'd scream if I left him in the car (plus it's always too hot or too cold), and there's nowhere safe to leave him alone in the house, especially now that he likes to play with the outlet covers....

3. Does anyone's toddler scream if you try to put them on the potty? I am certainly not expecting him to potty train right now but I wanted to introduce the potty concept (would have loved to do EC but couldn't) -- but when I take off his diaper and try to sit him on it he gets hysterical!

4. When do they stop being so messy?? I mean when eating... it drives me bonkers!! He usually eats what we eat which is always messy foods with sauces etc. and the highchair ends up a mess and sometimes so do his clothes... I gave him peas & cheerios for lunch today 'cause I just didn't feel like dealing with the mess my enchiladas would make! He doesn't eat a ton yet but I'm sure soon he'll want more substance...

[Just1More]

Aw, my dd was also born 2/09. But, I still call her "the baby." She's well into toddlerhood I guess; she's been walking since just before Thanksgiving, and is a climber and runner now. But, she's still so young and little...she's a baby. It may help you to remember that your little guy is still really, really little, and there's so much about his world he just doesn't (and can't) understand yet.

1. How long do I feed her? Well, I work really hard to avoid two things at the table. The first is a battle, the second is a bad habit. So, she sits at the table until she starts to stand up, or goosh food, or whatever else. Then, with very little comment, maybe "are you all done?" with the sign, I get her down. Usually, she cries because she isn't really done, she just can't sit still anymore. So, we hold her on our laps and feed her more. When she is reasonably full, she is happy to be put down, so she wanders and plays, coming back for a bite now and then. Eventually, she's not too interested in coming back (we don't push it, btw. Just ask every now and then if she wants a bite), and we are done eating, so we put stuff away and we're done. At this age, it's still whatever works. You have lots and lots and lots of times for manners and habits and such.

2.) How do I get the groceries in? Lots of ways. Dd1 would not have tolerated being in her carseat or the house alone for any length of time at all. Sometimes I would wear her, or carry her while I just did one bag at a time. Sometimes I would put all the groceries in our wagon, while holding the baby or letting her play on the ground near me, and then pull it to the door. Then she could be right with me just inside the door while I unloaded into the house. Then I would shut the door so she couldn't get out, and carry everything into the kitchen. Or, I'd just wait until she was asleep and do it then. Now that I have 3, and a more laid back baby, I can just leave them in the car while I carry stuff in. Sometimes I still do the wagon thing, and sometimes I still just wait until later. When I sense I'm going to need some time to get to it, I put all my cold stuff together and ask the bagger to put it in plastic. That way I can easily spot which bags are the cold stuff and be reasonably sure nothing will go bad in the car. On mild days, I just don't worry about it much. . You could try giving him a snack in his carseat. A tiny box of raisins keeps my dd2 busy for a long time. She also loves those little snack cups that don't spill very easily. Maybe he'd be distracted long enough for you to carry things in. I always leave the doors open so that they can see me. Oh, and sometimes I just pull up to the door and leave the kids in the car while I unload and then go park in the driveway. It's much faster. I don't usually carry things all the way into the kitchen or whatever, though. I just put all the bags on the porch. I've been known to leave them there all afternoon, too!

3.) Yeah, a lot of them are scared of the potty. They often think they are going to fall. I'd just shelve the idea for a while. But, if you really want to do it, try putting him on a potty seat AND turning him to face the lid. He'll feel much more secure that way. Also, you (without a potty seat, and facing forward) can sit behind him with your arms around him.

4.) Between 2 and 3, my kids have started noticing and preventing messes when I point out what happens when they x. Like, oh, look, when you sit like that, the milk can fall off your spoon and gets all over your chair and your shirt. Lean over your bowl like this and that won't happen. See, the milk falls back in your bowl now! They don't like getting messy (usually...); it just happens. Dd was always a very neat eater. Ds has never been. He had tomato sauce all over the place today after lunch...but, not on his clothes. Just all over his face, hands, and arms. It's an improvement. Until they have a little control and restraint not to fling it all over the place, I only let them self feed foods that aren't awful to clean up. Today, dd fed herself rice cakes, while I slipped in bites of mashed potatoes. She got to feed herself, and I got to know she got some real substance and didn't smear it all over the table. And, since I've perfected the art of feeding the baby with one hand and eating with the other, I got to eat lunch at the same time as everyone else. I always give her something to eat by herself, even if I plan to feed her the messy stuff in between bites. Oh, and my kids always eat messy stuff (no matter who feeds it to them) wearing only a diaper.

The more children I have, the younger they seem. They really are still so little, and are learning SO much. Just brace yourself for the journey and enjoy ever second. It passes really, really fast.

[crunchy_mommy]

Awww my DS is still my baby too!! He will ALWAYS be my baby. He's still really tiny & it's funny, when I see him from a distance (which is rare) I realize just how little he is!!!

DS has fed himself from the beginning, he might take a few bites fed to him but not much. I guess my concerns are less about table manners & more about giving him enough time & opportunity to eat! He eats so little (mostly just BF) but I notice if I leave him in the highchair a little longer, then he eats more if I offer it, so I wonder if I'm ending mealtimes too soon. The mess... ughhh it really does drive me nuts. I hate messes!!!! I guess I am so used to rushing (was WAH full-time until last week, now I'm just part-time and have way more time for things like stripping him down to the diaper before meals!!)

So today was the first time I went grocery shopping by myself, and I got home & panicked!! Too hot to leave everything in the car! LOL!! I managed to get everything in but it was crazy! I wish we had a wagon, that would've been cool

I will try putting him on the potty facing the lid! Didn't think of that! It's a little potty so I didn't think he'd be scared but I'm sure it looks bigger to him... the other thing I have to figure out is how to get him to realize the potty bowl is not a cup to drink out of!! (Thank God he hasn't used the potty yet, right?!)

Thanks for all your answers!!!!!

[Just1More]

FTR, I don't think my dd would tolerate being fed a whole lot either, if she realized it was happening. . I just poke in a bit every now and then while her mouth is open.

To minimize the mess, you could also just give him a bite or two worth at a time.

[Marsupialmom]

Originally Posted by crunchy_mommy

1. How long do you let your toddler eat a meal? Until they finish whatever you gave them? Until they throw it all on the floor, even if they scream for more? Until the rest of the family is done eating?

Until they throw it on the floor or refuse to sit and eat. Throwing food is a sign they are done. I warned them. When you throw food on the floor you told me you are showing me you are done. We clean up. I have had unhappy kids and I have sat them down again 5 minutes later, but purposely dropping food is a no-no. We sit to eat to prevent choking, lost food (food poisoning), and unwanted guest (mice and roaches).

Originally Posted by crunchy_mommy

2. How on earth do you get the groceries in the house if you're by yourself with your toddler? He'd scream if I left him in the car (plus it's always too hot or too cold), and there's nowhere safe to leave him alone in the house, especially now that he likes to play with the outlet covers....

Go shopping with a partner or when a partner will be home. In most situation, with the car door open and a short trip to put the grocery in the house the upset kid in the car seat is safest. I explain, apologize, and describe behavior that will get him not stuck in the seat. Soon enough you can start having him caring in a small bag being your helper. You will be able to trust him with one bag while you run in out quickly to take in bags.

Originally Posted by crunchy_mommy

3. Does anyone's toddler scream if you try to put them on the potty? I am certainly not expecting him to potty train right now but I wanted to introduce the potty concept (would have loved to do EC but couldn't) -- but when I take off his diaper and try to sit him on it he gets hysterical!

Why take off the diaper? Why make him sit? Why not let him play in way he is comfortable in?

Originally Posted by crunchy_mommy

4. When do they stop being so messy?? I mean when eating... it drives me bonkers!! He usually eats what we eat which is always messy foods with sauces etc. and the highchair ends up a mess and sometimes so do his clothes... I gave him peas & cheerios for lunch today 'cause I just didn't feel like dealing with the mess my enchiladas would make! He doesn't eat a ton yet but I'm sure soon he'll want more substance...

It takes a few years but one thing that can help, IMO is go ahead and put fork/spoon on the high chair and let him practice. And less food at a time. Just one or two pieces.

[barefootmama0709]

1. How long do you let your toddler eat a meal? Until they finish whatever you gave them? Until they throw it all on the floor, even if they scream for more? Until the rest of the family is done eating?

Canaan is usally at the table for 20-25 minutes. He is given his food and can sit there as long as he is eating. If he stops eating then I take it as his no longer being hungry-this includes throwing food onto the floor.
2. How on earth do you get the groceries in the house if you're by yourself with your toddler? He'd scream if I left him in the car (plus it's always too hot or too cold), and there's nowhere safe to leave him alone in the house, especially now that he likes to play with the outlet covers.... I grocery shop before naptime. I leave the kids in the car while I bring in the refrigerated items (my car is parked directly in front of my living room window so they're never even out of my sight) and bring the rest in when they're put down for naps.

3. Does anyone's toddler scream if you try to put them on the potty? I am certainly not expecting him to potty train right now but I wanted to introduce the potty concept (would have loved to do EC but couldn't) -- but when I take off his diaper and try to sit him on it he gets hysterical! Canaan used to HATE the potty, but we're potty-learning now. I wouldn't push it if I were you.

4. When do they stop being so messy?? I mean when eating... it drives me bonkers!! He usually eats what we eat which is always messy foods with sauces etc. and the highchair ends up a mess and sometimes so do his clothes... I gave him peas & cheerios for lunch today 'cause I just didn't feel like dealing with the mess my enchiladas would make! He doesn't eat a ton yet but I'm sure soon he'll want more substance... Not for years. I would give less foods with sauce (maybe take out a piece for him before you put sauce on) and let him practice with utensils. If DH and I are eating something messy, sometimes Canaan gets something else for dinner. He doesn't mind.

[Llyra]

1. My kids as toddlers got down from the table when they said they were done, or when they'd stop eating and start playing. I get them down at the first sign of food-throwing or messing. If they got mad and wanted to get back up and eat, I'd give them one more chance. After that, they'd be done until the next meal.

I don't have a time limit on how long they can take if they're actually eating, though. My DS is a SLOW eater, and was as a toddler, and sometimes it takes him an hour to finish eating. But after about a half hour, I clear up my own place and go do something else, nearby so I can keep an eye on him. I wouldn't keep a child at the table who'd clearly lost interest though, just to get a few extra bites into him. If he was really hungry, he'd eat, and nothing would stop him from eating. If I have to urge, he probably really isn't all that hungry. If they ate as much as we think they should, they'd probably all be overweight.

2. My kids always hung out on the lawn and played while I carried stuff into the house. But mine weren't the sort to run away, and we live pretty far off the road. If they weren't willing to play, then I'd put them inside or back in the car, and if they cried, that would be better than them being unsafe. I keep my house very child-proofed. If I thought they weren't safe inside, I'd put them in a playpen or back in the car until I was finished. Then I'd just get it done as fast as I could.

3. I wouldn't push the potty if he doesn't like it. You can start some power struggles that way that can take a lot of patience to undo. Put the potty where he can get to it, take the diaper off, tell him that he can sit if he wants to, and let him figure it out on his own. He may just not be ready.

4. In my experience, the messy eating subsides a lot around 2 1/2, when their motor control improves, and then subsides again around 4. In the meantime, you take precautions-- bibs, table mats, floor mats, removing clothing before a meal-- and you also can give only very small portions at any time. I think if baby is really trying to eat, and is just messy because of immaturity, you have to tolerate that as part of how they learn. But if baby is messing on purpose, and playing with food, I'd end the meal and try again later.

[QuestionGal]

Originally Posted by crunchy_mommy

1. How long do you let your toddler eat a meal? Until they finish whatever you gave them? Until they throw it all on the floor, even if they scream for more? Until the rest of the family is done eating?
until he signals that he's done. Usually by refusing any more food, turning his head, or signing "all done."

2. How on earth do you get the groceries in the house if you're by yourself with your toddler? He'd scream if I left him in the car (plus it's always too hot or too cold), and there's nowhere safe to leave him alone in the house, especially now that he likes to play with the outlet covers....
Bring him inside, put him in the high chair and toss a handful of cheerios/puffs/etc on the tray.


3. Does anyone's toddler scream if you try to put them on the potty? I am certainly not expecting him to potty train right now but I wanted to introduce the potty concept (would have loved to do EC but couldn't) -- but when I take off his diaper and try to sit him on it he gets hysterical!
Didn't introduce the a potty until he was 26 months. He had a potty that he played with/on/around but we never tried to sit him on it. I'd put the idea on hold until he's showing interest. You def don't want him associating the potty with anything negative

4. When do they stop being so messy?? I mean when eating... it drives me bonkers!! He usually eats what we eat which is always messy foods with sauces etc. and the highchair ends up a mess and sometimes so do his clothes... I gave him peas & cheerios for lunch today 'cause I just didn't feel like dealing with the mess my enchiladas would make! He doesn't eat a ton yet but I'm sure soon he'll want more substance...

for a messy meal we strip him down to just a diaper and go straight to the bath afterwards. It helps that we just don't care if he's messy because ---> Thankfully we have dogs so they get the first round of "clean up" of the floors. I try to keep the messy meals to dinner time. Once he starts using utensils the messiness will fade though some kids are just naturally messier than others. DS is a neat eater, has been since the beginning. Now at 2.5 he's adamant about keeping a napkin in his lap, wiping his hands and face after messy bites, etc. I have NO idea where that came from but I'm not going to fight it! =)

[Just1More]

Yeah...I highly recommend a dog. It saves me a TON of cleanup.

[lifeguard]

1. Usually when ds starts dropping things over the edge for the dogs he's done. He's starting to now hand us his plate or bowl when he is done as well. I don't ever time how long a meal takes & if we're done we just sit at the table & chat while he finishes up.

2. I have areas of my house (the livingroom/diningroom) that are very ds proof. If he's not content in the car I put him there, although I now know he will just stand at the door the whole time while I am going in & out. It's rare I need to make more than 3 trips & I can pretty much see him standing there the whole time.

3. Ds loves sitting on the toilet, so no advice there.

4. I don't stress about the mess. I dislike spoon feeding him 'cause he's grabbing at the spoon & it means I'm trying to gulp down my meal between bites or after he's done. So I put him in the highchair, put on a bib (or strip off his shirt), give him the fork/spoon & let him have at 'er. All the practice is paying off & he is getting pretty competent with utensils now - although anything with tomato sauce is still pretty messy. Oh yeah, & the dogs clean up anything that gets dropped - it amazes me when we go somewhere else to see how much food is on the floor after he eats!

[LindsC]

1. How long do you let your toddler eat a meal? I let him eat until he tells me he is done, but he needs to stay at the table until we are all done eating.

2. How on earth do you get the groceries in the house if you're by yourself with your toddler? He actually likes to help, so I let him carry something light and not breakable.

3. Does anyone's toddler scream if you try to put them on the potty? If he's not in the mood, he lets me know. I just don't force the issue righ now since I figure he will do it when he is ready.

4. When do they stop being so messy?? DS is almost 3 and he can still make a mess when he is eating. It really just depends what he is eating and how he feels like eating it.

[ms. pacman]

1. I also take him down, say "All done?" when he starts saying uh-oh and dropping pieces of food down to the floor (or dogs). I take him out, maybe give him a quick wipe down, and put him on the floor. Then he'll either play with toys nearby or want up on my lap and grab at my food, or the book I'm reading, or the markers that were left out

2. The grocery bringing-in changes with his age and the seasons. When there was snow on the ground, I'd carry him while bringing in the bags. A slow process. Now that it's nice out and dry, sometimes I'll leave the front door open and bring the bags in while he's hanging out inside or outside.

3. No pottying yet here!

4. He's soooo messy I either take his shirt off before feeding him, or take his clothes off after and throw them in with the laundry. I'm laughing at the peas and cheerios comment, because I do the exact same thing sometimes if I don't feel like him getting all saucy All I know is that my 3 and 5 yr. olds are usually not too messy, not sure when that happened

[KempsMama]

1. How long do you let your toddler eat a meal? Until they finish whatever you gave them? Until they throw it all on the floor, even if they scream for more? Until the rest of the family is done eating? DS sits at the table with us until we are done eating. If he's not done eating (his choice) he'll eat while we clean up. Sometimes he won't touch his dinner, but dinner is family time, so he sits with us anyway.

2. How on earth do you get the groceries in the house if you're by yourself with your toddler? He'd scream if I left him in the car (plus it's always too hot or too cold), and there's nowhere safe to leave him alone in the house, especially now that he likes to play with the outlet covers.... Honestly, if saftey in the house is an issue for you I would leave him in the car. IMO, safe is better than happy sometimes.

3. Does anyone's toddler scream if you try to put them on the potty? I am certainly not expecting him to potty train right now but I wanted to introduce the potty concept (would have loved to do EC but couldn't) -- but when I take off his diaper and try to sit him on it he gets hysterical! I would defer to more knowledgeable moms on this one, but my gut would tell me he isn't ready, and pushing the issue could cause potty issues later on.

4. When do they stop being so messy?? I mean when eating... it drives me bonkers!! I'm 26 and still make a mess when I eat.

[starlein26]

1. How long do you let your toddler eat a meal? Until they finish whatever you gave them?


Until they throw it all on the floor, even if they scream for more?

Until the rest of the family is done eating?

2. How on earth do you get the groceries in the house if you're by yourself with your toddler?
My ergo

3. Does anyone's toddler scream if you try to put them on the potty? I am certainly not expecting him to potty train right now but I wanted to introduce the potty concept (would have loved to do EC but couldn't) -- but when I take off his diaper and try to sit him on it he gets hysterical!

That's his sign that he's not interested. I wouldn't push it at this point.

4. When do they stop being so messy?? I mean when eating... it drives me bonkers!!

I would say around 18 months, depending on the child...

[mckittre]

1. Until he's throwing food repeatedly (I give him one or two chances). Sometimes he wants tons of food, sometimes almost none, sometimes he'll sit happily through the whole meal, sometimes he wants down almost right away.

2. Wear him.

3. Haven't tried.

4. Don't know, he's only one. But I've noticed a huge improvement in successful spoon and water glass use in the past month or two - I don't think he's messy on purpose, and he's improving.

[gagin37]

ds usually stays in his booster chair until dh and I are also done eating, even if he isn't interested in eating. If he wasn't in his booster, he'd be wanting me to hold him, which is counter productive to me finishing dinner. He's never been a big food thrower, he does like to stir everything together though.

I wear him, OR I bring him inside first and put him in his booster seat with the tray on so he can't escape with a small snack.

We haven't tried potty yet, he really doesn't have any readiness signs yet.

I don't know, ds is 19 months almost, and still eats *everything* with his hands, even messy goopy, sticky stuff like peanut butter or hummus, or even better pancakes with maple syrup. Very very messy. I just have a wash rag on hand and a clean shirt.

[justKate]

1. DD (13 mos.) eats while I cook in her highchair (for safety) then eats/plays with her food while Huz and I eat. When she starts throwing food her tray is removed, because "that tells mama that you're all done." She sits with us until we finish eating unless there's a reason to get down (dirty diaper).

2. I pull the car in to the garage and leave DD in her carseat to get the cold stuff in. Usually she's asleep, so this works. If this were a safety issue, I would put her in a pack'n'play to keep her safe, whether she liked it or not. It doesn't take very long to get the cold stuff in, and she's old enough to accept that I am right. there. and will be with her in just. two. minutes.

3. Haven't gone there yet.

4. Had the same issue with tacos last night! I gave her the less messy bits to eat--strips of corn tortilla, ground beef with no seasoning, bits of tomato, bits of cheese, bits of avocado. No sour cream. Clean up after DD eats is part of the routine. She has to sit in her highchair until I'm done--so I sweep the chair, brush her off, remove and clean tray, put DD on the floor in living room. Quickly sweep floor (before DD remembers that she wanted to eat that bit of whatever I've swept into a pile). Swifter if necessary. Repeat daily.

[AKislandgirl]

1. How long do you let your toddler eat a meal? Until they finish whatever you gave them? Until they throw it all on the floor, even if they scream for more? Until the rest of the family is done eating?
Until she signs all done. Usually she takes longer to eat then us and asks for more quite often. We just let her take her time. If she throws food we ask her "are you all done?" That usually stops the throwing.

2. How on earth do you get the groceries in the house if you're by yourself with your toddler? He'd scream if I left him in the car (plus it's always too hot or too cold), and there's nowhere safe to leave him alone in the house, especially now that he likes to play with the outlet covers....
I leave her in the car if need be. It really only takes a few minutes to unload groceries.

3. Does anyone's toddler scream if you try to put them on the potty? I am certainly not expecting him to potty train right now but I wanted to introduce the potty concept (would have loved to do EC but couldn't) -- but when I take off his diaper and try to sit him on it he gets hysterical!
Haven't even tried. I think she's way too young for this now.

4. When do they stop being so messy?? I mean when eating... it drives me bonkers!! He usually eats what we eat which is always messy foods with sauces etc. and the highchair ends up a mess and sometimes so do his clothes... I gave him peas & cheerios for lunch today 'cause I just didn't feel like dealing with the mess my enchiladas would make! He doesn't eat a ton yet but I'm sure soon he'll want more substance...
Of course we have messes to clean up but nothing too bad really. She eats just about everything, saucy and all and doesn't really make that big of a mess. The dogs are there to clean the floor!

[MamaPhD]

(Eating time)
DD is 16 mo and usually starts on high chair. Most of the meals (3-4 out of 5 she eats per day), she is there until she is done eating when she signs "all done". This takes 15-30 minutes. She doesn't always finish what I give her, no problem. Other times she asks for more. I think there are better/cleaner ways to communicate when one is finished with a meal than throwing food on the floor! When she is done, she can come off high chair but has to stay in the kitchen and roams/plays at a couple of play corners for her.
Other times, she will signal "down" and "eat", which means she wants to explore. We put her high chair tray on a dining room chair and she can roam between kitchen and her play room (and pretty much the whole first floor) and graze. Rarely, I have to go to her playroom with the tray and encourage her to eat "oh, that's a bunny, would you like a piece of avocado? oh, now that's a baby bunny, pasta?" for like 10-15 minutes. Ifshe is not into eating, then I quit and wait for the next meal time.
(Groceries)
Have at least one toddler-proofed room in the house. The more the better. Get outlet covers! If I have to be away from DD (shower, etc.), I put her in her room or the play room. Totally safe and gated. For groceries, I unload DD first and set her in the kitchen (mostly toddler-proofed). Then I go back and forth between garage and kitchen (our house has garage-family room-kitchen layout) and she usually follows me around. I think the general rule is kid goes in the car first (as in before groceries) and out of the car first, too.
(Potty)
Haven't done it yet. But I would say don't force the potty especially if he is screaming because it might lead to him making a bad association with potty when learning time comes.
(Mess)
I don't think it's a big deal, it's just part of having a toddler, like diapers. Just do it! I tend to feed DD food that is not that messy, though. She's not into sauces for example. Just plain pasta or pieces of veggie from soup, fruit pieces, etc. I spoon feed DD messy foods like yogurt and risoto at the beginning of the meal so she does get some food in her mouth. Towards the end if she grabs the spoon and wants to try, she is allowed to try it and make a mess. I made her several sleeved bibs for that.

[blizzard_babe]

1. How long do you let your toddler eat a meal? Until they finish whatever you gave them? Until they throw it all on the floor, even if they scream for more? Until the rest of the family is done eating?

Until he's done eating. I figure he's smart enough to know when he's full, so if he hasn't finished what I gave him, who am I to force it? He learned pretty quickly that throwing food on the floor is a losing game (we have a dog so anything edible dropped on the floor magically disappears). His attention span is way shorter than ours, so I don't really expect him to stay up with us. I let him down when he's showing signs of being "done" (playing with food, standing up, etc.). He usually sticks around the table area to be close to us, but plays on his own. If he wants more food, he has to come back up to the table to eat it.

2. How on earth do you get the groceries in the house if you're by yourself with your toddler?

Will he "help" you? DS was difficult on stuff like this at that age... he wasn't quite ready to be a helper, but not content to snooze away in his car seat, either. It gets better once they discover the joys of "helping." I (or DH if he was the one doing the shopping) would just leave anything that wouldn't be ruined by the weather (hot/cold) in the car. We discovered that, for so many reasons, it's much easier to have one of us go grocery shopping after DS is in bed (DH is a SAHD, mostly), or do it on the weekends when one of us can go grocery shopping and the other can stay home with DS rather than having DH take him and do it during the day.

3. Does anyone's toddler scream if you try to put them on the potty? I am certainly not expecting him to potty train right now but I wanted to introduce the potty concept (would have loved to do EC but couldn't) -- but when I take off his diaper and try to sit him on it he gets hysterical!

DS didn't care for it at first. We just let him "play" with it a lot, watch us use the potty, etc. He came around and is now potty-fascinated.

4. When do they stop being so messy??

I'll let you know if it ever happens . A lot of the time we just strip him down to his diapers. I've become pretty non-caring about the whole thing, though. He's washable. His clothes are washable. The table is washable. Anything non-washable should not be allowed anywhere near DS even if he's not eating; he's just that kind of kid . He makes less mess than he used to, but messy foods like spaghetti... it's still best to just throw my hands up and watch the mess happen.