A Special Spoon

The boys have been keeping busy with speech and occupational therapy this summer.

In OT, I requested that they work on feeding issues, specifically feeding themselves with spoons and using straws to drink.  Zack can use a spoon, sort of - he can dip it into applesauce or yogurt and eat whatever sticks to the spoon.

I wanted him to hold the spoon properly, upright so that everything loose doesn't just spill off of it.  And I wanted AJ to use a spoon.  He won't do it at all.

Notice I didn't say he can't do it.

Anyway, I got a note from the occupational therapist yesterday that Zack is doing well with using a spoon, but he needs it to be a special, plastic spoon from the baby aisle at Target, and a deeper bowl.  She suggested I go get some of those spoons.

Now a couple of years ago, I'd have been thrilled and I've have run right out to get them.  Today, however, my expectations are higher.  I want him to use regular spoons.  Any old spoon I might find.  He's eight.  I don't want to go buy more plastic spoons from the baby aisle at Target.  I already spend too much time in the baby section of Target, for a mother of two eight year olds.

And I want him to be able to eat applesauce out of any old bowl I find.  One day all the bowls and spoons he usually uses were in the dishwasher, so I gave Zack some applesauce in a measuring cup, with a regular spoon.  He looked at me like I'd grown a third eye.

Is it too much to ask that I not have to get special adaptive silverware?  I appreciate her trying to help, but this isn't want I want.  I need to find a nice way to say "No lady, I don't want to buy any more baby spoons.  Get him to eat with a regular, ordinary spoon.  Put away the baby spoons."

And while you're at it, see if you can get him to stop acting like I'm trying to poison him by putting a straw near his mouth.