Splash mats

When Harry was about eight or nine months old, a colleague asked me if we’d invested in a splash mat to sit underneath Harry’s high chair. At the time, there didn’t seem much point but now I can see the logic behind such an investment.

Harry has a very good appetite and is now quite happy to feed himself. However, as I mentioned a couple of weeks ago, he will no longer sit in his high chair, preferring instead to sit at the kitchen table.

On the one hand, this is real progress and makes meal times much more relaxed for Melissa and myself. On the other, it also creates a fair bit of mess. Harry’s coordination is generally very good but – on occasion – he loses concentration while his fork or spoon is in transition from his plate to his mouth.

This can make things really messy – and it sometimes takes a fair amount of restraint on my part not to intervene. As you can imagine, some foods are better than others; soup is a particular problem, and about half of it normally ends up down Harry or on the floor.

The other frustrating habit Harry has developed at mealtimes is pushing his plate away when he’s finished eating. Most of the time, this is not a problem; occasionally, though, he pushes it a bit hard and it ends up on the floor.

We’re then left frantically trying to clean up the mess before it stains the walls, floor and so on. A splash mat might well be the way forward.

I shouldn’t complain though. Harry has a fantastic appetite and he certainly isn’t fussy when it comes to food, although he does have his favourites. At the moment, honey has replaced ham as his food of choice, although I’m pleased to say that from time to time he now asks for ‘mar mar’ (Marmite) on his toast. That’s my boy.