I taught my DD last summer and a DCG (both girls were about 2.5) that I had at the time through the simple expedient of explaining that they need to chew with their lips together. Voila! Instant success and no more slurping, smacking, horribly obnoxious noises.

Now I have a 3 yo dcb and a 2 yo dcg who are AWFUL at the chewing with their mouths open and making TONS of noise while they chew. I have tried several different methods and I think I'm just out of luck until both kids are older...although I can't stand to be at the table with them right now.

The DCB, I tell him to chew with his lips together (or mouth shut, or chew quietly, or various other phrasings) and he looks at me and grins and opens his mouth more while he chews. Or he looks totally confused and just sits there staring at me blankly. Sometimes he'll try chewing a couple times, and manage to keep it closed, and then promptly go back to smacking and slurping no matter how much I praised him for doing it right. If I keep on him, he just quits eating, so I gave up.

The DCG...she just looks at me and keeps eating. Or bursts into tears (of course, "here sweetie! Eat your snack!" is enough to make this one cry sometimes). She is definitely not ready to learn this I guess.

I'm at a loss though...I can't stand it, it's awful, they are both really bad but the techniques I have aren't working. Suggestions???

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