Heads up: This post is 13 years old. My thinking may have evolved since then — read it with that in mind.
After watching Thomas the musical, it was around 1 pm. Luc was hungry and tired so we went to a nearby restaurant to eat. We got an extra bowl for Luc and gave him some of our pasta and then we all ate together. Sure Luc still makes a mess when he eats but he has gotten a lot better.
On both sides of our table were families with one child who had just came out of the Thomas show too. Amazingly enough, both of them had their huge Samsung smartphone propped up on the table, showing cartoons to their children, who are about the same age as Luc. (2 year olds.) The parents then went about to eat and spoon fed the kids. The children were mesmerized by the videos so much that the parents had to keep saying “Chew your food! Don’t just watch TV! Chew your food and shallow!”
Too often I see parents who just want to keep things clean and convenient for themselves, or they’re too eager to train their children to have manners. So instead of letting the kids do what’s natural at this age - learn to use their hands to eat by themselves, these parents actively prevent their kids from doing anything.