learning to use chopsticks

We got Julianna a pair of "trainer chopsticks". I actually haven't seen local kids use them (most little children here stick with the spoon - it's much simpler). But a baby store that carries imported goods had this pair of trainer chopsticks - a Japanese brand (which means I couldn't understand a lick of the instructions, but figured out the basic idea based on the illustrations).

You can't really see in the photo, but there's a little piece that helps hold her hand in the right position, and the chopsticks are bound together at the top so they don't slip and slide in her grip.

They work fantastic! Since we opened them yesterday afternoon, she's used them for every meal (breakfast, lunch and dinner!). I baked cookies yesterday afternoon while the girls slept.... when Julianna woke up she used her new chopsticks to eat her cookie! It's amazing how well she can handle them - she's at least as effective with these trainer chopsticks as she is with a fork and spoon, maybe even better?