My 6 year old is still a messy eater, he gets food on the table, on his shirt and all over his face. Is this normal and what I do? He already has to clean up after himself and wash the table and wash his face.
2006-07-15 05:56:01 · 24 answers · asked by guesswho 3 in Pregnancy & Parenting ➔ Grade-Schooler
don't overfill the plate with food, you can always add more as he eats it . . does he sit too low in the chair? if he sits too low in the chair, there is not enough distance between him and the table .. this will cause losing alot of food from the fork/spoon and getting on the table or himself .. make sure he is sitting close enough to the table to - less distance for the fork to make it to his mouth . . you can use the disposable bibs (better to have a clean shirt then not) and placemats to help the situation out . . even tho he is six he may still lack a little coordination in this department . . encourage him with little rewards when he can make it thru a meal without making a mess . . little things like a special dessert or maybe keep a jar on the kitchen counter that for each meal he gets thru without the mess, he gets a quarter or 50 cents . . . at the end of the month, he can use the money in the jar to purchase something . . . get creative, I think you will see results ..... just because he is six doesn't mean he is grown up
2006-07-15 06:05:01 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Unless he has fine motor skill challenges (which would have surfaced in Kindergarten with writing), he should be able to eat better than what you've described.
At this age, if he senses frustration or disappointment from you, it could make matters worse. I don't think this means not telling him that this is an issue but coming together to find a fun way of helping him improve his own skills.
You could start a reward chart where he gets a sticker for each meal he eats better at (or if you have 3 kinds of foods, he gets a sticker for each food he doesn't get on his shirt, etc.). Then, at the end of the week, if he gets your pre-determined amount of stickers, he gets to go to Chuck E Cheese or get a toy at the dollar store, etc. I'd make sure the first week you set goals that he can reach with minimal effort and then bump up the expectations gradually until he's where he needs to be and then have some weeks for "maintenance." I'd also put the chart on the frig so he can put his reward up immediately after the positive behavior.
With a your belief in him and a goal to reach, it could be a positive solution for both of you.
2006-07-15 06:33:01 · answer #2 · answered by LEI 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Some people are just messy eaters. My brother is 22 years old and he makes a bigger mess eating than my 6 year old does.
2006-07-19 22:17:36 · answer #3 · answered by zil28ennov 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
hes only 6 but this is a good year 2 teach ur son basic table manners like put a napkin on his lap and tell him 2 take his time 2 eat it, 2 chew with his mouth shut, etc. another thing u can do is 2 get ur son a cheap little placemat and it will b his and if stuff splatters all over it u can get a new 1 from time 2 time
2006-07-15 12:41:57 · answer #4 · answered by dot 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
The reason we dont want our kids to be such messy eaters is because at this point they are eating meals at school...... who knows how the adults that have to clean him will react (most likely with very little patience), over the summer just keep practicing with him the best you can...correct everything that he is doing wrong OVER and OVER eventually he will get the idea (and if not, hell probably just use better table manners just to get you to stop nagging!)
2006-07-15 10:02:00 · answer #5 · answered by geet840 5 · 1⤊ 0⤋
I understand. I have a 7-year-old and he makes a huge mess at the table. I mean, he gets meat, crumbs, sauce and whatever we're eating on the floor, his face, on the table. He seems totally oblivious to it all. When he has a napkin next to his plate, he'll use his hand to wipe of his face then takes his hand and wipes it on his shirt. AAAAAAAHHHHHH. It drives me crazy.
So I understand and yes, I believe it is normal. However, my husband, who is 40, also makes a mess when he eats, so it might be a boy thing too. My husband is a crumb mess maker and coffee mess maker. Anything that has crumbs (i.e., toast, pastries or biscuits) seems to make to the floor. And when he pours his coffee, he always leaves a drop or two or three on the counter. I clean that up everyday too.
Take care and happy cleaning!
2006-07-15 06:09:59 · answer #6 · answered by whatzerface 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
You're already doing it. Yeah, 6 is still messy and quite frankly, we have 2 11 year olds and they still miss the plate sometimes. Oh well, that's why tables and floors and shirts are washable.
2006-07-15 13:12:28 · answer #7 · answered by Lori A 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
My 11 year old GIRLS are still messy with some foods. Some people will always be messy in my opion.
2006-07-21 10:06:35 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
he is 6 when i was six i was a messy eater now i am not messy eater at all and i am 9 it is normal
2006-07-15 06:23:07 · answer #9 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
yep...when mine was 6 she was still really messy
i bought a package of cloth diapers and made her wear them as bib's to preserve her clothes
she hated the bibs so much that she started paying more attention when she ate
i worried that her eating habits would turn into a disorder because she crushed everything in her mouth at a fast pace....and i kept on to her about taking her time...she has gotten out of the messy eating habit
2006-07-15 09:24:19 · answer #10 · answered by Cap'n Donna 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋