Kid eats soooo slowly

[SO16_Saint]

HELP! Am in need of some advice (sensible please!)

 

My 3yo son eats (or rather doesnt eat) his dinner so slowly its painful, and frustrating.

 

Tonight for instance he took 45 mins to eat 4 small kids size forks of cottage pie.

 

Edit: he also took 20 mins to eat a banana. His 14 month old sister ate the same size banana in half that (and more dinner in less time too)

 

I guess its just a phase, albeit a long one, but advice from parents who may have had similar problems would be good.

 

His mum works nights so it's just me and the kids for tea and bed (not sure if that's relevant or not!)

[CB Saint]

My nephew was similar. He did grow out of it, but if your lad follows the same pattern, you have got another couple of years to put up with.

[aintforever]

It's his dinner, he can eat it how the f*ck he wants.

[Whitey Grandad]

Better to eat it slowly than to gobble it down. That applies to all of us.

[Jonnyboy]

I'm rather partial to a gobble myself.

[Whitey Grandad]

I'm rather partial to a gobble myself.

 

Mastication is better for you.

[View From The Top]

HELP! Am in need of some advice (sensible please!)

 

My 3yo son eats (or rather doesnt eat) his dinner so slowly its painful, and frustrating.

 

Tonight for instance he took 45 mins to eat 4 small kids size forks of cottage pie.

 

Edit: he also took 20 mins to eat a banana. His 14 month old sister ate the same size banana in half that (and more dinner in less time too)

 

I guess its just a phase, albeit a long one, but advice from parents who may have had similar problems would be good.

 

His mum works nights so it's just me and the kids for tea and bed (not sure if that's relevant or not!)

 

It's just the way it is.

[buctootim]

It's just the way it is.

 

Unless he's different when his mum or other people feed him. if hes the same with everybody you just have to wait but if its just you you can put some kind of strategy in place. My oldest always played up with his mum but never me for some reason.

[djharvey]

Whatever you do don't put him under pressure, you want eating to be a fun/happy time, not a miserable experience as that would be very counter productive. Is it really such a big deal him eating slowly? As long as his weight is within the safe limits then don't let the situation get under your skin. You will have to bite your lip at times but remember he is just a little boy! Try not to let him eat in front of the telly as they can get distracted. Ask him what he would like to eat, it will take time but please please please don't turn it into a miserable occasion for you all.

[Saint Paul C]

We had a similar issue with our youngest girl. Turned out, as spotted by the dentist at a routine check-up, that she had massive tonsils. Got them whipped out a few months later and the slow eating thing disappeared. Might be worth getting him looked at.