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Talk to others about child development and behaviour stages here. You can find more information on our development calendar.

Talk to others about child development and behaviour stages here. You can find more information on our development calendar.

Behaviour/development

8 year old not eating with mouth closed

19 replies

trustissues75 · 02/03/2013 21:09

and it's starting to drive me insane!!!! I've been telling him for about 18 months now constantly. He tells me he doesn't notice or forgets....seriously I can tell him 20-30 times in one meal. I get to the point where I'm almost screaming at him. Anyone got any advice - please no telling me to send him to bed hungry - I'm not into removal of basic human needs.

OP posts:

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PrettyPirate · 02/03/2013 21:17

BIL is 40 and still does it. When we are having a meal at MIL's I always wonder why she doesn't tell him off! She's his mum! So sorry, no advise but this would drive me mad too!

amillionyears · 02/03/2013 21:26

Things to try.
Stick a note by his plate
Stick a mirror by his plate
Take him to his grannie/grandpa/auntie/family friend etc to point out the error of his ways
Get everyone else at the table to do it as well

[can you tell I had one of these too!]

amillionyears · 02/03/2013 21:27

That should read, get everyone else at your table to open their mouths when eating too.

MrsSham · 02/03/2013 21:41

Ask him and tell him he doesn't he will need to leave the table send him away from the table every time untill he remembers. Though that may a little harsh but it bugs me when kids don't eat nicely.

MrsSham · 02/03/2013 21:41

Or take his plate away from him every time he does it.

Selks · 02/03/2013 22:01

Check that there's not a medical reason why breathing through his nose is a problem as if he has to mouth breathe then he's more likely to eat with his mouth open ( so he can breathe at the same time).

amillionyears · 02/03/2013 22:12

Good point Selks. I personally never connected the two.

mawbroon · 02/03/2013 22:19

Agree with Selks. ds1 (age 7) used to eat with his mouth open a lot. He is having his high/narrow palate expanded and is already able to breathe better through his nose and has stopped mouth breathing and eating with his mouth open.

LovesBeingWokenEveryNight · 02/03/2013 22:21

Does he normally mouth breathe?

trustissues75 · 03/03/2013 06:37

MrsSham - unfortunately we don't eat at the table because we don't have one. Taking his plate away, to my mind, is bordering on abusive (and I say that respectfully, not judgementally) and also not practical - 20-30 times in one meal time...at what point does he get to eat? it almost sounds like a torture technique.

LovesBeing - he does snore on accoasions, and we used to call him Mr Snuffleuppagus when he was little - I wonder (selks and million too) if it is some sort o sinus problem? He's got the Dr. on Wednesday anyway, I will mention it! Thank you!

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Wiggy29 · 03/03/2013 07:52

Try the medical route first as suggested here. If my ds ever does it, I would just sit and copy him (with a smile on my face) in a really exaggerated manner. Also, have you pointed out that other children at school will probably notice and they probably find it unpleasant to look at? Check the medical side first though as it would seem cruel to point this out (even if it is true), if it's not his fault.

LovesBeingWokenEveryNight · 03/03/2013 08:06

Dd has Rhinitis and Snores, mouth breathing are two symptoms. Dead easy to treat although it does mean long term meds

mysweetie · 03/03/2013 11:06

Show him how it should be done, the mirror advice would really be nice :D

Startail · 03/03/2013 11:09

Don't watch him eat!

Startail · 03/03/2013 11:14

Seriously, nagging about anything table manners related is the way to make your DCs resent you.

DMum engineered children's food to avoid my Dad being home, my DDs avoid eating in front of grandpa, he drives us all potty looking disapproving even if he doesn't say anything.

trustissues75 · 03/03/2013 15:18

Startail - I don't watch him eat...but you can hear him from across the room....I'm not the only one in the household either, it's not just about me.

Lovesbeing - what sort of meds does your DD need to take?

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Kleinzeit · 03/03/2013 21:54

My DS used to eat with his mouth open and sounded like wellie boots in a swamp. I studied him fairly carefully and came to the conclusion that he was taking too big bites/spoonfuls so he couldn?t swallow them before he needed to breathe! He does tend to breathe through his mouth.

So I told DS that I wanted him to take small bites and small spoonfuls (I showed him how much) and eat them with his mouth closed. And I didn?t nag or punish ? I bribed. A sticker for taking three small bites and eating them with his mouth closed at the start of the meal, and a few stickers added up to some pocket money. For some reason once he?d done three small bites he could do the rest of the meal no probs. And after he?d been bribed for a while the habit seemed to stick.

trustissues75 · 03/03/2013 22:26

Klein - if they don't come up with any physical problems that's one I'm going to try. I have noticed DS stuffs his face sometimes - another thing I keep asking him not to do - which really can't help.

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Mum23600 · 31/10/2019 08:20

Kind of difficult not to when they're at the same table...

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