2 year olds no aprons for dinner! What do you think?

[mumeeee]

I have just started supply work. One nursery I worked in this wek expected the 2 year olds to eat with just a fork and did not put aprons on tham. Whaen I asked if they could have spoons I was told spoons were only for puddings and that they could have a knife if they wanted one. Most 2 year olds I know can not handle a knife ( they were adult ones). Also they die not use aprons so as you can imagine got in a terrible mess.
WWould you be happy with this?

[hercules]

My two year old uses a fork no problems and spoons are only for puddings. I dont get the need for aprons at this age.

[hatstand]

I think what's silly is having rules about stuff like this. Some kids can eat with forks some can't. Some can manage with an apron some will end up in a terrible mess. As a parent I'd expect a nursery to have enough nouse and flaxibility to work it out.

[edam]

I'm surprised - seems daft not to allow 2 year-olds to have spoons as well as forks. Why no child-sized cutlery? And no aprons?! Don't understand. If this was a nursery I was using, I'd be teed off.

[Pinotmum]

I don't see why 2 yo needs aprons. I do know I 5 yo who is till given a bib by her mum at mealtimes so she would disagree with me

[Skyler]

My 2.7 yo def needs a bib still for messy food with sauces or yoghurt, breakfast etc.....problem is she doesn't think so. She still has a spoon and fork too. Seems odd to have such a blanket rule...

[julienetmum]

My daughter's school nursery sent a letter to parents asking us to provide full length aprons as they were finding the children were getting very messy at lunchtime. These are 3 and 4 year olds so expecting 2 year olds not to have aprons is ridiculous.

ds is almost 2 and often I don't put a bib on him but if he is eating something like pasta and sauce or anything with gravy I make sure he is covered up.

[SackAche]

EH?? My 4 year old can't properly use a knife!!!!
By apron do you mean a bib???
And my 16mth old shows an interest in using a fork.... but MY GOD are you lot serious?????

At 2 I would just give finger food on plate.... and definitely still need a bib!

[Nemo1977]

my 2.1yr old would not wear a bib/apron and has refused to for nearly a year. He will use child size full cutelry set although will also use his fingers..so think it is dependant on child so there should be provisions for those who would wear them etc.

[clary]

hmmm agree the nursery shd be more flexible.
My 2.5 yo h/ever hasn't worn a bib for at least a year. About as long as he has refused to sit in the high chair (not grown up enough lol)
But he is and always has been a very tidy eater. (no point wasting it, he thinks!)

[clary]

oh nemo, I see our DSs are the same, as ever!

[Nemo1977]

pmsl clary...would swear we had the same one apart from fact mine is here 24/7

[clary]

Ahh yes, and mine is upstairs coughing like a good 'un, so unless he's a master of the tape recorder he's certainly here right now

[Nemo1977]

aww bless clary is he not well?

[mumeeee]

If these children were managing fine witout aprons and just using forks then I would not have had a problem. They had meat,mash peas and gravy and yoghurts for afters. Most of them ended up using fingers and got in a terrible mess. Then they were put straight down for asleep without changing them! They did wipe their face and hands.
I also work in another nursery a couple of days a week. In this nursery even the 4 year olds have bibs/aprons if they need them and they have spoons and forks.

[woosmummy]

I'm 26 and still put a tea towel over me for most dinners!!!!running joke in my family. I can't even have a hot dinner at work as i'm guaranteed to drop something over my white tunic!

[Lmccrean]

dd (3 next week!) and I both wear an apron at tea times - although partly cause we wear them for cooking the meal, and just dont take them off to eat it. Would hate to see the state of her clothes if she didnt wear one DD uses a knife and fork though I cut up stuff thats a bit tough, she can manage things like noodles and cooked veg etc that are soft. She even shouted at me the other day cause I dont have my knife and fork in the "proper" hands!

[NannyL]

i think thats madness

i always give my 3 and 5 year old a knife fork AND spoon.... they can use what they like / need, tho more often than not 5 year old does not use his spoon and saves it clean for pudding, where as 3 year old normally does!

is there REALLY such an issue about 2 year olds using a spoon

[clary]

nemo sorry, not ignoring you, went off line to wrap some christmas presents (!).
He has had a nasty cough and keeps waking up, bless him. A bit better today tho, thanks for asking

[Enid]

agree with whoever said it is silly to have a blanket rule

some kids can manage it, some can't and making them get filthy isn't going to help them learn!

everyone in dd2s class (3 year olds) wears a tabard to lunch (thank goodness!)