Dc eating habits driving me mad

[Illbefinejustbloodyfine]

I have 2 dc. Dc1 is SUCH a messy eater and I really don't know how to deal with it. Dc2 doesn't eat in this way at all.

Examples - eating crisps, biscuits, cereal bars etc. He doesn't take a bite, close mouth, eat. He kind of puts the thing in his mouth then takes small bites several times (this results in crumbs and mess everywhere, and a messy face, t shirt, table, hands)

Bowl of cereal/pasta/rice dish... this is hard to describe but its a similar principle. Imagine scooping a spoonful of cereal, he does that over and over and over before it makes its way to his mouth. Ends up with too much on his spoon or fork, which results in mess and it also just looks awful as its done quite quickly. Another child at school keeps telling him he's gross because of how he eats.

Nothing I say seems to make any difference. I model good tabke manners, explain, often, about taking a bite at a time and not continuously poking around with spoon or fork. Nothing changes and I feel like I'm constantly on at him.

Any suggestions?

How old is he? I think that embarrassment will take over eventually and he will not want his dubious eating habits pointed out by his peers.

Hes 8. I'm.not sure, he's quite sensitive, gets upset at the school comments. I'd be bloody delighted if he did suddenly get the idea.

Would he let you film him eating? so you can show him and talk through what the issues are. If he sees the messy eating it might make more sense to him

Is he clumsy or awkward with other things? Could this be something to do with hand eye coordination etc?

Not clumsy at all, and very very dextrous with his hands.

I could film him, that might work. I don't want him to feel bad.

In all honesty at 8 years old if he was chomping on crisps like a rabbit and making a mess then I'd take them off him and say he can have them back when he's willing to eat them properly.

I've done that, honestly, nothing seems to help.

Does he know he's doing it? I wonder if putting a mirror in front of him so he can see how bad it is would help? Probably less chance of him feeling humiliated than if you video him.

With the crisp thing do you mean like he nibbles at them, like how a rabbit might?

He has to learn how to eat properly so take a week while he's not at school, have every meal together and make sure he eats properly every single time. Like every single thing he eats, you eat the same thing, with him, without the TV on.

Break the habit. After that I would 100% say things like "if you're gonna eat like that and make a mess I'll take the Crisps off you" anytime he does.

It's an important behavioural skill and it's not optional.

We eat together between 1 and 3 times a day. Always the evening meal, obviously not weekday lunches in term time. I'll have a cuppa with them at breakfast. We eat at the table. No TV or anything else, usually the radio on. Manners are important to me snd I'm finding this very difficult as he gets older, it's more noticeable abd less acceptable.

I will make the effort to focus on it though as you say. Although honestly, not a day goes by without me "correcting" him.