To ask nursery to cut their grapes into quarters?

[AliceTheCamelHasFiveHumps]

So, DD14m attends nursery.

They give fruit snacks out each day.

They cut grapes in half lengthwise. (I know this for gross reasons 😷)

I tend to do quarters for safety, as per advice.

AIBU to ask them to cut the grapes into quarters??? Or am I being precious 🥺😳

I imagine quartering is to guard against human error. Halving is only effective if done lengthways and I have seen people halve grapes the other way before now, which is of course useless.

The key thing is to teach your child to bite and chew their food. Never chopped grapes up, but they bit into them as soon as they entered their mouths.

YANBU and if it concerns your child’s safety, it’s better to be considered awkward than to risk something awful happening.

@SmokedDuck have you ever seen any one choke?

@bloodywhitecat

Having had to resuscitate a child who choked, taking a few seconds to cut grapes for any child in my care doesn't seem too much of a burden. Choking happens in the blink of an eye and is often pretty silent, grapes are a perfect 'plug' for the windpipe and do not easily budge or dissolve, why take the risk.

Exactly this same here through work and I will continue to cut them up.

Goodness I’m surprised nurseries even serve grapes giving what a hazard they are. My one year old will hopefully be starting this year and I think I’ll be asking this question!

Do adults choke on steak regularly? I've never seen anyone choke on steak

@Icancelledthecheque

I think halves are fine (now, with hindsight!)

I used to soak them in warm water to peel them and then cut them in half so I’d say I’m more on the cautious side...

thank you for sharing this!

"Nor me! And my parents didn't for me either. God knows how we've survived tbh..."

ODFOD

@JamesMiddletonsMarshmallows

And for those thinking they're precious - my kids are 5 and 8 and I still cut up their grapes

Jesus.

@dottiedodah

SandysMam I agree! Loads of other fruits/veggies.Why are grapes still avaliable I wonder?

Are you suggesting that grapes are banned?!

I agree! Loads of other fruits/veggies.Why are grapes still avaliable I wonder? seriously?

I liquidised all my children's food well into there early twenties, you cant be too careful!

I agree with RedHelen, who are all these children who don't chew? Why aren't they chewing? Presumably you can choke on anything if gets stuck? So lots of other foodstuffs could be a risk. Who is swallowing them whole?

Why are grapes so bad?
Why isn't chewing being recommended.

Choking hazards:

	Hot dogs
	Nuts and seeds
	Chunks of meat or cheese
	Whole grapes
	Hard, gooey, or sticky candy
	Popcorn
	Chunks of peanut butter
	Raw vegetables
	Raisins
	Chewing gum
	Marshmallows

No mention of grapes.

@Oblomov21

Choking hazards:

	Hot dogs
	Nuts and seeds
	Chunks of meat or cheese
	Whole grapes
	Hard, gooey, or sticky candy
	Popcorn
	Chunks of peanut butter
	Raw vegetables
	Raisins
	Chewing gum
	Marshmallows

No mention of grapes.

What the fuck are "whole grapes" then if not grapes?

And ice cubes, however application of boiling water soon melts the ice and clears the blockage

Oh yeah. Sorry.
But loads of others mentioned.

And what about the chewing? Who is or rather why is anyone swallowing anything whole, without chewing it?

They should be cut in quarters. I still do this for DS and he’s 4!

Why are grapes so bad?

I pointed it out upthread, but it's worth repeating:

A grape is larger than the airway, will lodge at a point where it causes complete airway obstruction that is rapidly fatal, has a smooth, deformable surface allowing it to form a tight seal, and is very difficult to dislodge with first aid manoeuvres.

You're often looking at paramedics carrying out a direct laryngoscopy to try to remove a grape.

@Oblomov21

Oh yeah. Sorry. But loads of others mentioned.

And what about the chewing? Who is or rather why is anyone swallowing anything whole, without chewing it?

Swallowing whole is fine. It's the accidentally inhaling that's the problem. And the struggle to dislodge. Even when medical helps arrives, it's not easy to dislodge a grape.

Well, I hope none of the people who expect nurseries to quarter grapes are the same who think COVID 'isn't that dangerous'!

About one child a year under 5 in the UK dies of choking on a grape, or a one in 4 mio risk or or 0.000025% EFR (eating fatality risk) as opposed to the COVID IFR risk of around 1.25%, or a factor of 50,000 less.

But people want to take grape eating mitigation risks and are not sure about COVID mitigations risks....shows quite a skewed risk assessment!

are not the same..

It's been explained several times but here you go why grapes can be dangerous

@TheReluctantPhoenix

Well, I hope none of the people who expect nurseries to quarter grapes are the same who think COVID 'isn't that dangerous'!

About one child a year under 5 in the UK dies of choking on a grape, or a one in 4 mio risk or or 0.000025% EFR (eating fatality risk) as opposed to the COVID IFR risk of around 1.25%, or a factor of 50,000 less.

But people want to take grape eating mitigation risks and are not sure about COVID mitigations risks....shows quite a skewed risk assessment!

One child a year. That's okay then. Want to volunteer your child? Won't be mine.