At what age do you expect children to eat without getting it all over their faces?

[SheABitSpicyToday]

Aibu to ask at what age you would expect a child to be able to eat their dinner, or a chocolate bar or ice cream without getting it all over their face?

It really depends IME. My ds was about 12! Because he at that time had orthodontic work that enabled him to use his mouth/jaws better.

Depends on the child my youngest makes less mess than the oldest.

I also remember a mum of 7yo twins, the girl was messy, yet the boy didn't.

So I concluded its a kid thing, not gender related some are just more messy than others.

Depends on the child. My youngest makes less mess than his elder sibling.

My nearly 5 year old just about manages it now most of the time.

The three year old is almost permanently covered in food.

I think once they start pre-school / school is a turning point for most as other children point it out.

My DD 8 has always been careful so I can't remember the last time she either needed prompting to/ wipe her face after eating. My DS 10 is another kettle of fish and always needs a wipe though has recently started checking for himself

It really depends . My 7 year old DD don't really make a mess anymore but her best friend of the same age gets her dinner / ice cream in her hair, up her face, down her clothes , the lot 😂

It depends what food. Dinner would generally not expect a five year old to get over face. But ice cream and melty chocolately foods probably quite old (9) as they spread easily.

I've seen perfectly normal adults have difficulty with eating cleanly so it will completely depend on the child, how aware they are of the mess they are making and whether it bothers them.

I spent most of yesterday walking round with marmite on my chin - so 51

We have a 7 year old who is starting to display some attention seeking behaviours and this is something she’s started to do. She ends up covered up in whatever she eats and it’s so frustrating as she never used to do it.

I'm 50 and probably could do with a bib. Though I have dyspraxia and I'm rather clumsy. Having a huge cleavage doesn't help

DH is 57 and still cannot manage it reliably!

I'm 35 and still manage to get it all over my face so 🤷‍♀️

My son was probably about 3 but we were living in France at the time, much stricter on table manners and kids start preschool at 3.

Well if it’s something she didn’t used to do but now does, it seems it’s not an age related/ability thing but a behavioural thing. My 7 and 6 year olds don’t get food down them (unless it’s something particularly messy), my 2 year old does.

My 6 year old was just starting to become relatively mess-free when eating, minimal amount round face, rarely had drips ect on clothing. Then her 2 top & 2 bottom teeth were wobbly/missing at the same time and now we’re back to messy with food around her face

She also started sniffing her hands and fingers all the time and don’t know how to get her to stop doing this too.

Another saying it varies. Apparently I was very clean as a child, hated mud, oily food, sticky fingers, everything. Could eat tidily by 5 no crumbs or wiping needed. My mother said my sister was "normal", so probably still occasionally a bit messy at 8 or 9. My DD aged 9 usually gets it everywhere, every time. Eyebrows, all over her clothes. She got ice cream in her ear last week...

Usually around 3/4 years old. I'm a childminder and that's when most of them get quite reliable

My DH brought me a plastic bib as a joke once because I get in a mess whenever I eat. I'm over 50!
Sorry not much help to you though!

Im 25 and still struggle.

well mine is 26 and still does......maybe its the severe disability.

@SheABitSpicyToday

She also started sniffing her hands and fingers all the time and don’t know how to get her to stop doing this too.

Ignore it? It's hardly a big deal.

7yo here has cracked it, 9yo hasn’t. I’m not worried

DD is almost 5 and depending on the food is still covered in it! Nowhere near as bad as she used to be, but, she still gets a food beard!