4yr old eating in the car

[itsturtlesallthewaydown]

I'm wondering if MN can help resolve a debate I have with my DH.

I think it's a choking risk for a 4yr old to eat whilst driving and so they should never be given food in a car. If they want a snack you should stop at a service station. My DH says it's OK to give them food whilst driving.

What does everyone else think?

YABU: It's ok for children to eat in a car.
YANBU: It's a choking risk and children should never eat in a car.

I would never give mine a lollipop in the car. But would give them a sandwich.

Partly practicality as well... we did long Yorkshire -kent drives. Having lunch in the car and stopping for a toilet and park break was more useful than a meal break.

I'm wondering why they need to eat in the car whilst in transit. Its messy and a bad habbit. (Unless it's grabbing a quick sandwich between school and a club, for an older child).

Do they have special needs? If not YABU.

I often make mine packed lunches to eat in the car on long journeys. I don't closely watch my 4 year old when he's eating. I think the risk is very small. I wouldn't give high risk food though.

Nope, never allowed eating in the car when mine were little (up to 6, or so) due to choking risk. We had them rear facing up to 18kg, so was very conscious that I wouldn't be able to see any signs of distress.

The one time I allowed it when ds was 4.5, he had a brief incident - won't call it choking because it wasn't quite. He had managed to clear it himself by the time I stopped the car but he was shaken. There was no eating in the car for a long time after that.

I never gave mind food when driving, it was never something that was needed. Long journeys were only a couple of times a year and we would drive a couple of hours then stop, have lunch etc and carry on, stoping again if we had/wanted to.

I'm not able to do long drives without breaks though.

Choose your food. Crackers, cheese straws in small pieces, fruit cut into small pieces. These are all a pretty low risk way of giving a snack. How long are you travelling for? If it’s a couple of hours then make sure they’ve eaten something before you leave and they should be able to wait until you arrive at your destination.

I agree, just picking your food, and avoiding the usual suspects like grapes.

If really worried, perhaps don’t allow it whilst on the motorway or somewhere difficult to stop the car

My 3 year old eat snacks in the car all the time. As others have said, pick your foods wisely.

There's a slight higher chance they could choke while your driving, say for example you slammed the breaks on, a piece of food could slip down their throat

I’d notice if my DS stopped talking for a split second because it’s vanishingly rare. Do parents really put their kids in the back and them ignore them until they reach their destination?

Yes I do. Mine are always chatting away unless asleep.

So just choose snacks that are less likely to be a risk? A drinking yoghurt or pouch, smoothie, banana?

It probably depends a bit on the child. My eldest did have a tendancy to shovel food into his gob like it was going out of fashion so was more of a choking risk. I'd let him eat in the car but choose the type of food wisely. Very young toddlers I'd avoid eating in the car at all. We're talking very small risks here but if you're comfortable waiting for a service station then it's not the end of the world I guess but you'd be unreasonable to insist DH takes the same attitude.

I don’t allow it because of mess. We wait until we get home, or on long journeys stop at a service station.

I wouldn't allow it

I never allow my son to eat in the car while driving, only when we are stopped, we plan our journeys around breakfast, lunch, dinner etc. I don’t eat while driving either. i just wouldn’t take the risk.

for those saying 4 year olds are not at risk is total nonsense. Every person, child or adult can be at risk, my aunt died at 54 chocking on a ham sandwich with people in the house who didn’t have a clue she was in trouble. Its not a risk I would take with my child but each to their own

I mean the delay of stopping the car would be tiny. Unless you usually sit your child on your lap and observe then intently while they eat anything then it’s a bit of a non issue.

'it's a choking risk for a 4yr old to eat whilst driving'

I think it is a far greater risk letting your 4yr old drive at all,😱
but if they do, then they should have both hands on the steering wheel!

I've been a parent for 16 years and always have let my kids eat in the car. 🤷‍♀️ usually out of convenience.

This is quite shocking, Op. I thought evwry would agree with you!!

Agreed, a much higher choking risk and impossible to help them if it happens. I'm with you!

I guess these are the same parents whose kids run around with hard apple slices at the park - apparently one of the most common choking hazards.

Inhaled liquids are still a risk. Are your seats completely upright like a dining chair?

It’s fine. Perhaps not grapes / nuts if you’re worried.

We all know that most children survive to adulthood nowadays that's like saying that's it's okay to not use a car seat I've not had an accident in 40 years so why waste money I could have got 2 generations to 16 years.....you still reduce the risk

Why do we live at a time when children have to have access to food at every second they are awake? Is it just another dummy substitute at school they go from leaving home to 12 and then from 12.15 or so until 3.30 but parents are scared they will die of starvation in a short car ride.