To still be cutting up my 4 year old's grapes?

[surreygirl1987]

Was at a party this afternoon. The host had an amazing fruit platter prepared for the kids in the village hall. Grapes weren't cut up. Most parents plonked grapes on their kids' places without cutting them, or let the kids help themselves. These are 3-4 years olds. I plucked a bunch off and tore them into smaller pieces for my 4 year old (as I know grapes are a choking hazard). Am I the one being unreasonable here or are the other parents? I do think I was the only one that was bothered but I thought grapes can still be risky at 4...? What do other parents do??

Yanbu.

The recommendation is at least 5, or as long as they'll let you. Our school insists on them being cut throughout primary.

As an aside, if you intend to stop at some point, it's a good idea to teach your child the importance of biting grapes (and other round things) as soon as they are in the mouth. So many kids suck them for ages, increasing the risk.

Definitely keep cutting them up, at 8yo my daughter had a close call at her grandparents house, I walked in just at the right time, grandparents oblivious!

What about white bread particularly pappy when chewed and sticks in throat.....but children do have to eat.

My children are grown up, so I no longer cut their grapes! However I was always paranoid about the dangers when they were younger. As an adult, having been on a restricted diet due to swallowing difficulty recently, I am surprised there is not more emphasis of choking prevention for children. As an adult with this difficulty, I have been constantly reminded of the dangers of both food and liquids! It actually scares me that children might be equally vulnerable.

We don't serve pappy white bread at the nursery.

Still do it for my 10 year old. Not even sorry.

I still cut my DS's grapes and he is nearly 9 - just seems safer and only takes a second

So all of you whe cut up grapes for your 9/10/14 year olds, is there any reason you don't get them to cut up their own grapes? Are they not allowed access to knives either?

I made my daughter hold grapes in her hand and bite them lengthways. I used to cut them but then she was at a party and there was uncut grapes and I figured teaching her to eat uncut grapes safely was more important than cutting the grapes, since I couldn’t guarantee I would be there.

Shes only been allowed lollipops for the past few months (she’s 7.5) and she has to sit down with an adult beside her, and isn’t allowed to put the lolly in her mouth(just lick it)