Not cutting up DS’ grapes?

[moryn]

I was approached by a member of staff at pick up today, to tell me that the kitchen staff expressed concerns that DS’ grapes were whole and not cut up.

He’s 7.5. He chews properly, sits still to eat etc.

I was under the impression that the guidance is for children aged 5 and below.

AIBU here?

i have the same in my sons school, he doesn’t like grapes cut up so I just send them whole, he is nearly 8. I only give at lunch when he is sitting down, not as his snack as they eat those in the playground

Nope they're not.

the expertise & equipment hospitals have often isn't enough due to size/shape/texture.

they need cutting in half lengthways.

Most other good can be reasonably easily dislodge with good manoeuvre.

why are people so resistant to believing grapes are a serious risk due to their size, shake & texture.

why are people so unwilling to just cut the damn things in half?

It’s not really a fair comparison though because there is a huge benefit to having and driving a car that makes the risk worth it. There is absolutely no benefit to eating grapes whole that I can see. Even the anxiety point you mention, I don’t feel anxious about grapes. We hardly ever have them tbh as I am not a fan of the texture but when we do, I cut them up without a second though. DA has certainly never even questioned why I do it. Literally zero anxiety over here. Just a logical risk mitigation.

Also, does your username refer to a doggo per chance 😂 mine should be barky lab in that case!

For anyone who doesn’t want to do as the school have politely requested please go and do a voluntary shift as a meal time assistant. You’ll soon start supporting your school instead of taking issue with their simple requests.
Until you’ve explained a child in your care chocking you can’t imagine how terrifying it is.

What next, pre chewed apples ?

Yes definitely a barky goldie in residence, who would be the one in our family most likely to choke on a grape through greedily snacking it down, if he ever got the chance!

Fair point about the necessity of driving versus grapes. I’m glad for you that you’re not suffering from anxiety, but I think there’s a lot on the thread, and MN is like a hotbed for anxiety contagion. Just trying to bring a dose of ‘let’s be realistic about statistical risk’ and illustrating that many don’t feel anxious about driving with kids, even though it’s realistically far higher risk than choking aged 7.

Fing hell. I have never cut a grape up.. didn't know it was a safety expectation.. i am mid 60s though !. When are you allowed to eat them whole then?? I need to know now

If ever I gave mine a whole apple they would take a couple of bites but if they cut it with the apple segmenter first and wrapped it up for lunch they would eat the whole apple. Go figure.

Thank you for answering

if you read through the thread. You'll see mistakes medical people say 'never'. Cutting them in half takes seconds & could be life saving. It's easier to just do it than die or live with the consequences if a loved one dies.

honestly, it's so easy to laugh, a have a sudden intake of breath & they can lodge in your windpipe & are not always able to be removed even at hospital with expertise & equipment, let alone an inexperienced person at home. Of course as an adult you should know ti bite them & not put them in your mouth whole, but it's easy to be distracted.

Plus it's the texture thing. Mini eggs are nothing like the texture of grapes.

Very true.

Yes, I was.

Fair play. Apologies.

I cut grapes if sending to school at primary. Don’t care if that was over the stop. I don’t do it now they are teens.

Those of you who think it’s ridiculous have obviously never witnessed a choking incident!

A family member is still traumatised from fighting to get a lychee out of his daughter's throat around 10 years ago. She was 8.

Oh, and anyone on here talking about halving grapes - you don't. You quarter them. Or they are still round and therefore a choking risk - whichever way you slice them.

if you cut them in half, they are not still round .

theyre not round in the first place, but you cant cut a round thing or a grape shaped thing in half & it still be the original shape 🙇🏻‍♀️

they only need to be in quarters for the under 3's

Cutting up a few grapes to avoid choking is hardly the same as not using your car to avoid crashing. Fastening the seatbelt and using the appropriate car seat for a child would be more comparable, two things the vast majority are happy to do.

It's absolutely no big deal to cut up grapes, I still do it to mine, they're 8 and 10.

It should be illegal to sell whole grapes. Time for a MN petition.
😉😁😁.

Hard sweets are lethal. I choked twice, once was on a hard sweet, now I’m super careful and don’t eat anything that can slip and lodge. In both incidents I was eating walking around.

You do you. The cross section of the grape retains its shape to cause choking after a single cut, is obviously what I meant. Shrug away. I shan't be replying.

I have to keep all food stuffs out of reach of my lab.

Ans yes ok, I understand better the point you were trying to make now