Help with 2.5 yr old using cutlery?

[minimouse88]

Hi
My partner insists that our 2.5 year daughter uses her cutlery 'properly' ie fork in left hand and knife in right hand and doesn't feed herself using her hands.

While I know this is proper for older children and adults, I feel that he is making it more difficult for her, as she had just grasped using the fork well in her right hand and now uses the fork very awkwardly in the other hand.

What does anyone else think?

Does anyone know when is the best time to introduce the 'proper' way to use cutlery?

Thanks

good idea to let them try, but eating with hands at that age is totally fine.

my 2.5 year old eats well with a spoon or a fork and tries to copy older brothers cutting with a knife (but success rate varies).
he is more likely to eat with hands when tired, so while encouraged/required to use a fork or spoon, he's never forced to use a knife!
(in fact he wants to do it sometimes, but I think he's too young to do it safely. I let him if he insists. TBH I'm not fussed either way)

it's more important at her age that she's interested and willing to try using proper cutlery, than whether she can do it properly. I'm not even sure she has the coordination or strength to cut well with a proper knife.
just let her be ffs,

anyway, you can't tell if she might be left or right handed, it's frankly stupid to force them to use whichever hand!

Mine were the same. I didnt give two hoots as long as they ate (still not that bothered). It came naturally with them watching us and praising good manners. It didnt take long but at that age I just wanted them to enjoy eating.

Thanks for your post amazingmumof6, I am glad it's not just me that feels that way! I read your post with relief as i thought that too... There is a question mark as to whether she will be a leftie anyway, as my partner was a leftie naturally but was forced to be a rightie.