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Original poster

Peeling a satsuma...

21 replies

Bourbonchops · 28/08/2011 23:30

Sorry if this is obvious but can I peel a satsuma in the morning and put it my DC lunchbox so she can eat it at lunchtime?
Will it last until lunch if peeled? I'm thinking it will be fine but just want assurance!
Thanks in Advance.

OP posts:

belledechocchipcookie · 28/08/2011 23:31

Can you not teach her to do this herself? They are not very hard to peel.

Original poster

Bourbonchops · 28/08/2011 23:34

I know! She's the sort of child where if anything seems vaguely difficult she'd rather not bother- grrrr! Wanted to give her more variety than apples and grapes. She wont attempt to peel a banana either.

OP posts:

pookamoo · 28/08/2011 23:36

We found out that DD could peel a satsuma by herself at about 14 months old when we were on our way to swimming, smelt oranges, and when we got there, she had a huge grin and a satsuma peel in her hand - she'd swiped one somehow from the snack bag!

I would imagine a peeled satsuma would be fine if you put it in clingfilm or something? It might go a bit dry, but I should think it would be ok.

belledechocchipcookie · 28/08/2011 23:36

Goodness, she'll find school hard then! You have to train her, like a puppy. You'll be doing this forever for her unless you do something about it. I'm sure you have enough to do besides peeling fruit for your little diva.

piprabbit · 28/08/2011 23:41

Teach her to make satsuma candles - it is fiendishly difficult and you will need to practise quite a lot, so she will have a chance to get really good at peeling satsumas.

Original poster

Bourbonchops · 28/08/2011 23:43

I'm grinning and nodding as I'm reading your comments. It's true, we've only just got her peeling the lids from her own yoghurts! She's just turned 5 but her teachers have said she's behind on her fine motor skills. She often can't open her own bags of crisps.
I sometimes wonder if it's laziness- so frustrating!

OP posts:

belledechocchipcookie · 28/08/2011 23:45

Has she been checked for dyspraxia? My son's 12, he can peel an orange but struggles with a banana. Depressing really. Apparently he's not dyspraxic, but hypermobile.

belledechocchipcookie · 28/08/2011 23:46

She needs to practice these skills though.

Original poster

Bourbonchops · 28/08/2011 23:48

Her teachers have never mentioned anything about her being dyspraxic- might do a little research into it though- thanks.
We practice at home but I know at school she just asks the dinner ladies to do it for her.

OP posts:

belledechocchipcookie · 28/08/2011 23:51

Best of luck. At 5 I'd expect a child to be able to do this though, especially the easy peel ones. If she's unable to do this then start her off. Pretend it's a game and she's making a wiggly worm from the peel. Don't do it for her though as she'll never learn.

Original poster

Bourbonchops · 28/08/2011 23:56

Thanks Belle! I'll keep at it and hopefully get there eventually.

OP posts:

belledechocchipcookie · 29/08/2011 00:01

Fingers crossed. Just think, 10 years down the line you can either run around after her like her servant or teach her independence. The training starts early as there's a lot to get through.

acsec · 29/08/2011 00:07

Just start it off for her - when we have satsumas for fruit time at school many of the children want me to peel them but I always just start it off and tell them to peel it themself whcih they can all manage once the initial 'opening' has been made :)

If she needs fine motor skill practise you need to develop her gross motor skills further too - what is she like at climbing and doing monkey bars etc? Once she gets better gross motor skills her fine motor will improve, so climbing frame in the morning, threading pasta shapes in the afternoon (maybe not that rigidly but you get the idea) :)

TinyPawz · 29/08/2011 00:10

My DD is the takes her good sweet time to peel oranges. She never had enough time to peel & eat so I started to peel and put into a little Tupperware box.

cat64 · 29/08/2011 00:43

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn

BleughCowWonders · 29/08/2011 05:23

I've seen plenty of lunch boxes with peeled oranges etc. Makes lunch much quicker for the child so they can get on and play with their friends - no need for so many posters to think there's a problem with each and every one of these children or their parents
Small tupperware or sandwich bag works fine til lunchtime, child has cleaner hands than after peeling an orange

HopeForTheBest · 29/08/2011 16:09

This reply has been withdrawn

This has been withdrawn by MNHQ on request of its author.

inia · 29/08/2011 16:15

You could make and keep the satsuma inside the skin

(trick I learned when living in Thailand; I don't even understand why I am surprised there's a youtube video of it)

deemented · 29/08/2011 16:20

i'm considerably older than your DD and it takes me the best part of an hour to peel a satsuma or an orange.

I have to get all the evil white pith off, i couldn't contemplate eating any of it.

schroeder · 29/08/2011 20:49

Oh where can you buy satsumas at the moment? I love 'em, but I thought they were out of season.

If your dc hasn't got the hang of it yet then yes you can peel and then rewrap in it's own skin or foil which stays on better.

Ashleigh1969 · 29/01/2025 14:13

I know this post is super old but WOW. People are so mean you poor women!
I'm in the same boat which is why I have came across your thread but can’t believe people’s comments to you. Anyway, I just wanted to say it’s also due to time! They don’t get much time to eat lunch at school or are rushing to get out to play in my instance so I want to make things easy as possible.

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