My daughter eats so slowly!!!

[hattiesmumm]

And it’s killing me. She takes a good hour after we’ve finished for her to finish. She’s 10. Like she has tiny bites of things. It’s driving us insane. She’s just “finished” her tea, she’s had half a chicken burger and 3 mouth fills of sweet corn and about 8 chips.

I don’t know what to do!

Leave her to it. Mine is a slow eater too, although not to the same extreme yours is, but I find just leaving her at the table with her food while I bustle around the kitchen tidying, washing up etc seems to work better than nagging her to eat more/faster.

Has she always been like this or is it a new thing?

She’s always been a slow eater but it’s got worse lately :(

She's not trying to restrict what she eats?

I was like that. Remember having to microwave my dinner at least once if not twice whilst eating it as it would go cold. I’ve got faster as I’ve got older but still don’t like to rush and am always the last to finish at the table. I feel ill if I go too fast.
I’d try not to worry if you don’t have to.

How is her hearing/breathing? I was always a slow eater as I couldn't breathe through my nose as my adenoids were huge (or hear well). Mouth breathing really slows eating down. It might be worth checking.

DS3, sigh. Commiserations.

Messing around?
Distracted?
Slow chewing?

What’s the cause?

Because that determines the response

That's my DD, 10, it's maddening most times. I know OP. I know.

I'm 31 and can totally relate! I'm such a slow eater drives everyone nuts! Just leave her to it, it really sucks when you feel pressure to hurry up or forced to enjoy your food at someone else's eating pace! Each to their own!

OP said small bites. Any conversation at the table & DS forgets to eat, too.

Small bites is why I'm a slow eater so I just connected the two I also cut chips into several bits before eating them. I never thought it was weird until once on person said something everyone started brining it up

I share your pain. I'm on MN at the moment while DD eats her dinner. Very, very slowly - yesterday's lunch (pizza, so something she really likes) took over an hour for her to eat. There was no pause in food being available to her.... (DD is 5) Another one with small bites who's easily distracted.

My nearly 7 year old is the same. Takes absolutely forever to eat