How long does your 7 year take to eat dinner?

[Whowhatwhywherewhen]

Just that really... how long does your 7 year old take to eat dinner? If you eat as a family (with kids around that age) how long are you all at the table?

Mine feels like the world's slowest eater, and much more interested in talking than eating!

My DD is several years older now, but I do recall some long mealtimes at about that age. Some meals were slower than others - she was never much keen on cutting or chewing meat, for example - so with those meals we had to be very patient! Others, no problem at all. We tried to make sure we didn't favour the 'quick' meals though - we just made sure there was more time available if we were having a roast dinner!

Remember that meal times are also family time, so try to make the most of the talking and procrastinating - in a few years' time, you will wish your child was happy to hang out with you!

Thanks , that's really true, now that I think about it I'm sure in a few years I'm gonna wish I have my little chatty one still at the table!

Sometimes though it does feel as though half my life is spent waiting at that dinner table!! Just trying to work out what's typical for a 7 year old - but I guess it varies a lot!

My very slow eater is now 12, and can still take 40 mins to an hour to eat his one plate of food. It's not fair on the rest of the family to wait that long on a weeknight, so I let them leave the table and he happily finishes his meal, while DH or I potter round the kitchen clearing up.