My kids are 8 & 10, and I recently realized that I'm still cutting most of their meals. They practice on things like pancakes and soft foods like that, but I still cut up their apples, meat, etc. Sometimes it's simply faster to do it myself when I'm in a hurry, but I think they need to do this for themselves. On the other hand, I've been watching other moms with kids of similar ages, and see them cutting their kids' food, too. When do we stop?!?
myfour year old I'd learning to cut her food....still needs help at times. a good serated sharp knife works the best. very easy to cut yourself with a dull knife....wont cut the food and will slip or roll and cut you
You let them cut their foods at the age you think it's time or when they want to themselves. My oldest was about 5 1/2 when he wanted to cut his own foods. My middle son is 8 and I wouldn't let him within 10 feet of a sharp knife. The point being there isn't a hard and fast age. If you are thinking about it, it may be time.
Let them work with you in the kitchen. Give them jobs to do and watch how they handle the utensils. Teach them how to use a sharp knife on easy-to-cut things first (bread, sandwiches, boneless chicken, etc.) before turning them loose on things that are hard to cut (apples, steak with bones, things that roll away or have seeds). There will be accidents; they may get a cut but most are not life-threatening!
Remember that very sharp knives are much easier to cut with than a dull knife.
My daughter is 14 now and of course we do not cut her food.
Just be prepared for some mess ups and don't come down on them hard...they are just learning.
We stopped cutting food a long time ago. One thing we did that she enjoyed a lot was going to a etiquette class/camp for a week. She learned a lot about table manners, how to walk properly, get in and out of a car, etc.
The last thing they did at the camp was to have a complete 5 course dinner on fine china and use proper utensils. At "graduation" they went through and named the utensils, china and stemware. This was something that she loved and she learned a lot.
She is not self conscious when we go out to nice places to eat!
Just a thought.
i still cut my 12 yr olds meat and such. i should stop i guess, but i don't want him to hurt himself. it's a fear i need to swallow and let him learn this skill. but i will continue to do it for my 5 yr old for a while longer.
