At what age did you stop cutting your kids food?

OK, this is one of those things where I can't figure out if I am babying my kids by doing this for them or not??? I still cut up their food before we sit down for dinner at night. I think there are two reasons....First it is just easier. I have to cut up my three year olds food anyway, so I just cut theirs as well. This way I am not spending the entire time at the table helping cut food up. Secondly, I have been doing it so long it is just habit to do it.

Anyway, at seven and a half should I still be cutting up their dinner????

 

I stopped cutting up their food this Summer, when they were close to 6yrs. I just let them give it a try and to my surprise they have been very proficient at it. We actually spend more time at the dinner table since they are busy cutting up their food!

 

My girls will be 6 in Nov and I cut up their meats for them. If it is something like peaches from a can then they can have a butter knife or a childs knife and cut it themselves. I don't want them handling sharp knives and probably will keep cutting up their meats for them for a few more yrs. But softer things like muffins and stuff I will let them do it themselves if they want or I will do it for them if they don't want to. Sometimes they want to do it themselves especially Trina and Kira won't care either way. Trina wants to cut her meat herself too but I won't let her do that. If your children don't care I don't see a big deal in still doing it for them.

 

I found that my kids had a very difficult time cutting meat and such until they were 8yo or so. I was quite surprised by this, and like you, I sort of thought I might be spoiling them, but they didn't have much success cutting tougher stuff on their own. If they're able to do it, great, let them do it, but if they're not able to, I wouldn't be concerned.

 

I still cut up DD's meats. I have started to wean myself from cutting up things like pancakes and waffles for her, but old habits die hard. She is probably old enough to do a lot of stuff herself, but the younger boys are very "monkey see, monkey do" kind of kids, and I am not ready for that battle.

 

I started giving them non-sharp knives last year, at age 5. I let them at least attempt to cut their own food, and they often do just fine. They've also gotten good at spreading butter and such. When we go out to a restaurant, I let them keep the steak knife now. If it's something big, like a hamburger they want cut in half, I still do it. But I haven 't cut things into bite size pieces for them since before kindergarten.

 

Mine are 4 and are learning to cut their own food, although they dont have the dexterity to get it right just yet .. but they are working on it.

 

My son still has trouble. He will attempt, but then bring it to me and say, "I just can't do it." So, I still cut those things that are tough--steaks, etc. He can get the easy stuff, but the tough stuff I still have to cut things up.

 

It depends upon the food, and the situation. Both are more than capable of handling a knife (butter knife or plastic one). I let them try, if they can't do it, I will assist. Both are more than comfortable asking for help, or asking to be allowed to do it themselves. That said, I do cut steak, before it even reaches the table (I do the same with mine also so its a matter of how I serve it). For some reason I also cut waffles for them, I have no idea why, because when Holly makes breakfast its usually pancakes or waffles and she cuts her own then!

At restaurants, they will hand me the steak knife, which they are pretty sure based on mommy's teaching is sharp and could be dangerous.

 

Thanks for all the responses! I feel like as they are getting older it is so hard to let go of things I have been doing for them forever.

 

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I feel like as they are getting older it is so hard to let go of things I have been doing for them forever.


My mom was the same way, plus I'm the baby and the only girl, so it was REALLY hard for her to stop. She cut my meat and poured my milk until way into grade school, until my older brother finally teased me so much that I started to try it myself. I guess that's why I'm kind of going the opposite direction and trying to get them to be more independent sooner than I was with a lot of things.

 

My girls will turn five in January. I give them a plastic knife when they use playdoh and they love to practice cutting. But, I still cut their food, but mainly for convience on my part.

 

My girls are 5 1/2 and I let them cut up pancakes/waffles/french toast on their own (if they want to, and sometimes they don't) with a butter knife, but I still cut up most meats for them. Most of the things we eat don't require cutting up...mashed potatoes, frozen veggies, pasta, rice dishes etc.