I didnt mind if my kids ate with there fingers BUT at the same time it was important that they knew how to use a knife and fork and knew that when we were out they used good table manners.
I remember when my kids were little and we took them to Sizzlers. There was a family just over from us and honestly I thought the way they were behaving was a prank and tv crew would jump out at any minute to tell me I had been pranked. They ate like pigs at a trough. The noise, the mess, chewing with their mouths open. When they left their table and the surrounds looked like a tornado had been through. I was stunned and disgusted.

Kids are Kids. It’s natural for a baby to learn the pinser grip while picking up peas or berries off their plate.
And as they get older they will eventually progress to cutlery.

My youngest has Down syndrome and she licks the bowls and eats mostly with her hands. While I always give her cutlery and encourage her to use it (just to develop the fine motor skill), I most certainly don’t push or force her, but give her the space to eat in her own way.

This is Kate’s way, not the right way. My thoughts are that it depends what is being eaten. I don’t growl at my child for eating with her hands, but I think most foods are best off being eaten with cutlery, cheers.

Our youngest was 2 y.o. in Sept. He has been eating with a spoon most of the time for a few months. He is fairly independent, also trying to copying his older sister and brother. There is some things he still eats with his fingers but then adults do too.

Eating with fingers is normal for most foods. Me I prefer chop sticks then knife n fork. I have an aunt who eats pizza and hamburgers with knife and fork. Some foods are easier to eat with fingers. Chicken pieces, pizzas, hamburgers are easier with fingers. Children need to learn to use cutlery and fingers came first, just have clean hands to start with.

It’s primal and many cultures still eat with their hands! After all there is no better way to eat chicken!!

Basic rule: wash your hands before dinner. As long as you follow that rule, you can eat however you want. My toddler loves using a fork or spoon and is getting good at it, but there are times when he is struggling and I encourage him to just use his fingers. I don’t find it rude. If the baby decides she needs to be fed while I am having dinner then I tend to eat with my hands while feeding her.

Possibly but if we were having dinner at a friends house I wouldn’t want the kids to look feral with their eating. I guess eating with fingers is for sometimes not all the time.

It depends on what you’re eating and whether you’re at home or out, I think.

I agree with so many posts points. It depends on the type of food your child is eating and where you are eating.

It really does depend on the type of food and where you are eating. Sometimes fingers and hands are appropriate and sometimes cutlery. When travelling there are cultural differences too.

• • 
  • • Ellen replied
    • 25 Nov 2018 , 7:40 am

  ---

  

  Definitely ! Whilst traveling in a more rural area of Africa this year, we got to practice eating with our hands out of shared pots & pans, whilst sitting on the floor all around it.

  ---

  • • 
    • • rainemac replied
      • 25 Nov 2018 , 9:04 pm

    ---

    Exactly, hands came before utensils,punishing a child for using their hands,seems a tad extreme don’t you think? :O

  • • 
    • • Ellen replied
      • 05 Jan 2019 , 4:08 am

    ---

    

    Exactly !

My grandkids love eating with their fingers and there is nothing wrong with that . Strawberries fish fingers lamb chops the only thing different is kids do what adults want to do.

My boys used to eat with their hands at times. The only condition was that they had to wash their hands first and then wash them after eating. Once they got a bit older they wanted to use cutlery to show they were very grown up. It never hurt them and I wouldn’t punish them for using their hands. At least they were eating. Naturally it depends on what they were eating

I don’t have an issue with this either. But of course, there are times they should eat with the utensils provided-a restaurant, at the grand parents, etc.

• • 
  • • mom93821 replied
    • 25 Nov 2018 , 5:52 am

  ---

  It really is about teaching children about the different expectations for dining etiquette depending on location and event and people. Teaching children to know the difference and to adapt to each situation is an important skill.

I think it depends on how you react and how you always eat yourself. If you eat at a table with a knife and fork, then children imitate their parents. If you eat in front of the TV and only occasionally eat with a knife and fork, then they will copy that too. The food shown being eaten I believe should be eaten with utensils, but if it is finger food, or pizza, then hands are the norm.

I can see the logic behind this, i think as long as they are eating a healthy balanced meal (with clean hands) it should be fine. But they need to learn socially acceptable eating too.

I love finger foods, feeling different textures is important to development, fine motor skills as well and lets face it who doesn’t like to squish things

This discussion always comes up in our house when we have finger food mixed with something that conventionally requires a knife and fork! We’re all eating and then I noticed the peas are being eaten with fingers (which gets pointed out) but the slices of pizza are picked up with hands by all!) I think it goes back to hygiene, and using utensils where possible is the best first line of resistance against all those nasty bugs, germs, molds, viruses, bacteria etc. that are all over the place. We need the bacteria yes.. but there is enough on the knife and fork for me without using my hands! So I cut my pizza and use the fork for peas!

My kids are 1/2 Indian. We just say it’s cultural. But sometimes it bugs us. My boy uses a whole napkin with every mouthful if he gets away with it!