Anonymous wrote:How are your kids at the cafeteria at school? Maybe peer pressure will encourage them to be less messy? No one wants to sit next to a messy eater — even the messy eaters! I volunteered at lunch and was shocked at how messy some kids were...and how inconsiderate they were about taking up table space. My kid had her lunch box, bento box, etc spread out all over the table and in other’s space. Oops, I forgot to mention how to eat out of a lunchbox I guess!

He is nowhere as messy at school than he is at home.

How are your kids at the cafeteria at school? Maybe peer pressure will encourage them to be less messy? No one wants to sit next to a messy eater — even the messy eaters! I volunteered at lunch and was shocked at how messy some kids were...and how inconsiderate they were about taking up table space. My kid had her lunch box, bento box, etc spread out all over the table and in other’s space. Oops, I forgot to mention how to eat out of a lunchbox I guess!

Anonymous wrote:Give them a placemat if you haven't already, and make them clean up after themselves. It probably won't help much with the messiness, but at least you will have less to do when you clean up after they clean up (my expectations of a six year old's cleaning thoroughness are low.)

Good tip thanks. I have resorted to giving him smaller portions of food at a time to see if that helps. If not, I might have to start feeding him myself if he doesn't start eating like a big boy gosh.

My 6 year old daughter is not but about half my kindergarten class is!

Give them a placemat if you haven't already, and make them clean up after themselves. It probably won't help much with the messiness, but at least you will have less to do when you clean up after they clean up (my expectations of a six year old's cleaning thoroughness are low.)

We don't eat spaghetti. I prefer other shapes anyway. Plate gets taken away if fork and spoon is not used after a reminder. We do eat a lot of soup and dd does well with a spoon there. I only put a little water in her cup at a time since she'll topple over by accident. Snacks are served on a plate. Tea is drunk from a small porcelain cup with saucer. Napkin on lap and it's used for wiping hands. She can have another one next to her plate if she needs it. She's 4. Tables manners are not negotiable.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My 8 year old is messier than his 4 year old brother. It drives me insane. I threatened to send him to etiquette camp this summer (not sure this is a thing that exists)

Haha etiquette school! Is he bothered at all by the fact he is messy after eating. My son thinks its the funniest thing in the world when I stand him in front of a mirror to look at himself!

Nope, not bothered at all. Just annoyed when I make him clean up!

My 5 year old is actually a fairly non-messy eater.

My 14 year old though...not so much.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
My 9 year old daughter is a messy eater, which is intriguing because her older brother is the one with ADHD and he's rather clumsy... but no, she's the messy one at the table!

No other siblings here. Have you found anything that has helped? I hope by 9, he isn't as messy as he is now.

Not really. We tell her repeatedly not to eat with her fingers, or eat outside her plate, or serve herself from s dish that’s a mile away. But it hadn’t sunk it yet.

Let me guess, in 1 ear and out the other right? haha Is she any better when eating at restaurants or places other than home? We try to eat out once a week and I dread it.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
My 9 year old daughter is a messy eater, which is intriguing because her older brother is the one with ADHD and he's rather clumsy... but no, she's the messy one at the table!

No other siblings here. Have you found anything that has helped? I hope by 9, he isn't as messy as he is now.

Not really. We tell her repeatedly not to eat with her fingers, or eat outside her plate, or serve herself from s dish that’s a mile away. But it hadn’t sunk it yet.