To ask when you are supposed to stop cutting up grapes

[1Veryhungrycaterpillar]

V dumb question really but I still do this for my eldest (5) and my Dzh laughs at me, it's mainly because they are for packed lunch and I can't trust her not to rush her lunch at school

[Susandeath]

I've just stopped for my Ds, who is 5. I always thought the age was 5.

[OwlinaTree]

When your child graduates from university, they have the traditional grape grab, where each graduate grabs a grape from the great grape bowl placed at the exit.

This symbolises the new found freedom of whole grape eating. Many people commemorate this day by a) putting framed pictures of grape day on the wall of their lounge and b) drinking the juice of the grape.

Hope this helps

[IfIonlyhadsomesleep]

When you can be sure they will crunch them as soon as they eat them. So I'd say cut them up longer for packed lunches than at home, where you can remind them.

[OwlinaTree]

Yes they can be a choking hazard on a serious note. ifionly has good advice

[ChippingInWiredOnCoffee]

Adults have choked (and died) on grapes. Cut them up for as long as you can (without either you losing your mind or them crying about being 'treat like a baby'). Tell your DH you are partial to your children alive.

[givemeaboost]

I cant say ive EVER chopped up grapes for any of mine...they are still alive

[picnicbasketcase]

I think about five too

[MegBusset]

I still cut them up for my 4yo and 6yo. It takes seconds and reduces the risk of them choking so can't see a reason to stop.

[ChippingInWiredOnCoffee]

I wouldn't even stop then for a school lunch tbh. It only take a child to laugh at what someone else is doing to choke on a grape and choking is silent - not the big drama they make out of it on the tele. That much drama and the person isn't actually choking...

While we are about it - do you know what an even worse hazzard is and one that most people allow small children to eat?? Marshmallows. If a child chokes on one of those you are very unlikely to be able to dislodge it :( I only found out about that recently and I find it a bit scary... and I'm normally pretty blase about pretty much everything!

[givemeaboost]

I don't see that argument, ive known a kid to die chocking on a sasuage, should i therefor be cutting up everything that goes into their mouths until theyre adults?! if they learn from young(blw) they they learn to chew stuff from very early on-ime anyway.

[LauraPashley]

I now only give dd (5) grapes at home, as she freaks out if we cut them, but I can't stand the thought of her eating whole ones unsupervised . A wee boy choked on one at an after school club recently and died- I always picture them running around/jumping about while eating etc. I make her sit down at the table with grapes!

[nohalfmeasures]

My Ds2 swallowed one whole when he was 8 ("to see if he could") It got stuck halfway down his oesophagus and he had to retch it back up. It was very painful and gave him a real fright. he won't try that again.

I can't remember ever cutting up grapes, apart from when they were just starting with finger food & needed to get a better grip on them.

[ChippingInWiredOnCoffee]

givemeaboost - yes, they all are until they aren't. Pretty stupid logic there. Millions of people around the world travel in cars everyday - they are all still alive - except the ones that aren't.

[HorryIsUpduffed]

I think it is at around age five that the trachea stops being a funnel shape and takes on the adult cylinder shape.

I always cut or at least slit DS(2)'s grapes, and cherry tomatoes if he hasn't stolen them out of the fridge himself and shoved them straight in his gob. I will not however be bothering to do so for the grapes at DS1's 5th birthday party this weekend.

[ChippingInWiredOnCoffee]

givemeaboost - no other food is really the same shape or size. Most other food has more texture or a shape which air can go around.

[neunundneunzigluftballons]

Never chopped grapes power of hindsight I probably should have thank god yet another parenting bullet dodged.

[WhatKatyDidToday]

Life is to short to cut grapes

[givemeaboost]

why is that stupid logic chipping? when you chop up foods into small pieces where/what age does it stop?

[ChippingInWiredOnCoffee]

Stupid logic was referring to your comment that your kids didn't die from choking on a grape therefore cutting up grapes is pointless. What about the children that have died? Don't they count? Should that not be a warning to others?

[ChippingInWiredOnCoffee]

Grapes due to their shape/size/nature - no one is suggesting you cut up all their food into tiny bits, just one thing - grapes.

[MrsTerryPratchett]

I cut up for DD who is two. Sometimes I give her a whole one if they are at a friend's house with no knife handy but stern, "bite" first and she does. I've been scaring myself with pop corn lately. I was letting her share if we had it. Now, I find it is horribly dangerous.

[Morloth]

I just pop them.

Much faster than cutting and breaks the surface tension of the skin and changes the shape slightly.

And I teach them to pop their own grapes. My 9 year old always has done and this is how he thinks you eat grapes.

Problem solved.

[HollyBerryBush]

Good grief. People cut up grapes?
My family have these amazing things called teeth.

[WidowWadman]

I stopped cutting them up when I realised that they've been eating whole ones at nursery for ages...

[Pobblewhohasnotoes]

Grapes are a perfect shape and size to get lodged in a child's airway.