Slow Eater

my daughter use to be the same way. i was told that it is the one thing she can control, so she uses it to the fullest. some nights i would just let her start eating before us. this way we would finish together. as long as you feel he is getting all his nutrition i wouldn't worry:)
C.

Sounds cruel, but let him have only a certain amount of time to eat that is reasonable. If he cannot finish in that time, take the food away and let him be hungry until the next time to eat. He will learn to eat faster. I was a slow eater, and it worked for my parents.
I didn't like it, but it definitely was effective!
Good luck.

I would just try and let him eat at his own pace....you dont want meal time to become a struggle of wills. It is actually better for him to eat at a more relaxed pace...he wont have as much trouble with overeating as he grows up because the slower you eat...the quicker your body gets the message that you are "full" and you dont overeat!! I am just the opposite...I eat so quickly that I will be done eating and my husband is not even half done!!! I know if I could slow down and really ENJOY my food...that would be half of my battle with my weight!!!

i agree with cari - work with him the best you can. start him eating meals a little bit before everyone if you have to. eating slower is a good habit really. make sure he has lots of healthy snacks available, he'll be ok.

Eating slowly is actually a healthier way to eat. We out grow it as we get older. It is one of those many bad habits that we pick up as adults that kids instinctively know. Having said that, it can be very frustrating. Try to be patient with him. Maybe during those times that you know you can't give him the time at the table to finish at his own speed, you can give him something that he can take with him and eat in the car. Instead of cereal with milk, give him just dry cereal and milk in a sippy cup or a fruit bar or granola bar. That was he can take his time without making everyone else late. My daughter is not a slow eater but she does not like to eat first thing in the morning so we have to be flexible sometimes as well.

I can totally empathize with you - my 5 year old is still a slow eater and he started kindgergarten this year and they only have 20 minutes for lunch! Anyway, one thing you can do is give him a time limit and if he's not done in time then don't let him have any snacks or anything until the next meal - hopefully he'll be so hungry that he'll figure out that he'd better eat during that time. Good luck... I know it's hard to do because you don't like your little one to be hungry - but one or two days won't hurt him. :)

My daughter was the same way. I finally started setting a timer that she had to be done by. If she was not finished by the time the timer went off (set it to go off around the same time the rest of your family finishes)then she was finished until the next meal. After about a week of that, she finally started eating faster and was getting fuller too because her meal wasn't being cut down for not eating fast enough. She is still a slow eater (at 8) but she no longer sits at the table 25-30 minutes after we leave.

My oldest son has always been a slow eater. He is now twelve and is often the last to finish. At school, he misses part of recess occasionally since he is such a slow eater. I wish that I had a solution for you, but like my son, he may always be that way. When you are in a hurry or have to leave, just let him take his plate with him (if possible) or he may just have to wait until the next meal. Good luck! I look forward to reading your responses so I can learn a trick or two myself! K.

Why would you want to make him eat faster? That is actually the best habit to be in that way you get a chance to listen to your body and will know when you are full. I am a slow eater also and usually the last one to finish eating I learned at school to eat a little faster but would prefer to be able to take my time and enjoy my food. I would suggest let him be he will learn how fast to eat in each situation and will be better off in the long run.

My advice is start earlier if you have plans and let him know that because he takes longer then the rest of you that he has to also get up earlier and start before the others. I had this problem with my son also and once he realized he could just pick up the pace a little then it was better. Never make him stressed or hurry him too much when eating or it will make him sick or possibly he will be a nervous eater. Good Luck

I'm with Donna...have him start eating before everyone else...if you are busy on Sunday mornings, set out something Saturday night (even dry cereal in a ziploc) that he can snack on as soon as he gets up. Carry ziplocs of snacks with you...my 4 yr old daughter grazes and is a slow eater too...When she started preschool she has learned to eat faster in the lunchroom but I always find her famished when she comes home...Slow eating is a GOOD thing...we could all use a little more slowing down. I wouldn't worry too much about him and I certainly wouldn't set a timer to get him to eat. Clean a room, yeah, but eating? Too many people have messed up GI systems and eating problems from shoveling it in too fast and not knowing when their stomachs are full...I stay put up with it...he'll eventually regulate himself or learn to fin for himself snackwise at home (my kids did...they've got their own snack drawer they can go to for fresh fruit, crackers, etc.).

There is nothing wrong with that I too am a slow eater. It is actually good for the tract. He may grow out of that but nothing to worry about.

Hi A.,

I had a few questions, Does your son like to talk while he eats or does he get distracted easily? Or does he just eat slowly? You might try sitting him down before everyone else with a snack or some dinner, about 15-20 minutes before everyone else is called in, then he will be done when everyone else is or even before if he gets full. When he does eat, does he finish everything even though he's slow about it? The only other thing you can do is offer nutrious snacks through out the day to keep him from being so hungry at meals and taking so long. Hope this helps

Good Morning Aubery, I feel for your little guy. I am a slow eater also. If I eat quickly I get a terrible case of Hiccups to the point my hubby has to pat me on the back. ( Firmly )

I think you touched on part of the problem At "his Leisure"
This is home and he can relax. Yeah Sunday morning were rushed here also when the boys were little. So on those mornings we took dry cheerios and sippy cups in the car.
Other then that I never sat a time for them to finish a meal in a limited amount of time.
When they get to school they will get the rush hurry up stuff.

I used to feel so embarrasssed if we went out to eat with friends or family because I would be the last one sitting there with a plate in front of me. Those wait staff folks are really quick to remove those empty plates. It got to where even if I really wanted to finish my meal I didn't, when they started removing empty plates, I let them take mine also.
After our friends saw my hubby having to beat me on the back a few times when i tried to hurry, they are more understanding. Plus hubby will not let a server take his plate away now until I am ready.

If you feel the need to set time limits that is definitely up to you and hubby. If he stays hungry a few times not finishing maybe down the road he will hurry up.

I have heard though if you eat to quickly you do not get that full feeling and can cause you to over eat.
I Could be all wet too .....lol

Good Luck A.
K. Nana of 5

Don't worry Mom, he will pick up speed when he goes to school or he will eat better at his next meal-for his snacks give him a healthy drink or vege shake. You may want to make sure he has no problem swallowing foods. Ask your doctor to look at this to make sure he is ok.

When he's at home let him eat at "his leisure". It is a great habit to have. On Sunday mornings or whenever you have somewhere to be have him start eating earlier than everyone else. We are in such a world now that everything is rushed. We rush thru the drive thrus and rush to eat what we've purchased. We don't sit down for family meals anymore, we rush to eat to get going where ever it is we need to go. And unfortunately it shows on our bodies in the form of obesity. Don't rush your little guy. He will be healthier because of it. He will cope when he does start school so don't fret now. He'll speed up some a little later on, but be thankful he is eating and eating at a healthy pace. Good luck and God Bless.

First, I'd like to say that eating slowly is good for digestion. It also, from what I understand, allows your body time to send the signal to the brain that you are all full. That said, he will soon figure it out if you tell him, we have to leave in a little bit, so you need to get started eating. Maybe using actual time numbers. We only have 20 minutes for breakfast today, so you need to eat quickly will help. If he is three, he is beginning to or already understands numbers, so it shouldn't take long for time duration to kinda make sense to him. Or, you could always just get him up earlier so he has more time for breakfast. Good luck