Do You Cut Up GRAPES For A 4 Year Old?

[Lianne]

For me it is about knowing each child and knowing what they are capable of doing. It is also about teaching them to eat properly and exposing them to things that could be potential hazards but cannot be ignored unless they plan on never eating grapes in their life times.

I agree with this statement 100%

[CedarCreek]

There are LOTS of things that are safety risks that we still do. We just do them with caution.

It isn't like she is letting her daycare kids play with knives and praying they don't get cut.

I personally cut the grapes in half IF I think the child in question (no matter their age) is not capable or developmentally not able to chew properly.

I have 3 yr olds that eat with fantastic table manners, use silverware appropriately and chew with their mouths closed while sitting correctly at the table.

I have 5 yr olds who can't sit still while at the table, stuff their mouths full, hardly chew anything and think meal time is a race to the death.

Guess who gets their grapes cut up?

For me it is about knowing each child and knowing what they are capable of doing. It is also about teaching them to eat properly and exposing them to things that could be potential hazards but cannot be ignored unless they plan on never eating grapes in their life times.

Everything here

[Country Kids]

A list of choking hazard that you probably never thought of. This list I found is quiet intereting.

1.grapes
2.blueberries
3.hot dog pieces
4.Kix or other round cereal puffs
5.Skittles, M&Ms, or round candy pieces (not that you’re giving it to your baby but if someone else is enjoying them, they are likely to find them around somewhere)

6.ball bearings (like in Magnetix or MagneBlocks)
7.marbles (in several kids’ games)
8.Rokenbok balls
9.Lego heads, wheels, and tires
10.stringing beads (or beads on little girls’ accessories)

Other than small round things, here are my other top chokers at mealtime until the kids can chew well:
1.bread
2.bagels
3.chicken nuggets
4.chips or crispy things
5.popcorn, rice cakes, or flaky things
6.wheat thins or hard crackers
7.peanut butter
8.banana (have to keep it in small bits)
9.apple pieces
10.carrots
11.cut up steak, chicken or stringy things

[Willow]

Child Dies After Choking on Grape at MN Daycare
http://childaccidentlawyer.com/2010/...-daycare-dies/

Birdwalk.....I remember when this happened.

The scariest part was that no one there knew what to do and then wasted precious time by calling the child's parents to discuss the situation instead of immediately dialing 911. This was a CENTER for criminey's sake so it wasn't even like a fluster on one home providers part, there were multiple people that failed this child.

My licensor sent out an email afterward detailing not only what went wrong but encouraging us to express to our parents smack dab in our policies that in an emergency 911 will always be called first. If you're questioning if it's an emergency it is DEFINITELY an emergency. Don't ever second guess yourself.

When a child chokes (my Red Cross classes emphasize it's not *if* a child ever chokes in your care it's a just a matter of *when*) you have less than a minute to clear the airway. Why anyone would ever think to sit down and call the parents in that minute is absolutely beyond my comprehension.....

[daycarediva]

As long as a child is in my care they get their grapes cut up, no matter how old they are I'm just too paranoid to take the chance ever.
I know a child that choked on a hot dog and died. So sad and so easily preventable.

Not worth the risk.

[canadiancare]

as an aside I also don't allow scarves here. The kids have to wear neck warmers instead because of strangulation issues while playing. I am an overly cautious person.

[Meyou]

Everyone should know what to do in case of choking. One of my dd's choked when she was 3 on pita bread. If I hadn't have known how to do the Heimlich she would have died. My dad panicked and ran for "help"...I still shudder to think what would have happened if I wasn't there.

[countrymom]

there is no right or wrong answer. You need to do it BASED ON THE CHILD. I sometimes cut and sometimes not, depends on the child and the grape (big or small) but I think some of you are going over board, they can choke on anything and everything. So do you eliminate all your food or toys, I don't think so. And also, its funny how some of you are freaking over grapes and saying that parents do so much for kids and don't teach them how to do stuff and yet many of you go and cut up grapes for the older children, thats a bit contradicting don't you think. And if you are so afraid of children choking, then maybe this isn't the profession for you because this is a job that you need to be level headed and calm when things happen and know how to do the hymlic manouver. Oh my odd choked on a pretzel at a fair and all the people around her were in full panic mood. She was sitting down and eating and it went down the wrong way. I didn't stop her from eating them, we let her know that she needs to chew better.

[kitykids3]

To those who don't think it's necessary to cut up grapes for a 4 year old... I know of TWO 4-5 year olds who have choked on whole grapes! If you don't want to take the time to cut them, don't serve them.

Really? You're going to tell me not to serve a particular food in my own business and home? Yeah right. It's not against the law to serve them. I know they are a higher choking hazard than other foods, but I also teach my kids to sit nice and take little bites. 4 year olds that can eat properly with a full mouth of teeth can handle taking bites of grapes. If they were ones to stuff their mouths full or fool around while eating, then that would be different. Are we supposed to keep kids from risks forever?

[kitykids3]

There are LOTS of things that are safety risks that we still do. We just do them with caution.

It isn't like she is letting her daycare kids play with knives and praying they don't get cut.

I personally cut the grapes in half IF I think the child in question (no matter their age) is not capable or developmentally not able to chew properly.

I have 3 yr olds that eat with fantastic table manners, use silverware appropriately and chew with their mouths closed while sitting correctly at the table.

I have 5 yr olds who can't sit still while at the table, stuff their mouths full, hardly chew anything and think meal time is a race to the death.

Guess who gets their grapes cut up?

For me it is about knowing each child and knowing what they are capable of doing. It is also about teaching them to eat properly and exposing them to things that could be potential hazards but cannot be ignored unless they plan on never eating grapes in their life times.

ditto

[Crazy In Mo]

It all depends on the child. But I can't remember the last time I cut grapes for a 4 year old

[Play Care]

Well, then ::

For me it comes down to that lovely word LIABILITY. What I might do with my own kids (feed whole grapes or popcorn or hotdogs) is probably NOT something I'd do with dc kids. I am one who quarters grapes for all children under 5. In a perfect world I would love to sit and eat with then while modeling slow eating, reminding them to chew, etc. But in the real world, I'm cleaning up a spilled drink, helping someone pick their napkin back up, etc. etc. And I do understand that their are risks to everything in life, but this is one case where I can minimize the risk, easily.
I also make all the kids wear bike helmets on *any* toy that has wheels. By law here they have to for scooters and actual bikes, but I do it for hot wheels and the little tikes bikes/ride on toys too. Some parents have told me it's overkill, and we can't keep them in a bubble BUT I have had kids fall off those "little" toys and smack their noggins on the concrete Thank goodness for helmets!
In my mind, they can bang their skulls on their parents watch

[canadiancare]

Well, then ::

For me it comes down to that lovely word LIABILITY. What I might do with my own kids (feed whole grapes or popcorn or hotdogs) is probably NOT something I'd do with dc kids. I am one who quarters grapes for all children under 5. In a perfect world I would love to sit and eat with then while modeling slow eating, reminding them to chew, etc. But in the real world, I'm cleaning up a spilled drink, helping someone pick their napkin back up, etc. etc. And I do understand that their are risks to everything in life, but this is one case where I can minimize the risk, easily.
I also make all the kids wear bike helmets on *any* toy that has wheels. By law here they have to for scooters and actual bikes, but I do it for hot wheels and the little tikes bikes/ride on toys too. Some parents have told me it's overkill, and we can't keep them in a bubble BUT I have had kids fall off those "little" toys and smack their noggins on the concrete Thank goodness for helmets!
In my mind, they can bang their skulls on their parents watch

That is also good habit forming. Get them used to wearing helmets and you are modeling appropriate behaviour.

[daycarediva]

Well, then ::

For me it comes down to that lovely word LIABILITY. What I might do with my own kids (feed whole grapes or popcorn or hotdogs) is probably NOT something I'd do with dc kids. I am one who quarters grapes for all children under 5. In a perfect world I would love to sit and eat with then while modeling slow eating, reminding them to chew, etc. But in the real world, I'm cleaning up a spilled drink, helping someone pick their napkin back up, etc. etc. And I do understand that their are risks to everything in life, but this is one case where I can minimize the risk, easily.
I also make all the kids wear bike helmets on *any* toy that has wheels. By law here they have to for scooters and actual bikes, but I do it for hot wheels and the little tikes bikes/ride on toys too. Some parents have told me it's overkill, and we can't keep them in a bubble BUT I have had kids fall off those "little" toys and smack their noggins on the concrete Thank goodness for helmets!
In my mind, they can bang their skulls on their parents watch

I agree.

I do my very best to reduce the risk of ANY injury. Grapes is something I can very easily accomodate/fix by cutting. (I don't serve hot dogs ever) etc. And all of my kids wear helmets on wheel 'bikes'. (they like it here!)

[Willow]

Well, then ::

For me it comes down to that lovely word LIABILITY. What I might do with my own kids (feed whole grapes or popcorn or hotdogs) is probably NOT something I'd do with dc kids. I am one who quarters grapes for all children under 5. In a perfect world I would love to sit and eat with then while modeling slow eating, reminding them to chew, etc. But in the real world, I'm cleaning up a spilled drink, helping someone pick their napkin back up, etc. etc. And I do understand that their are risks to everything in life, but this is one case where I can minimize the risk, easily.
I also make all the kids wear bike helmets on *any* toy that has wheels. By law here they have to for scooters and actual bikes, but I do it for hot wheels and the little tikes bikes/ride on toys too. Some parents have told me it's overkill, and we can't keep them in a bubble BUT I have had kids fall off those "little" toys and smack their noggins on the concrete Thank goodness for helmets!
In my mind, they can bang their skulls on their parents watch

Fantastic post!

The liability issue alone is reason enough that no one should ever fear being pegged as "going overboard"......short of pureeing everything and wrapping each child in bubble wrap when they walk in the front door of course ::