My Kid Takes Forever to Eat

Hello ladies!

My son will be 5 in just a few months. Now, I know kids don't eat as quickly as adults but it shouldn't take him more than an hour to eat supper. I'm not exaggerating at all, he is sooooo slooooow. I don't know what to do with him. His plate is fixed before I ever call him to the table, so he has a head start on us. His portions aren't too big. Tonight we had baked chicken, corn on the cob, and mashed potatoes. It took him an hour and he didn't even finish. We've tried setting timers, we turn off the tv so there are no distractions, and get on to him a million times for just sitting there not eating. I don't know what to do anymore, it's so frustrating, I just want to wring his neck everytime I have to say "you need to quit playing and eat", it even comes out when I'm getting on to him about something else lol. Any suggestions?! I'm desperate!

watching... dd does this too and shes almost 4

My daughter does the same thing. If she's really hungry and really excited about what she's eating it's not an issue, but she's kind of picky so most of the time she barely touches her food even if she's hungry.   *watching*

Just let him take him time....leave him at the table until he is finished.

I had to start threatening to take toys away and she wouldn't get dessert if it took her more than 15 minutes to finish after we had finished. She is almost 5

I would probably set a timer or wait until everyone else is done and tell him he has so much more time left to finish. Sounds like he's stalling and maybe isn't that hungry.
If he can't finish his food in the time you give him and he's still hungry maybe he will start speeding up. I definitely think an hour is plenty of time to eat!

All kids do it. Be patient with him. Giving him a specific time frame to eat in isn't going to make him eat any faster (I know from experience) I'd rather my son take his time eating, rather than hurry up and eat because I want him done before a set time. my son knows, even if he takes forever, until he's eaten enough, he's not getting up from the table and playing or anything. We'll let him watch TV while he eats, but the moment he gets up or anything, TV goes off. Just be patient with him. If he feels rushed, it'll either make him take longer or make him eat faster and possibly choke on food.

Quoting speaktruth2powr:" Just let him take him time....leave him at the table until he is finished."

Oh Lord, I left to go to the store the other night and when I came back, he was still sitting there. That was 2 hrs after supper had started! It doesn't even bother him if we don't let him finish. He would have only eaten a spoonful of potatoes tonight if - had let him get down after 30 minutes. Unless we have something he really loves like chicken alfredo he will sit there for hours without finishing. I guess I'm going to start just taking his plate away.

<blockquote><b>Quoting lunch lady:</b>" Oh Lord, I left to go to the store the other night and when I came back, he was still sitting there. ... [snip!] ... like chicken alfredo he will sit there for hours without finishing. I guess I'm going to start just taking his plate away. "</blockquote>

LOL my girls love chicken Alfredo too! They're big pasta lovers but besides that, like your son they take forever or don't/barely eat.

Quoting W.W.:" <blockquote><b>Quoting lunch lady:</b>" Oh Lord, I left to go to the store the other ... [snip!] ... girls love chicken Alfredo too! They're big pasta lovers but besides that, like your son they take forever or don't/barely eat."

Omg, what is with the pasta thing? Seriously, he will scarf down some pasta and ask for seconds. I give him the stink eye every time. It's like WTF?! last night you ate 3 bites of chicken and a roll and tonight you want to eat the whole bowl of alfredo by yourself? It makes me crazy and it's so tempting to fix him his own meal so I don't have to get irritated with him, but I'm not even going to start that crap.

My kids eat like birds and are usually done before we are. However, I wouldn't put a limit on how long it takes, just how much.

Quoting Devil Duckie:" My kids eat like birds and are usually done before we are. However, I wouldn't put a limit on how long it takes, just how much. "

We usually have an expectation of how much he has to eat, it just takes him two hours to eat it  
I don't make him eat every bite because I think you should stop eating when you're full, but he caught on to that real quick and would say he was full after two bites.

Why dont you try to give one item at a time. Like chicken first, a few pieces then some potatoes after the chicken then something else etc......

Maybe that will help. IDK my kids eat in like 10 minutes time like 3-4 helpings of whatever we are eating. My middle is 4 yrs old and she will eat 2 chicken breasts and all her veggies and like 2 dinner rolls in no more then 10-15 minutes. lol

I don't think it is a bad thing, honestly. So many people inhale their food and overeat. Eating slower can be beneficial.

Quoting lunch lady:" We usually have an expectation of how much he has to eat, it just takes him two hours to eat it   ... [snip!] ... think you should stop eating when you're full, but he caught on to that real quick and would say he was full after two bites. "

I get it. But I don't think you should have a time limit either.