Children who cannot feed themselves

richardvc

This is not uncommon - children's table manners seem to be a lot worse now ! But I guess that's the advent of eating more hand held food than we ever used to ie burgers etc etc

Becles

I saw a Polish man playing bagpipes really badly today.

Does that mean all Polish people really bad at playing the bagpipes? Are there any lessons in Poland for learning bagpipes? Is it normal in Poland for people to play bagpipes really badly in the street?

PasturesNew

If this was in England, he was probably a Polish kid.

Lunar_Eclipse

No, I don't think that's common, so no need to worry.

Most children feed themselves, to some degree at least, as soon as they start eating solids. So that was at 4 months old for my two, although the guideline for introducing solids is now 6 months+.

Luciferswench

Does it really matter in the grand scheme of things. So the great UK manners aren't always that great and im sure that all Polish don't fall into the stereotypes either.
The child was being fed at your guess 5 years old last i heard it wasn't a big deal maybe the childs parents wanted to make sure in all the excitement of going out for food that the child actually ate it rather than playing with the bubbles and drinking his drink. If it offends you that much then quite simply dont look it really is as simple as that. Parents strive to do the best for their child and still get pulled up surely its a good thing he was sat eating even if being spoon fed upsetting perfectly mannered customers than running riot upsetting the same perfectly mannered customers.

PolishBigSpender

PasturesNew wrote: »

If this was in England, he was probably a Polish kid.

Haven't they all left now?

No, he was certainly English and of good breeding - the mother had a very nice accent and certainly not "common".

meritaten

perhaps PBS was just using this child to illustrate a point? and in fact I agree with PBS if the point is that manners are sadly lacking these days! ten years ago when I was in college I and my mature students colleagues were shocked at the lack of manners on display in the cafeteria at lunchtime. SOME youngsters wouldnt even bother to collect cutlery, just sat there eating chips beans and cheese (it was ALWAYS chips beans and cheese they worst offenders ate for some reason) with their fingers, and talking with their mouths full - spraying food everywhere, and chewing really noisily - in fact they disgusted us! they were also the same ones who would barge in front of you in the queue, let doors slam in your face and if they bumped into you would say 'watch where the F*** your going'!

Mojisola

I think it's more common than many of you think. I was a governor in a primary school for many years. About ten years ago one of the new things we had to introduce into nursery was meal training. The staff cooked a simple meal and the children had to sit at the table and eat it with a knife and fork. Each year, for an increasing number this was their first experience of eating a meal at a table and also of eating with anything more than a spoon.

Gingham_Ribbon

PolishBigSpender wrote: »

I can tell you for a fact that there was nothing "special needs" about this child except laziness. It looked like he didn't know how to use a fork and knife - which is shocking!

It's not shocking. If that's the biggest shock you had while you were here, I can't imagine what the fuss is about.

My son didn't have the fine motor skills to deal with cutting up food at that age. He needed help from a physiotherapist to do it, and to write and to throw and catch and to tie a lace and...

You can't tell by looking at a child whether they have development problems or special needs. Get over it.

milliebear00001

On the back of the OP's question, one might just as well ask 'are all Polish people as judgemental and rude as the OP when they are in somebody else's country?'