Gc lacking in life skills.

We never eat at the table here...…………...don`t have a table! Although when I minded my grandson as a littlie, he sat at his own little table for his dinner.

I will give DGD a biscuit and some fruit as a snack ,or a treat after she has had her meal with us at the table and she will eat it watching TV.
But actual meals the TV goes off and we sit down. If I'm not eating at the same time I still get a coffee and sit and chat to her.With catch up on TV a programme can be resumed .
But with our own DC s they always knew when dinner was ready the TV went off and we all sat down together.If it was a favourite programme I would time it so they could still watch.
There's nothing wrong with a sausage roll wrapped up -I want one now !But our DGC literally goes into a trance watching TV and mindlessly almost misses her mouth she's so transfixed.But get her sat down and engaged and she appreciates her food,has learnt how to use cutlery and say please,thank you and can I get down grandma.All a bit old fashioned some would say.Essential I would say.Other than that I think I think we're pretty relaxed grandparents.

Have you seen this lack of ability at his own home? It's not beyond children to behave differently when away from unfamililiar surroundings or their parents. Can be very puzzling I can tell you!

Familiar not unfamiliar!

I was cooking a full English breakfast for the family on a range, after first lighting the fire at eight... Are we going backwards, I wonder?

.....and in twenty years time his mother will be posting and on GN about AC that expect parents to be at their beck and call.

At 10 DGD was cooking Saturday lunch (spag bol and apple crumble, both from scratch) with a minimum of supervision and help.

We always eat at the table for every meal, never in front of the tv, this is me and DH, and so do the GC’s when they are here.
Although I sometimes think their manners are not as good as their parents were when young, I only commented to DH the other day that they always ask to leave the table after eating, which at 14 and 11 isn’t bad I think.

My five yo GD loves nothing more than helping me cook her favourite scrambled eggs on toast. Obviously I stand close by to help when using the pan, but she loves cracking the eggs, buttering the toast and cutting it up. Start the way you mean to go on. At the end of the day, raising kids to be independent is what it’s all about.

I once worked with someone who when she had just had her nails painted (at least twice a week ) used to get her mother to feed her !
Love to know what she does now she's a mother herself!

I agree too. I must admit we always sit at table even if I am skipping the meal I would sit down with water or tea and chat with grandchild xx

Sausage roll in front of TV - I'll get my coat.

Nobody needs to cut up a sausage roll do they? You just.. eat it! Child obviously not hungry.

Why wrap it in a napkin to eat in the lounge???

Food is eaten at the table with a plate and a knife and fork.

My grandson's mother has terrible table manners (separated from my son long ago), doesn't use cutlery properly, and eats at break neck speed. Son and I knew that we would be the ones to teach grandson how to use a knife and fork.
We always eat at the kitchen table, discussing what we've done, plan to do etc. Grandson can now sit properly at the table, using the knife and fork properly, and we always include him in conversations. We can now take him anywhere knowing he will never embarrass us, and can talk with adults politely. These are surely all vital skills for anyone?

I remember my 6yr old brother - family youngest after three girls - being in danger of being 'too much looked after' .................. very pampered by both mum and dad as 'the longed-for boy'. This WAS back in the 60's - thankfully attitudes to gender have changed a great deal.

We decided to teach him how to 'make toast', which involved -
1 Lighting a low-level gas grill with a battery-operated 'gas-lighter'.
2 Checking on the progress of the toast by closely watching it.
3 Pulling out the toast rack and turning it over to do the other side.

When we told mum, she said 'Oh well, he'll never go hungry then!'

Have to admit that I'd NEVER allow that with my grandchildren at that age - but I guess it WAS a different era. Baby Brother is now 58 (so he survived growing up with his nasty sisters), really HAS become quite self-sufficient (grows own vegetables and fishes) and is the Undisputed King of the Barbecue in our family .

Will he take mummy with him on his first date, to cut up his food?!

I'm craving a sausage roll now!

He's just lazy. His Mum had me round for tea yesterday. We sat at the table and she made him eat everything. He even cut it up himself!I'm more relaxed with him although other gran is a bit of a dragon.

I don't think I would be posting about a ten year old who has not mastered basic skills, says a lot about the parenting.
All food is served at the table and if you don't take your place you don't eat.

Many years ago my nephew had his shoe laces dangling: his teacher said to him. Michael can you please tie your shoe laces or you will trip over, I don’t know how to he said, well you are 9 said the teacher you should know surely. He looked up at her and said, well my grandads 81 and he can’t, I’ve never forgotten that

When my son went to uni his flatmate was making a fry up. He broke an egg into the frying pan then added milk. My son asked why and the reply was ‘Isn’t that what the white bit is around the egg yolk???!!!’ Just as a footnote this student won all the academic prizes going!!

I remember being at my grans as a child and asking her for a drink. She got up to get me one when my dad interupted and told me it was ridiculous that a 74 year old woman was running about after me.
In fact I was just being polite. I would never have gone into her kitchen and helped myself without asking.
I think sometimes kids just cant do right for doing wrong.
I agree that showing him how to cut up the sausage roll would have been the best option but at least you will know for next time.

I find this fascinating- in a good way. My parents and inlaws (and my grandparents) always treated kids like royalty ie doing everything for them! It was so hard for my mother to let them do things themselves (she had no issue letting us!)

We really had to break the habit with grandparents.

I agree with the others, from now on he can get his own snacks.

I rarely eat sausage rolls but, when I have, I've never cut one up!

Perhaps my table manners are lacking.

Wow! Not much of a lunch and eating whilst watching tv...not good.

Diane227
I can't believe you actually typed that.
Who on earth needs to be shown how to cut up a sausage roll, least of all a I0 year old.
Somebody's parents aren't doing a good job.