One of my grandchildren still eats with her fingers

Best ignored for now I think - you certainly do not want a bone of contention.

Possibly you should leave it. But if you do want to do anything, perhaps you can get her to start cutting up the food into bite-sized pieces before she picks it up with her fingers.

If she has washed her hands before eating I would ignore it.She'll grow out of it in her own time

Like others, I think I'd ignore it for now. You don't want to fall out with your son.

Give a year or two and she will realize it looks silly to eat with your fingers, especially if in a restaurant.

I understand that some foods are eaten with fingers.

Tell her she uses a fork at Grandma's house but you cannot insist she uses cutlery at her own home. That is up to her parents.

In some parts of the world everyone eats with their fingers. I should just let it be for now. She will learn to fit in with everyone around her or she won't, neither of which matters. What's important is that she doesn't develop eating disorders because of other people fussing about things that essentially don't matter at this stage in her life.

I would buy her some children's cutlery and put it out at meal times but don't force her to use it ,perhaps she finds adult cutlery to cumbersome or is there a new baby in the house? Perhaps you could ask her why she doesn't like using a fork anymore? If she seems unable to answer you I am afraid it might just be one of those things she just has to relearn.

If she has school dinners she might decide that she doesn't want to eat with her fingers or especially with a spoon as she may get teased.

Could you buy her her own nice cutlery set?
It might encourage her to try again but don't force it.

I am in the ignore it group, you know she is capable of using cutlery so sounds like a phase or for attention. It will pass.

Reluctantly I have to agree, though it irks me to see the antics of some young eaters. Hopefully she will grow out of it.

My grandchildren each had their special set of cutlery at my house which they insisted on using long after they were too big for it.

Elizabeth27

I am in the ignore it group, you know she is capable of using cutlery so sounds like a phase or for attention. It will pass.

Probably best, I wouldn't make an issue out of it, but was thinking that if you laid the table with some nice new cutlery but said nothing, she might be tempted to use it.

Certainly, if your DS thinks it's just a phase, don't say anything.

It's a phase?
She is eight.
How lovely for the dinner ladies.
Does she eat with her mouth open as well?

Leave it, not worth it

Thanks to all. It has been bothering me because I don't want her to be teased or laughed at, apart from the manners aspect! Writing my concerns down for the post actually helped me think about what it is that truly concerned me. I was coming round to thinking 'let it go' and your replies have helped and confirmed for me that I'm on the right tracks in leaving it be.
For the record she already 'rips' her food up to bite sized pieces and she doesn't eat with her mouth open!

It’s difficult as she is your granddaughter, so it’s really up to her parents to sort it out.

My feeling is she’s 8, not a toddler, and should be eating properly with a knife and fork.

Dinner ladies are increasingly appalled by the poor table manners of the children they supervise.
It will be the grandchild's fault , and that of her lazy parents, if she is ridiculed by her peers.
But I doubt if she will continue behaving as a baby at school for long.

I don't think it's a problem - assuming those hands are kept clean. My Indian neighbour insisted I ate without a knife or fork at her house. She said the curry tasted far better scooped up with bread!

I don't want her to be teased or laughed at, apart from the manners aspect!

If she is teased at school then she'll soon stop, but she may not be the only one.

You could try her with chopsticks

I know it's behaviour best ignored for the moment but I can understand your concerns JMAH At eight years old I would expect her to use appropriate cutlery as well.

Leave it be she won’t do it when she’s got a boyfriend ???

Bluebelle ???
You never know - he might do the same!

You could take her out shopping so that she could choose her own cutlery set? If she had cutlery of her own, that she's chosen, she may well decide to use it.