Eating Manners - School Children

[Coogee]

Hi - I need some information. We are Australian but my son's 5 year old daughter is half Japanese (he is separated). He forces her to eat all her food at the table and to eat very fast because he says she will be forced to do so when she starts school in Japan. This almost causes her to vomit and she is very distressed about it. This is causing problems at home as we don't like to eat quickly - we like to sit at the table and enjoy our food and company. Should we be forcing her to eat fast? Will this happen in Japan?

 

[caster51]

she will be forced to do so when she starts school in Japan

it is natural to eat in time of lunch

we like to sit at the table and enjoy our food and company.

you are not special.

Should we be forcing her to eat fast?

Yes, it depends on situations

 

[Haruspex]

Should we be forcing her to eat fast?

Don't bother, when the need arises she will eat faster.

 

[Coogee]

I am confused....I am told that the culture DEMANDS that she eat fast at school lunch and to not do so will mean she is punished.......you say she will be forced to eat fast in certain situations. What are they and why is this so?

 

[pipokun]

This almost causes her to vomit and she is very distressed about it.

I am just curious how fast your son forced her to eat and how long Aussie students spend for their school lunch.
Do the schools in your country have a siesta? If yes, it might be a problem, but I've never heard of that story before.

Like caster51 said, it all depend on the circumstances. When I wake up late, I have to eat breakfast as quickly as possible without having a nice morning chat with my family.

 

[Coogee]

No, this is nothing to do with running late to go some place. We sit for a meal and he says she must eat fast and eat everything because at school lunch in Japan she will be forced to eat everything she is given and will be told to eat quickly. We do not know exactly why...he just says that his Japanese friend has told him this. So when we sit down to eat he says this is what must happen. The little girl is distressed and says she cannot eat fast and we are distressed because it is cruel and we think unnecessary.

 

[caster51]

We sit for a meal and he says she must eat fast and eat everything because at school lunch in Japan she will be forced to eat everything she is given and will be told to eat quickly.

I think most Japanese will say " you should not eat fast"

to eat everthing might be told ..

 

[Coogee]

Thank you

I think most Japanese will say " you should not eat fast"
to eat everthing might be told ..

You have been helpful...is there a website in English that explains school lunch for young children in Japan.......manners that will be expected etc? I need to find as much information as possible.

 

[Haruspex]

Come on, just don't force her. Japan or not people usually don't expect such stupid stuff from children as torturing themselves with food. Just let her eat at her pace, anyone who doesn't like that can FOAD. Those obsessed with table manners can FOAD too. Brains over manners I say. Its not worth messing with a child all the time for the sake of this kind of banal crap.

 

[shintemaster]

Sounds like a load of rubbish to me.

 

[Numark]

Sounds like a load of rubbish to me.

I agree. I cannot imagine any school system punishing a student for not eating fast enough. If there is only a short time time for the lunch period, she will learn to eat quickly. I know when I was in gradeschool a lot of kids ate quickly so they could have more recess time (which was directly after lunch).