Sounds a little like my oldest..he only had about 40 words by age 3..and had a hard time chewing. I used to cut his blueberries in 4! Lol.. Your daycare child does seem a bit worse with the eating though..It sounds like the parents easily gave in...if he's having a hard time chewing then foods like oatmeal or soft mandarins in a cup, mashed potatoes with mashed up veggies, soft beans, or unsweetened applesauce may be good options. Better than kraft dinner for a 2 year old..yuck! I would try and help him out if it really seems like chewing is the problem. Even if that means cutting up the food you are giving everyone else very tiny. He should get better at it soon..if he gets the chance to practise..Good luck!