Do you make your kids eat what they are served?

[Opa]

Miss Prissy and Miss_Jayne both hit it right on the head. Great advise. I have 3 sons 42, 40, & 35 and the smallest one weighs 225 so I guess as children they weren't picky eaters. I had more trouble finding what they didn't like.

 

[Oblio13]

I used to love to hunt rabbits. My kids thought they tasted awful and wouldn't eat them, though. But they liked chicken. So we ate a lot of chicken. My kids never noticed that the chickens didn't have any wings.

 

[MagsC]

My parents did that with us too, funny but now that I think of it,the "chicken" looked an awful lot like a rabbit or squirrel....

 

[HR Patterson]

I have one that will not under ANY circumstances eat cereal, in a bowl or dry out of the box. I have never met a child that will not eat any cereal, and I cannot get an explanation for it from him, and he's 11. We require tastes if they have never had a new food, but do not require them to clean their plates if they are full. We worry about obeseity. They know how to portion without wasting food, unless of course they are at Grandma's house and SHE prepares the plates!

 

[Ugly Cowboy]

Edited just cuz I could!

 

[CityGirlintheCountry]

I don't have kids so technically I shouldn't get to vote here (my DOGS will eat anything

), but I have a very wise sister.
Her approach is to let her preschoolers pick three foods that they don't have to eat. Any three foods. Other than those three choices, they must eat everything placed before them. Or at least try everything placed before them. But should my sister fix one of their Big Three, they can have a PB&J or something else. That way it is no longer a power struggle. The kids get to make the choice.
The kids get to revisit the choice every few months. I think the strange little children have spaghetti, potatoes and lasagna on the list right now.

Anyway, it's an option, especially with older children. It ceases to be you being the "mean mom" and puts the responsibility back on them.

 

[CritterHill]

Quote:
My Dad made a meatloaf shaped like our cat one night. Does that count?

 

[wendy]

I feel for you Tabby, I have 2 children from my 1st marriage. My ex did not help me in child rearing much at home. Then we divorced and I was on my own to raise them and with working and being a single mom I got laxed with making them eat what was fixed for supper or fixed what I knew they would eat. I got remarried and my husband says they should be made to eat what is on there plate.

I was made to eat what was on my plate by my dad. I remember sitting at the table till after dark because I put to much on my plate and I had to eat it all!

My parents divorced and my mom had a different take on it she would say try it. It will not kill you to try it. And I would usually try the vegetables, etc.

Now saying all that, when I fix my own plate I sometimes have problems leaving food on my plate even if I feel full. Because I was raised to clean my plate I believe that is why I have problems leaving food on my plate!

Wendy

 

[CritterHill]

Quote:
Agree wholeheartedly. Some issues are discipline/control issues. But sometimes, the kid is just a picky eater!

I know as a child, I was a truly picky eater, but being forced to eat turned it into a control issue and made it a million times worse.

 

[menageriemama]

Breakfast: Yes- but they like all breakfast foods
Lunch: Cooked to order- so they eat it
Dinner: They have to eat what I put in front of them, period.