Do u think it is right to force a child to sit there & finish on their plate

I totally agree. I find it really hard to eat when I'm not hungry, there's just no point in doing that. My parents never did it, they just put it in the refrigerator and I would microwave it whenever the urge came, be it at 10 PM. My mom's horror stories of starving children in third world countries were enough to get me to eat it when the time came.

That's one of the main reasons i hated visiting my grandma: she made me 'clean my plate', too. I agree with you- kids shouldn't be forced to eat. This could result in health problems later

That whole "they'll eat when they are hungry" is a load of crap...My mother would not only make me sit there until bedtime but if I didnt eat it that night I had to have it for breakfast and if I didnt eat it at breakfast I'd have to have it for lunch....Problem was, if it was something that made me sick because I hated it that much (like liver and onions or kidney steak pie), I WOULDNT EAT IT AT ALL...which ended up turning into an eating issue with me later on in life.... I would NEVER do that to my kids BUT I also dont make them things that theyt dont like....I make them try new things wiht an open mind and they do and are great about it but if they really dont like it I dont make it again...that simple...and I've never had a problem with my kids not finishing their meals...

I don't think kids should be forced to clean their plates either. I know that forced eating can bring on obesity later in life. I also know that type of thing stresses kids out. I say let them eat when hungry but let them know they won't be eating any snacks or junk food until they eat a good portion of their dinner.

No I don't force my daughter to eat everything, but she does have to try everything on her plate at bare minimum, and if she doesn't eat much she gets nothing else to eat until the next meal and no deserts or snacks either.

Hi bugbaby No I do not think they should be forced to eat when not hungry I will not eat when Iam not hungry Now if they are having wating problems then yes I do say force them to eat something not neccesarilly what was fixed but they do have to eat my son will go all day without eating and I dont allow it I make him eat

It's absolutely not right. It just sets the child up for a lifetime of overeating and all the health problems it causes. I don't think a parent should ever fight with a kid over food or force them to eat anything. Kids should be allowed to have their own food preferences and if the menu includes something the child truly dislikes, then the parent can fix a side dish that they will eat. But if it's something the parent knows the child has eaten well before, then your method of letting them finish later is a good idea, one we use in my home with the grandhildren. Dinnertime should be a relaxed, fun occasion. You're right, they will eat if they get hungry enough!

I think that it depends. I know my child and how much he can eat so when i make his plate i put very little of each thing i make. I know that it is just enough for him but not too much. So in that case i do make him clean his plate. If he sits for a while and still doesnt eat then i tell him he can get up but he will have nothing else to eat until the next meal. If someone else makes his plate and i feel like it is too much and i know he cant eat it all then i just make him eat a little of everything on the plate.