Well, unless they're allergic to it, then yes. Their caregivers prepared a meal to satisfy the child's hunger, so the child may as well eat it, or that work will have been a fruitless attempt.

thats why you only give them what they can only eat

Up to the point where they are close to vomiting yet. It teaches moderation. . .

No not in this day and age its totally cruel this was done to me as a child,i know back then money was very tight,a lot of the things i didnt like like stringly potatoes yuck would make me gag!!! If i didnt eat it at dinner time my mum would give it to me again at tea time,the same meal re heated(no microwaves back then)it was dry and horrid id literally go hungry and often did until the next day,as i couldnt eat it!! Id never subject my children to this its cruel!

No, not really. The parent should be able to tell how much their child is capable of eating. And shouldn't fill their plate past that capacity. To force a child that is full to finish what's on their plate wouldn't be right. If the child just refuses to eat because they don't like the food presented... well too bad. I wouldn't force them to stay there and finish it but I would make them stay until everyone else finishes and then they can be excused but if they are hungry, well, the food we made for them is still waiting to be eaten. If they don't want it well they can wait to eat till the next meal.

Yes , because a child needs a balanced diet and if you serve them what they can eat and like, they should finish the food at least most of it. My Mother kept us all at the table until the last had finished eating. My sister was so slow she constantly had very bruised ankles.

No. Children's appetites vary and aren't the same as adults. And I've always been more of a consequences person than a punishment person. If the child doesn't want to eat and gets hungry later, he'll learn to sit and eat eventually. Children don't starve from not finishing their plate.

I don't think so at all. Most children are not serving themselves, and therefore cannot exert any control over their portions. The body has a way of telling itself when enough is enough in regards to food, and that is when it is no longer hungry. I don't know when this tradition started; I know it was big during the implementation of the Marshall Plan. But whenever it started, teaching someone to continue eating when they are full is pointing them on a lifelong path toward obesity. Especially in a day and age when most parents are unable to pry their children away from electronic entertainment and get them to play outside like in the good old days, forcing a child to finish what they did not ask for is a recipe for disaster, and likely one of the contributing factors in the national weight problem the US has today.

No. Learning to make food choices and judge proper portions occurs very early in life, so give your kids a chance to determine when they are full. Let your child's appetite guide how much food is enough. A pattern of overeating can lead to your child being overweight and underfeeding also can lead to weight gain if your child sneaks food when he is hungry between meals. Encouraging your child to clean his plate can aid in overeating or a food aversion, which are habits that could set up a child for weight or nutritional problems later.

No. If your child eats a resonable amount of food and doesn't like peas you should only make him eat half of them (veggies are healthy to eat). Eating half of everything else should be OK too. I sat at the dinner table from 6 until 8 O'clock one night because I wouldn't eat my peas.

A better approach would be to have your children serve themselves. I teach 1-2 year olds and they CAN serve themselves. They have control over what and how much they eat. The only rule I have with my own children is no 3rds on anything unless they sample some of everything on their plate. By 3rds, I mean, about 1/4 C per serving.

no, it encourages obesity. also, taste buds take time to develop, and what a child does not like one year may be his/her favourite the next. Forcing them to eat it when they do not like it, may turn them off it for life. I have problems with many cooked vegetables for this reason. Encourage them to try everything, and insist that enough be eaten to satisfy nutritional needs, then let them make the decision if they have had enough.

NO, I do not think it is right for you to force kids to finish what is on their plate. However, I do belive that they should try a few bites of whatever it is. Alot of times kids look at something and think they don't like it because of what it looks like, we make our kids try the food and if they still don't like it then they don't have to eat it. Besides, they might like the food when they get older. I remember a time I ate at my grandma's house and she made this salad with rasiens and shredded carrots, I hated it and almost threw up! But she made me eat it and got mad at me when I told her I was going to throw up. Now I like the salad :) Kids aquire tastes for things as they grow up...however I still don't like brussel sprouts or cooked spinach hahaha. If you at a resurant and they don't want to finish their food but like it, take it to go, they can finish it later if they want.

NO it is NOT right to force a child to sit and eat everything on their plate, that is why there are so many obese children now a days cause their parents forced them to finish what was on their plates, which was adult size and NIT child size.

I think Joan Crawford did this to her adoptive kids. They wrote a book about called "Mommie Dearest". Would not recommend this practice.

No, no, and no. For all of the reasons listed above.

NO! let's not contribute to childhood obesity the proper thing to do is serve smaller portions and when they are comfortable no full they should ask if they may be excused from the table and take their own plate to the sink. It works great for my kids and they are of great health.

Hell no

No, I don't. I think you should make sure they get adequate nutrition. For instance, don't let them eat their dessert until they've consumed some of everything else on their plate. You should put as much good food into their bodies before you allow them to spoil it with sweets. I know the one time my dad made me finish everything on my plate I ended up vomiting. Sometimes kids are just not as hungry as we think they are.

As long as they had enough food, they shouldn't be forced to over eat just to have the plate clean.

No. But make sure they don't get any other food, snacks etc. until the next meal time. They shouldn't be forced to eat food they didn't want, but should not be allowed to trade proper meals for snacks. It is OK to say "No dessert if you don't finish your main".

Everything no it's not fair. I wonder if the parent's clean their plate??? Making sure your child eats healthy is one thing but why not make them lick it too!!!

hmm i wonder if this contributes to all the fat ass kids in the US.. It is so not cool to make a kid eat all his/her food on the plate.. if their full, their full!

No.They should be able to choose what they like from what is being served and should be encouraged to only take as much as they are able to eat. Sometimes all of our eyes are bigger than our stomachs and even that cannot happen.

No !! Number one, that's why people are so fat these days. They are taught to over eat. My Grandmother tried that with me when I was a little boy and I puked all over a restaurant and her !! That was the last time she "MADE" me eat anything.

That was how they did it the "old school" when I was growing up..it was wrong then and it's wrong now. I wouldnt want to be forced to eat.

No. I prefer to concentrate on the variety, not on the quantity. By babies, you must sometimes trick them into eating, because they rather would play. But if they do not want anymore, they show it, and it would be no use to go on. By children (4 to 10), they also know when they are full, usually. I am careful not to let them take food themselves between the meals, especially fat and sugar. And I give them various foods to try, not only those which they know. They should at least try them. If they reject them, there is always an alternative there. For sure, I check if they are not developing anorexia, but I think many children today eat too much, too fat and too sweet.

I learned to detest my mother after she did this to me. If i dopnt like fish, dont make me eat it. If banana's disgust me, dont give me a time limit until i DO eat it. So long as I am eating healthy, and I dont refuse every singly morcel of food you prepare, it is wrong. If this is an issue, give them alternatives. PB & J as opposed to tuna noodle caserole. LEFTOVERS over salmon, (always a rock and a hard spot for me, I ahte leftovers). Just be sure the child is healthy, and LISTEN to them when they say they are full.

No but next time give them a slightly smaller plate. IF they finish all of it and are still hungry give them only 1 cup more of food and explain to them that they are only getting that much again just in case they get full and if they are still hungry you will be gladly to give them more. That's what I do with my nieces and nephews they always want alot of food but never finish it so I only give them 3/4 or 1/2 of what they want and tell them this is in case they get full and they are fine with that.

no i dont, let child put food on there plate, tell them to only take what they will eat, give a variety of good healthy foods

no, they will eat what they want,u will make fat ppl out of them by doing that

In the end, the child is going to eat what he/she wants to eat. Unless you literally shove food down their gullet. I never liked it as a kid, and I never ate all the food on my plate, but I'm fine now, and I'd say its a minor problem.

NO! Talk about a personal decision that belongs to the individual and the individual alone -- child or grown up. Do not try and force someone to eat something that they are not willing to eat. The reason really doesn't matter. Don't make mealtime a battleground. They rule in my home was this -- if you do not care to eat the meal that has been prepared, you could select an alternate provided it was nutricious, readily available and did not involve cooking another meal.

They are only aloud to leave if there stomach is imploding...

I dont think its wrong , but i prefer giving the child a choice like if they are around 4 or 7 years than you can say " i'll give you a choice you can eat everything on the plate or you could go the rest of the day without toys, and whatever else they like" the same thing with 10 years you can say they could eat there food or go without tv the rest of the day or so.those are just examples.

Not everything. A child does need to learn the value of nutrition and thrift. There are too many people in this world wasting it's resources, and too many people in want. We need to inculcate into our children these important lessons while they are young.

No way. Children have tastes too. If a child doesn't like something, what is forcing them to eat it going to do, other than prove you are a bully? Also, they may not be hungry enough to finish everything. So if you force them to finish, they could end up being sick. Again, not what you want. Both my kids were raised to try things, but were never forced to eat anything or finish. Both are now adults that eat just about everything.

Studies have show that this kind of thing can contribute to obesity later in life.

No forcing a child to eat will only make them cry and hurt their self esteem.

Absolutely not! If you force them to eat after they are full, you set them up for eating those supersized portions that you get at restaurants and we all know where that leads. I let my kids eat until they are full and don't force it. However, if they don't eat the veggies, they know not to ask for dessert. As a parent you know how much your kids will eat, so you put food on the plate accordingly. I usually put a little less than I know they can handle and then they can ask for more if they want it. Also, I never tell them, if you don't finish everything on your plate you won't get dessert, that's like rewarding them for over eating. We only have dessert Friday and saturday anyway (ocassionally sundays)

No. It contributes to eating disorders later on in life.

i don't think its right at all. sooner or later the child will get hungry and want to eat but parents need to respect childrens autonomy. forcing someone to sit and stare at their plate of food when they don't want to eat it is unacceptable.

No, but at the same time, I think it's important to make them aware that food shouldn't be wasted. My parents would only let us start with modest portions of everything and then, if we were still hungry, we could get more. Also, they required that even if you didn't like something, you had to eat a tablespoon of it to give yourself a chance to learn to like it.

I suppose that all depends on what you put on their plate!

No, by forcing a child to eat everything that is on their plate, you are reinforcing a negative situation. The child will associate dinner time/or eating with something negative that they don't like to do. This could cause more problems in the future when it's time to eat again. Furthermore, children eat when they are hungry. I've never heard of a child who starved to death by their own hand. Last comment: trying to get a child to be part of the "clean plate club" is easier when they are eating something that they enjoy...maybe allowing the child to pick something else instead of forcing what's on the plate as an option?

NO!!!!! My dad made me eat "every bite" when I was little, and I have battled my weight since I was 10. I will especially never forget the time he absolutely humiliated me in front of a friend. I had a friend over to visit and for supper. It was a very, very hot and humid day. I don't remember what else was on my plate that night, but for sure there was a HUGE battle over a hamburger. My stomach was full, I didn't want more beef sitting in it, I wanted to get down and play. Couldn't. Had to sit there and eat every bite, though I believe my friend actually went home before I ever finished. I clearly remember feeling physically sick to my stomach. Yes, I am obese today. Morbidly so. So is my dad. My own kids do not have to eat every bite, of course. However, to encourage trying new things, we do ask that they try ONE bite of each thing served to them, and if they tell me after trying a food at least twice that they absolutely cannot stomach it, they get an alternative the next time the rest of us enjoy it. Plus I don't give them too much food for their age/size in the first place.

I do, children should learn to appreciate what they have.

If my parents ever made me finish EVERYTHING on my plate I would be very sick When I was like 6-11 I could only eat very little If I ate evrything on my plate I would get light headed Or sometimes just feel sick

I would say a qualified 'no'. I qualify it because if the child is old enough to know, and is taken to a restaurant, if that child orders, s/he should not be allowed to eat a single bite or two and decide they do not 'like it' or 'want it'. If that child orders, and that food is purchased FOR that child, the child should be made to eat a decent portion of it.

it depends on how much food was on the plate to begin with, if there is a whole lot then no, but if there are only a few things on the plate before or after they ate then not forced but encouraged to finish

No way, it teaches children to over eat. When my child was younger he was allowed to eat what he wanted and then be excused. However, if he hadn't eaten very much I would say "I'll save this for when you're hungry again and you can eat it." That way he didn't get out of eating healthful food and fill up on a snack later. Not to mention, I fail to see how eating something that you don't need is less wasteful than just not eating it.

If a child doesn't get alot of snacks during the day, they would eat a good meal, and would not have to be forced. I do think all childrens meals should be watched alittle closer. It's not the meals that is causing trouble with young people, Kids don't eat meals, they eat snacks. Parents seem to think as long as they eat it, put it in their lunch. I've seen parents pack a donut, chips and a fruit drink for their childs lunch, alot more times than you'd ever guess. So the thing parents need to force is only have 1 snack in between meals.

No. I believe it's a form of child abuse that can lead to bad eating habits as an adult. I think it's better to deny them things they shouldn't have, such as too much candy, fattening foods, etc. Reward them when they finish eating, but don't punish them for not eating.

Only if the child served him/herself, and only at an age where they understand "if you take it you eat it".

Only if example: kid can eat beef tacos but wont eat spaghetti becuz the hamburger makes him puke....but can eat popcorn, junk, etc after dinners done

The age definitely makes a difference in how I enforced this with my children. Generally no, I do not think it is right. I never asked my kids to eat everything on their plate, if they stated they were full. I limited the types and availability of snacks based on how well they ate during scheduled meals. They were aware of these guidelines. When it comes to trying new things, I always asked them to try one bite and as they grew older I discussed the fact that their attitudes towards foods would change so they should try to make sure and try foods they used to dislike.

my dad would sit and make me finish everything, even things he knew i completely hated. i have never forgotten that. i never force my son to eat more than he wants. adults seem to forget that children have much smaller tummies.

NO. That was done to me & now I hate eating

NO! That is why there are so many overweight children in the United States, cause their parents made them eat all their food. Don't give children as much food as you would an adult. Their stomache are not as big as ours, so can't hold as much food. Only give children a 1/4 of what you server yourself. And your portions should be no bigger then the palm of your hand.

no because they could be full and then your making them over eat

No but on the other hand some guidance is necessary too. Kids will develop bad table manners if left entirely to their own devices.

i do with the oldest but not as much with the little ones thay r little toeds and dont eat much

Of course not! If they don't want to eat whats on the table, than they don't eat that night.

Depends on whether you know he has a small or reasonable portion to eat - not an adult sized portion, or if he's been snacking just before mealtime, he may very well be full!. But if he's not snacking, and just doesn't like the food, if he's tried it, then give him kudos for at least trying it. He doesn't have to eat then. If you know he has eaten it before, perhaps take the plate away and cover it for eating later...? With small boys, any other distraction like a sibling on a computer in another room for example would be enough to cause him to invent any reason to get to that. He will manipulate the only way he can. He has very little power at that age, except to stop eating the food you have prepared. Perhaps rethink whats going on.

When I was 4 my Dad did that once. I threw up on him.

no i find the more you go on at them the less likely they are to finish. just make sure you dont give them dessert after tho! if they say theyre full theyre too full for afters too!

In addition to the comments about overeating and the horrificness of forcing a child to eat..Dieticians and nutritionists will tell you that 'grazing' is far better for you than eating large meals. My children will be allowed to eat when ever they feel hungry, and stop when ever they are full, none of this 'they will learn to eat when it is given to them' food should be offered when it is asked for . They WILL however learn to sit at the table and have dinner conversation once a day with the whole family, regardless of how much or if they want to eat.

NO!!! that can lead to eating disorders in the future! when a child is full, he or she will stop eating naturally...to disrupt that natural function is like stopping the water cycle! (maybe not that bad, but you get the point)

no i dont, my kids get up and leave but then they get to have it for breakfast , and i wont cook again intil its gone.

No. but I wouldn't let them have anything else for a while.

No. Forcing anyone to eat when they are full is a ridiculous idea. They will eat if they are hungry. And if they are picky like me, although I realize it isn't healthy, I probably would have starved if I was forced to eat certain things. End of discussion.

No, I think you have to force them to finish their food you might be giving them too much.

no

I have to say no. Just as adults palates respond differently to the same food, so do childrens. What may be manna from heaven for your taste sensors might not be quite as delicious to your child. That, of course, is assuming that the question is simply about food - and not some kind of power struggle, which would be a whole other topic, but thats only my opinion and thats,

no , just try to make them eat half , that is what my mom does

no i woldnt, but that said, if they wanted desert strait after, they would get their dinner back.

not if they're full

I think it's wrong to force a child to eat if he is not hungry. If you have concerns about the child's health because he barely eats I would suggest trying to seek advice from your family physician rather than forcing the kid to eat. He/she might be able to tell you if the problem is caused by any health issues you need to be concerned about or if the child is just simply a very picky eater.

NO I think that is awful.

No it is cruel and pointless.

If you force a child to eat what are you proving?? The kid isnt hungry any more, they'll come back when they are hungry...I mean wouldn't you prefer them to eat when they want and if they want to.....you all know what I mean, sometimes you're just NOT HUNGRY....and when you dont like something you just dont like it, Im full grown and I still cant stand bananas or papaya...ugh....0 tolerance...

No. In my opinion this is a form of abuse.

No I don't force my kids to eat everything on their plates, if your full your full. What they are not allowed to do is come up half an hour later and complain that they are hungry.

Well, when I was a little tike, my baby sitter tried to make me eat a bowl full of squash. I sat there for what must been an hour and in all that time I poured water in it and I spit in it, but I never touched that god awful stuff. So, in my case it didn't work. With young kids you could end up with one that will eat what's put in front of them and you could end up with one that was like me.

No .. but you must not make him or her eat more that a child can eat in a sitting .. it must be with in moderation to there age ..

NO, I think it's just nasty.People only do that for a power trip, it's not like it's going to make your kids like the food.Most kids are picky and grow into liking a wide veriety of foods.

I feel bad for saying this against my dad but i think its wrong, i once sat there for hours cause i wasnt aloud to leave the table, so when he left the table i threw it on the floor under the table (i was 5) he came back and found it and made me eat some of it from the floor, then i realised i would have to be clever, so i would take a sock to the table every meal time and when no-one could see i would fill a sock up and then take in the back garden and lob it over the next door neighbours fence and into a massive tree, picture a tree with about 50 mouldy socks dangling from it.

No I don't. While I do agree that your child should at least try something at least once, I don't think you should force them to eat everyting on their plate. Remember, a child's taste buds are not fully developed like ours. They might one day enjoy alot of foods.

oh get over it ....every kid in my era were made to do this and no one is the worse for it

Absolutely not!

I think it depends on what thier eatin ghabits are, some kids NEVER eat so they have to be forced to eat! Kids need to eat to stay alive and grow!

A child? How about an adult! I'm still here at the table! Dad still isn't budging.

No I dont force feed my picky 5 year old (took after her daddy lol) and I view this as totally wrong. If they dont like it they cant eat it. Simple!

No. My father grew up on a farm where he was forced to eat everything on his plate. Now, as an adult, he still has difficulty walking away from an unfinished plate of food, so he keeps eating even if he's already so full he feels sick. He's had a lot of weight problems in his life, and I think this is one of the major causes.

i think its ok actually. this one time my mom would not let my cousin get out of the chair til she finished evrything little to say my ousin (5 at the time) fell asleep at the dinner table.....and didnt finish her food.lol

I have a 2-bite rule. They have to try two bites of each thing on their plate. If they are full then, they still have to sit at the table with the family till everyone is done, but they can put their plate in the fridge for later. If it is a food they absolutely do not like, I do not cook second options. They are allowed to go to the kitchen and fix a peanut butter sandwich and bring it back to the table. They all like peanut butter, so that is the only extra option. Kids are smart enough to know how much food the need. My pediatrician guaranteed me that a child will NOT starve himself to death. We just have to remember that while we might feel that a quarter cupn of corn may be a good serving size for our toddler, in reality the tablespoon or so that they ate was actually a good serving. I have been surprised over the years how that two bites can change their minds about something that is "totally icky!" My younger daughter hated sweet potatoes for several years, but I usually don't make them often. Imagine our surprise when she was 8 and asked if she could have more because they were so yummy. Kids pallate's change just as ours do, so it is important to get them to try things again on occasion. I hated spinach until I was 11 then all of a sudden I couldn't get enough. Also, when we go to a buffet restaurant, they are allowed to choose small portions of whatever they want, as long as there is a vegetable on the plate. They surprise me all the time with the good choices they make. And let them have fun with it. At a chinese restaurant my younger daughter, who was about 7, saw chicken teriaky on a stick. Her siblings said ewww!, but she said "Look Mommy, it's swamp rat on a stick like in Shrek!" They thought that was so cool that they all tried it and loved it! I am overweight, but I have lost a lot. I have learned that the biggest part of my problem is that I feel as if I have to finish what is on my plate because I was raised that way. I have made lots of progress, but it is still hard to push away that plate. I try to choose smaller portions, and I tell myself that if I am full then anything I put in my mouth after that point is just shoveling in fat. I do not want my kids to have these problems!!! Sorry, I can't seem to write a short answer anymore!

PEOPLE THE CHILD PROBABLE ATE EVERYTHING ON THE PLATE EXCEPT THE VEGIES. IF THATS THE CASE DEPENDING ON HOW OLD THERE ARE I WOULD SUGGEST A LITTLE EXERCISE. CREATE A CHART OF ALL TYPES OF VEGGIES AND LET THE CHILD SORT OF PARTICIPATE IN THE DECISION ON WHAT YOU'LL BE EATING THE CHILD WILL FILL GROWN UP AND HAPPY FOR HELPING AND HE MAY ENJOY CERTAIN VEGGIES MORE THAN OTHERS EVERYONE HAS THERE OWN THOUGHTS ON WHATTHEYLIKE JUST BECAUSE YOUR A CHILD THAT DOESNT CHANGE. AND IT COULD BE HOW YOUR PRESENTING THE FOOD AND FIXING IT. MY AUNT WOULD ALWAYS MAKE ME EAT THIS ONE VEGGIE WHEN I WAS LITTLE I COULDNT STAND IT I ALWAYS WANTED TO THROW WHEN I ATE IT BUTU LOVEED ALL KINDS OF VEGGIES INSTEAD FORCING THEM TO EAT THE ONES THEY DONT LIKE GIVE THEM THE ONES THEY DO LIKE AND IF THE CHILD STILL PERSIST TO NOT EAT THE VEGGIES THAN THE CHILD CANT HAVE ANY SWEETS. BUT YOU HAVE TO BE PERSISTENT IF YOU GIVE IN THEY WONT

My general rule with children is "you don't have to like it, but you do have to try it" I try to get two or three bites out of them. That's generally enough to satiate them, and sometimes enough to convince them that just because it's green doesn't mean it's "yucky".

I half way agree with the other person. I make my kids eat all there food. Only because the know ahead of time that if you take it you are going to eat it. I have just let know that they can always have seconds. So don't take to much the first time. And the other rule in my house is you have to try everything. Even if you know you don't like it. If they don't finish there lunch it goes in the frig & back out for dinner. Because kids always think they are gonna pull one over on you. So that's my 2 cents for what its worth.

No. There are two many important things to argue with a child about. I don't like to waste time on silly things.