Don't you hate it when your parents make you eat everything on your plate?

Question

My parents always said that, they are starving African Kids wanting to eat that, that's their trick. That's why they are fat. I said to my kids that you don't have to eat everything off the plate, atleast eat some of it?

Answer 1

I hated it when I was a kid but as I would never serve up anything nasty (or too much for my kids) I would expect them to eat it all, waste is a terrible thing and they're right about people starving.

Answer 2

I did hate it. Now I know why they did it though. My dd will leave food but then ask for a popsicle or a sweet.  I do try and make her food that she likes though.  Parents have been telling their kids to clean their plates for ever....

Answer 3

I never do that to my kids... All that does is create compulsive eaters...

Answer 4

What I say is, this is what I made, if your not going to eat it you can go with out eating. I have a rule if they eat some of it they get a cookie for desert and if they eat everything they get a brownie or icecream.

Answer 5

Because some kids are to picky. My daughter is like that, and I dont give her that much but she dose have to eat it, inless she really really dosnt want it, but my other kids dont have to because they eat good. Depends on the kids

Answer 6

My kids only eat what they want and no more, and if they are hungry late they know where the kitchen is.

Answer 7

Yes especially the carrots.

Answer 8

lol, ya "we are your parents, eat all the food on your plate, think about those kids in africa who dont get to eat at all." even though their eating all the food that could be given to those kids.

i think kids should be able to get the anount of food they want, but make them finish the plate because thats how much they wanted.

Answer 9

My suggestion is to put less on the plate and use smaller plates.  If they want more, they can have more.

There are two sides to the clean plate theory. One, is that the child is less likely to be a picky eater if they are made to eat whatever is available.  Some day, there may BE nothing else available and how are you going to deal with that? (Just ask my bf who had 3 children and a home gone from Katrina).  On the other hand, as you know, some members of the clean plate club end up overweight because if it is there, they will eat it.  

The only magic solution that I see is to stop giving kids dessert and treats after dinner.  Give them smaller plates and smaller amounts of food.  Let them eat until they are full rather than cleaning the plate.

Oh, and just for the record, my Mom never used the 'starving kids in name-your-country.'  She just said, here's dinner. There is nothing else.

Answer 10

my mom never did that to us kids, and i dont do it to mine, theres things i dont like and  if  i dont like something  im not rating it, and i dont expect my kids to either. its not like anyones taking  food off our plate to send to africa or anyplace else so starving kids werent much an issue at our table lol.

Answer 11

lol when i was little my mom tried to tell me that so i put all my food in an evenlope and tried to mail it too africa!!