Do you make them eat it?

[Anonymous 8]

You make a dinner. Your child eats it and loves it. No complaints.

You make the same dinner again. Only this time they watch you. And see that you add things they "don't like." These are the same exact things you added last time that they ate and loved.

Do you let them pick those things out, or do you make them eat the dinner, with the things they don't like?

They are 12.

I do the same thing so why would I make them eat something they don't want to eat? Half the country is obese, don't contribute to it by force feeding.

[Olioxenfree]

You make a dinner. Your child eats it and loves it. No complaints.

You make the same dinner again. Only this time they watch you. And see that you add things they "don't like." These are the same exact things you added last time that they ate and loved.

Do you let them pick those things out, or do you make them eat the dinner, with the things they don't like?

They are 12.

I do the same thing so why would I make them eat something they don't want to eat? Half the country is obese, don't contribute to it by force feeding.

Half the country is obese because they overeat on garbage food, not because their parents made them try their vegetables.

[Gorilla_Mama]

I’d let them pick out the “don’t like it” stuff. As long as they eat the majority of their dinner it’s not worth fighting over imo

[xsxpxixdxexrxsx]

I wouldn't make them eat it, but I also wouldn't give them more food. They'd need to wait until the next meal if they choose not to eat it. I'm okay with them picking a couple things out.

[Anonymous 9]

I don't force them to eat, but our rule is the same, like the meal or not. You eat what you are given or you don't eat. If you want to be excused from the table, you don't have to finish it, but you have to try a few bites. Picking things out is rude and not allowed. 12 is way too old for that. I know way too many adults with unhealthy eating habits because they were never pushed past their pickyness and could always just get something else.

Meh, ODS doesn’t like yellow squash, mushrooms, or coconut milk. I don’t make food that contains those things unless he is eating at a friend’s house. Your house, your rules but I definitely hope you allow your children to express preferences and actively avoid making things they don’t like.

I would never starve my children if they didn’t like what I made, but I also don’t have things like ramen and boxed Mac and cheese in the house. There are usually some form of leftovers from the prior night that they can eat.

[Linda_Runs]

At 12 I would expect them to at least try it without me telling them to. Like other members said, they can just pick out the things they don't like.

On a note about supper meals; we try to make supper a happy family time where the kids can talk about their day or anything that is on their minds. We drew criticism from both our parents over this, but looking back, we did the right thing.

[Olioxenfree]

I don't force them to eat, but our rule is the same, like the meal or not. You eat what you are given or you don't eat. If you want to be excused from the table, you don't have to finish it, but you have to try a few bites. Picking things out is rude and not allowed. 12 is way too old for that. I know way too many adults with unhealthy eating habits because they were never pushed past their pickyness and could always just get something else.

Meh, ODS doesn’t like yellow squash, mushrooms, or coconut milk. I don’t make food that contains those things unless he is eating at a friend’s house. Your house, your rules but I definitely hope you allow your children to express preferences and actively avoid making things they don’t like.

I would never starve my children if they didn’t like what I made, but I also don’t have things like ramen and boxed Mac and cheese in the house. There are usually some form of leftovers from the prior night that they can eat.

A child is not "starving" from missing one meal that they choose not to eat. My kid's can express their preferences in a polite way and I take them into consideration, but I do not actively avoid making something that one of them doesn't like. I don't make it every night, but I will make brussels sprouts every once in a while even though one of my kids doesn't like them because one of my other kids loves them and that is how tastes are formed, by trying things again and again. I also want them to know that if they are a guest at someones house and that person serves brussels sprouts for dinner, they are expected to eat it and not be rude. I also make and eat things that I don't like, because they are healthy and others in my family enjoy them.

[MellyJelly]

I see no problem with someone quietly eating around an ingredient in a dish... as long as they don’t make a big production of it. My kids will eat any dish I make but they all have maybe one thing they don’t care for. My oldest isn’t a fan of onions... I either cut them really small so they basically disappear or let her push them aside.

[Anonymous 10]

they can just pick the items out. No biggie. My ex SIL would try to force my nephew (her stepson) to eat things he hated and he would want to put ketchup on them to make it try to go down better and she would not allow it. He would literally puke at the kitchen table. What is the point to that????

[PoplarGrove]

I don't make food a battle. If he doesn't want to eat it he can make his own dinner. More leftovers for you. I find once I let them know they're free to make their own dinner there's a 50/50 chance they'll eat what I made.