[morethanpretty]

How do you really know how much they need? They need the amount they eat, its not like they should get a big desert after. (Deserts are only reserved for special occasion in my family.) If you always make them eat everything on their plate then you're forcing them to eat food they don't necessarily want/need. My ex grew up with the "eat everything on your plate" rule and it caused a lot of problems because he would literally be sick after a dinner out. I agree that people often have eyes larger than their stomachs and sometimes even I over estimate myself. But that doesn't mean they should have to add another sin to that and over eat. As a parent you should know, two wrongs don't make a right. The food ends up as waste whether they eat it not, doesn't go to the poor starving children of the world.