Tonight is NYE and my husband and I went for a meal. The table next to us was a mum dad and about a 4 yr old girl. She had a large plate (children's portion but still big) of nuggets and chips. There must have been at least 10 nuggets and a fair portion of chips. He had heartily eaten around half of each when I heard her mum say 'come on I want it finished or no pudding'. It's exactly the sort of thing I would have said to both of my children. It's only now I realise how we push them to eat far more than they actually need. Maybe parents need lessons on how much a child requires for nutrients!

LOL, I grew up with parents that demanded plate to be cleaned or no dessert.

Dad worked at a large bakery that made products for grocery stores.Brought home cakes & pies every night .

56 yrs later and the rest is history.

Though to parents defense, they grew up during the war in England when food was rationed. Waste not, want not. lol

Yes my parents were like that and I did the same with my two because if this! Wouldn't have thought anything of it before my LB but when I saw her eat twice what I had I just thought 'wow'. Lol x

You are 100% correct!!!

When I was little, I was always forced to clean my plate. It didn't matter if I was full, I was expected to eat it all. I honestly believe that is what lead me to being a binge eater as a teen and adult. I was taught from an early age to ignore my body's natural full signal. As a result, I ended up a morbidly obese adult. (my brother is morbidly obese, too).

I'm not blaming my parents for being fat, btw. I take full responsibility for that myself. But I do know the whole "clean your plate" mentality played a big part in my poor eating habits.

I'm very lucky that I realized this early in my adult life. As a result, I've never ever told my kids to eat more than they want. If they have only 1 of 8 chicken nuggets- fine with me. Tonight I made spaghetti for dinner and my son said he wasn't hungry. So... I simply said "ok hon, you can have some later if you change your mind".

I'm thrilled to report both of my kids are healthy weights, aren't binge eaters, and have very healthy relationships with food.

For years I've tried to understand why I was fat. My mother and father were not fat and I was an only child and no one ever made me eat anything I didn't want to eat. Crap, I have no excuse other than I'm a gluton?

You are 100% correct!!!

When I was little' date=' I was always forced to clean my plate. It didn't matter if I was full, I was expected to eat it all. I honestly believe that is what lead me to being a binge eater as a teen and adult. I was taught from an early age to ignore my body's natural full signal. As a result, I ended up a morbidly obese adult. (my brother is morbidly obese, too).

I'm not blaming my parents for being fat, btw. I take full responsibility for that myself. But I do know the whole "clean your plate" mentality played a big part in my poor eating habits.

I'm very lucky that I realized this early in my adult life. As a result, I've never ever told my kids to eat more than they want. If they have only 1 of 8 chicken nuggets- fine with me. Tonight I made spaghetti for dinner and my son said he wasn't hungry. So... I simply said "ok hon, you can have some later if you change your mind".

I'm thrilled to report both of my kids are healthy weights, aren't binge eaters, and have very healthy relationships with food.[/quote']

Glad it's one if the things my kids didn't listen too from me as both very slim lol x

For years I've tried to understand why I was fat. My mother and father were not fat and I was an only child and no one ever made me eat anything I didn't want to eat. Crap' date=' I have no excuse other than I'm a gluton? [/quote']

Sadly me too. I was never forced to eat up when told to if I really didn't want it. But hey I'm 45 now and banded in September so finally addressing my problems! X

For years I've tried to understand why I was fat. My mother and father were not fat and I was an only child and no one ever made me eat anything I didn't want to eat. Crap' date=' I have no excuse other than I'm a gluton? [/quote']

TMF... you crack me up! What a trip! Lol

My parents also made me overeat. I would have to finish the food on my plate. I don't know why I didn't follow that same example on my kids but I'm glad I didn't. My kids are pretty healthy n not picky eaters. They will eat healthy as long as I cook healthy. As a matter of fact I have a 20 year old 5'1 daughter who is vegan n weighs 106. Good for her.

I wish I could blame it on my parents! lol (not saying you guys are) But I have always been very eager to finish what was on my plate. It is all my fault.

I'm another member of the clean plate club. Both of my girls are being raised with "if you are hungry, eat. If you're not, don't". They have been taught to take small portions first, and then get more if they are still hungry. A lot cheaper to throw a little food away than deal with the emotional and physical damage of obesity.

I'm another member of the clean plate club. Both of my girls are being raised with "if you are hungry' date=' eat. If you're not, don't". They have been taught to take small portions first, and then get more if they are still hungry. A lot cheaper to throw a little food away than deal with the emotional and physical damage of obesity.[/quote']

So true x

You guys were lucky to be able to eat what was on your plate. My mother used to yell at me to slow down and not each so much. I seldom got dessert anyway as she told me fat people don't get to eat dessert.

My mother would answer for me as I was overweight since childhood. My mom was constantly, constantly putting me on diets and telling me what I could have and what I couldn't. When I was in 7th grade I would starve myself and eat an apple and one orange for my food intake. I did not lose weight because I didn't know you needed calories to burn off calories. So my body hung onto every fat cell because my calories weren't being burned off. My mother felt it was OK for me to just eat those two fruits daily until she realized I was not losing weight. The doctor told my mom I was to eat everything but in moderation. My mother still restricted me and I grew up fat. I don't blame my mother because we didn't know all the things about nutrition that we know now. I'm a grandmother now and I never forced my children to clean their plate Thank God. I just didn't want to tell them you can't eat this or that because you're not allowed.

You guys were lucky to be able to eat what was on your plate. My mother used to yell at me to slow down and not each so much. I seldom got dessert anyway as she told me fat people don't get to eat dessert.

Omg, blink blink! I'm sorry for young you....

Omg' date=' blink blink! I'm sorry for young you....[/quote']

It isn't always the parents. I have 2 sons 3 1/2 years apart and they weighed 200 pounds apart. Same house, same parents. The heavy one I took to a child's obesity doctor at Tufts medical in Boston. He is now 35 and losing weight on his own When people are ready they will do it not when the parent is.