Ok, whenever I was younger my family use to be real poor...we rarely had anyfood so I was always hungry. I remember going to school and at lunch time just watch people eat. They would waste half of their food and I'd just be thinking how much I would love to have that. So, I don't let my kids waste at all. I tell them not to get too much food, and if they want more they can get more. But I make them eat whats on their plate. Is that over the top? Its just I hate to see food wasted. I just dunno.....
2006-08-27 05:47:15 · 36 answers · asked by Led*Zep*Babe 5 in Pregnancy & Parenting ➔ Parenting
I don't think some of you got what I was saying. I don't load their plate with food and then force them to eat it. I'm trying to teach them to get what they think they can eat instead of getting a TON of food and then wasting it all.
2006-08-27 05:58:17 · update #1
It's not over the top. My mom used to do the same thing with us.
2006-08-27 05:49:02 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
Sweetie, this is normal for you. I recommend you cook foods separately (unmixed) and invest in nice plastic lidded containers. For example make some rice, make some sauteed vegetables, fix some boiled potatoes, make some chicken strips (plain). These you have ready and hot for the kids to "serve themselves"- out of different dishes, so they can mix it whichever way they want. The remainder in the dishes can be reworked in a soup for the dinner or into a casserole for the next day, thus, you did not waste any. Tell them they will need to know how much to take, as you will not waste or throw their left-overs for them. If they like to leave things on their plate, cover their plate with saran wrap, keep refrigerated, and serve again later when they are hungry. (microwave it) They will soon notice this and do better, trying to prevent this.
It also helps that after their first serving is done, tell them they can have seconds, but only one tablespoon at a time of the items they want. This must be eaten, before they can serve themselves another small amount.
You may wish to also review your budget and your income and your savings, and try to alleviate your fears concerning food as much as is possible for you. Or get a dog or cat or hamster, whom you can give some left-overs to.
:o)
2006-09-03 02:39:43 · answer #2 · answered by schnikey 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
You sound like me. I didn't have the financial experience when I was young but I did have parents that were heavy and loaded my plate. We were not allowed to get up from the table until our plate was clean. I portion my kids food on the light side. If they are still hungry then allow them seconds, there is always enough food on the table. I would rather teach them restraint than wastefulness.
2006-08-31 17:59:01 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
I understand completely and agree with you whole heartedly. I don't think a person can truly understand your motivation until they, themselves have gone without. I'm the same way. I hate seeing food wasted. Of course I hate to see anything wasted. I think you need to teach your children healthy eating habits as part of the eat what you take teaching. You might also try not fixing so much food for each meal. If they find out that there's no more and their portions are limited, it might make a difference.
2006-08-27 06:17:15 · answer #4 · answered by oldman 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Nah...I was raised like that by parents and I think it's why I haven't gotten fat at 37. As long as you're not scaring the kids or forcing food down their throats, there's nothing wrong with training them to take only what they can consume. It teaches them to know their own limits and discourages wastefulness.
Btw, there's a world of difference between what you're doing and what JustMe seems to be describing. You'e letting the kids decide what they can finish and not loading the plate for them while I think JustMe is talking more about a scenario where parents load the plates for their kids and demand they finish it off.
2006-08-27 05:55:11 · answer #5 · answered by spindoccc 4 · 4⤊ 0⤋
My parents have always done that to me. i don't see anything wrong with it.
Whenever we would get ready to throw away stuff left on our plates, my dad would say "some little poor boy in china would love to have that food right now and you are wasting it". So one day when my brother didn't finish his hamburger, he but it in a box and wrote china on the top. We all found it funny, and my dad quit using that phrase.
But the rule has always been, "take what you are going to eat, and if you eat it all you can always get more" and for the most part we have followed that rule. So i don't see anything wrong with teaching your kids not to waste.
2006-08-27 14:26:56 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 0⤋
As a parent of three boys (now 14, 20, 22) and someone who grew up much as you did, I totally understand where you are coming from. Having your children clean their plates is only bad if you overstack them with food. You are teaching them a valuable lesson by having them not take more than they can eat. Waste really is a bad thing, and this lesson will, believe it or not, translate to other things when your children are older.
2006-08-27 06:06:03 · answer #7 · answered by gauger_1 3 · 2⤊ 0⤋
It is a very good idea and not over the top. I grew up not being poor but not having alot either. My parents loved me and always taught me the same thing. Like you said give them a little bit and if there still hungrey then let them have more. They will learn how much to take so they won't over eat. I do the same thing with my boyfriends daughter. Your doing great and sound like a wonderful mom. Keep up the good work.
2006-09-02 18:12:26 · answer #8 · answered by babykins1025 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
No, its not over the top at all. My mom did that to me and my sisters because she went through the same things you did. We were allowed to make our own plates and had to eat everything that we put on them. But if she made the plate then we didn't have to eat it all. As long as they are putting the food on there, then yes they should eat it all. And no it will NOT make them fat or have an eating disorder. My sisters were very healthy and fit, I was the only overweight one. But that was MY fault not my mothers. Just do what you have to do.
2006-08-27 14:41:29 · answer #9 · answered by Chelle's Belle 4 · 2⤊ 0⤋
I would never force any kid to clean up their plate. But, you can help the situation by not putting as much food on the plate and letting them ask for more if they are still hungry. You might have to get some help because it soundslike you have some emotional scars from your past.
2006-09-03 02:21:51 · answer #10 · answered by Mariah&Lydias_Mom 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I understand where you coming from as my mother never had food in the house. It teaches them not to waste food. I do that with my kids besides food is so expensive these days why throw money out the window. We always show our kids on the tv that there are starving people in Third world countries.
2006-09-02 08:45:41 · answer #11 · answered by country girl 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋