Do you control food intake?

Do you stop your child from eating past a certain point, or do you just let them keep eating until they are done?

My child never used to eat much, and now suddenly he is always hungry. When he barely lived off of 900 calories for years, he now suddenly seems to be eating grown up portions and all the time. He has a very fit looking body - however, the pediatrician says he is in the top percentile for weight. He has been like this all along, whether he ate or not. So when he didn't eat, the pediatrician's cautions were meaningless to me, because I knew he was a healthy eater and ate like a bird. But now that he IS eating, I'm starting to be more concerned if I'm doing everything right.

He can eat most anything, good food or bad, he can eat large portions of chicken, apples, plain yogurt, etc., so it is not just carbs or things that are easy to over eat.

Do you monitor and control your child's food intake?

Right now my child is only one so I really let her eat whatever she wants. I want to expose her to as many different foods as I can before she gets to the fussy stage that everyone has warned me about!

I don't think I would ever control my child's food intake unless there was a legitimate concern with health or weight that was dangerous. Otherwise I think kids are usually pretty good at letting you know what they do and don't need!

My son has always had a large appetite. He used to be very skinny but now he has put on a little more weight. The doctor upset me at or lady appointment saying he saw a girl that was like him and every year she kept putting on weight and now she is obese. So I started limiting sugar. Anything sweet or processed is a rare treat. He still eats a ton of food but it's raw veggies like mushrooms and cucumbers that be chows down on now.I also eliminated soda and sugary drinks and we drink mainly water or unsweetened organic tea. He is starting to even back out as he grows. I think these healthier eating habits are great for the whole family and they will help the kids get the nutrients they need instead of empty calories.

Their bodies know better than we do what they need. As long as their choices at home are healthful, they don't need to be told how much to eat.. they're bodies will stop when they're satisfied. So no, I don't interfere there. Sometimes they eat very little, sometimes they eat enough for an army.. depends on what's going on in their lives at the time and if they're going through growth spurts.

The problem lies in whether they're getting all the necessary nutrients or not. If their options are healthful and yet they're overeating to the point of weight gain (it's very hard to gain weight on a healthful diet), then their body is lacking something they aren't getting. Restricting carbs (healthful carbs are absolutely essential) or whole plant fats or certain vitamins and minerals, then the body will keep going until the need is met. No doctor will give you adequate nutrition advice.

Their little bodies are growing and with sooo much energy they need to replenish regularly. My son seems to always be hungry, he is 5. Right after school he goes straight to the kitchen for the most unhealthy snack in the cupboard. I put a stop to that real quick. As long as he is eating healthy I think it's okay to just let them eat. My son will finish his plate at dinner, and ten minutes later he's asking for a snack. I actually started having him drink more water as a snack substitute.

Hello everyone,
I'm a final year psychology student doing my dissertation and my research project is on parenting and feeding practices. in particular if parenting styles with regards to feeding and activity differ for mothers and fathers.
I was wondering if anyone would be interested in doing an anonymous online survey which would take roughly 10-15 minutes ?

please let me know if anyone would be interested,
Thanks!

My son just turned 9 and has always had a healthy appetite. He can eat a good dinner with sometimes 2 helpings of meat and vegetables, then 2 hours later be looking for more to eat. I do not limit how much he eats but I do limit what types of food. He is not overweight but he is a very solid child. His pediatrician has even said that he did not consider him to be overweight even though according to the charts he was. I do not worry about it too much right now since he does love his vegetables and fruits. He is still growing so I know that once he shoots up he will no longer have a problem.

My son is just about to turn two years old this year. He has a healthy appetite for fruits, vegetables and biscuits. But for fish, meat and chicken, not so much. So whenever we have those food he likes, I let him eat as much as he can.

He isn't really that big of a toddler. In fact, he has lost some weight due to a fever and cold a few weeks ago. His paediatrician was concerned and wanting him to switch to formula. But my son just won't take any formula milk, we've bought a lot of them and we just wasted money on them.

So because of that, I tend to make him eat more. Although I'm not much concerned with his weight, because he's very active and strong, I still want him to gain some weight just so our paediatrician won't be concerned anymore.

Likewise, I also do that @LenoreHaigh. I only want the best food for my children. It is good to check them and give them the nutrients they need.