Dear Queenie,
Should children be forced to eat stuff they do not like just because it is good for them? My wife insists that they should eat everything on their plates and if they are not hungry enough to do that they shouldn’t get any dessert. And she wants me to set a good example for them.
Queenie, is she right?—Picky eater
Dear Picky,
Children (and you) should be encouraged to try all sorts of foods and to eat at least a little of everything – even things they think they do not like, because with exposure they may find that they do like them after all, or at least that they do not dislike them as much as they thought at first.
However, forcing a child to eat every bit of food on his or her plate is a bit too much. It should be enough that the child has eaten at least a bite or two of everything served.
