And if a kid doesn't like something, that's not the hill you should die on anyway. As long as they're willing to taste everything you give them, it's a Good Thing. One paediatrician summed it up this way, "No kid ever wilfully starved itself to death." ...///... My mother absolutely refused to cook different meals for different people in the house. She was too busy for that nonsense.

I usually agree with not allowing children to turn into annoying little shits, BUT. As a kid, I was called everything from fussy to a brat. I was a horrible child for not eating whatever was put out in front of me. There were even food items, where I threw a mighty tantrum if it was forced down my throat. Older relatives and complete strangers would suggest a good dose of corporal punishment, since I was clearly a hysterical brat and a liar, hence why my stomach was constantly hurting. At 21 I've developed IBS and was given two lists. One contained food I was allowed to eat, the other food that is to be avoided. When my mother checked the list, it turned out that every last item on the list that is prohibited was something I wasn't willing to eat as a child without putting up a significant fight. Turns out that rather than being a brat, my stomach simply couldn't digest those stuff.

I have 2 kids. One will eat absolutely anything and everything... the other one is so picky that he is seen by a dietitian. Some kids are just picky and would rather starve than eat. Also, even my kid that eats super well has some days when she'd rather just eat apples and then the next day "she doesn't like apples" (that is until the following day again!)

I have been pretty particular about what my kids should eat/not eat. I fed them all the right things, didn't let them have anything with sweet until their first birthday cake. I still refuse to cook seperate meals, but you'd be surprised at how some kids would rather starve than eat what you've put in front of them. I wonder how my daughter even grows sometimes, because she is so extraordinarily picky; yet I have 2 other children who, although were a bit fussy early on, will try almost anything now. They even love veggies, which is a plus. You can't assume these parents don't try and expand their kids palettes, you could offer gourmet every night, and the kid will still only want to eat cheese.

My kids went through phases. Both spent their early childhood in Japan, where they ate whatever was put in front of them. When we came back to the US, they changed. All they wanted was cheese, noodles, and chicken. At home, they would sit at the table staring angrily, often for hours, at food they used to enjoy. The Grandparents indulged them, and it just made no sense in restaurants to order something they would not eat. And it is not like what they wanted was bad for them. But I don't know how we could have done much better, or that it would have been worth it to make a giant big deal out of it. It was a phase, and it passed harmlessly.

When i was a kid it was eat or go hungry, as 1 of 7 siblings we soon learned to eat whatever was on the table and eat it fast. Not a picky eater at all so maybe that helped.

I agree with a lot of what you say but I what I would do when my daughter was little was have her share the same meal I was having. Portions are far too large most of the time anyway and this way there was no waste.

At age five I went to Disney World and only ate hot dogs, hamburgers and French fries. I was five and on vacation. I argued while on vacation I could eat what I want. My parents caved.

So how did it go with your kids, Marcus?

You don't have any kids either, do you? Kids are pretty much hardwired to be picky. Pediatricians know kids are usually picky, which is why they recommend parents relax and look over the entire week what their child ate as opposed to one days worth of meals. And most kids outgrow their pickiness if you don't make a big deal about it.

So how many times do you force a kid to eat something they truly dislike?

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Marcus obviously doesn't have children. They eat. That is all that needs to happen.

I have to ask... are you a parent Marcus?

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The replies are ridiculous. It's the same reason we have participation trophies in today's age. Parents are far to soft on their kids and they grow into adults that can't cope with something not going their way. Whatever I was given for dinner, is what I would eat. If I didn't eat it for dinner, guess what I had for breakfast? I was not allowed anything until I ate the food that had originally been made for dinner. I never starved, and I never was given something different from everyone else. But I did eat a lot of cold dinners in the mornings and although it tasted much worse, I didn't go hungry.

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"you eat what you are given as a child" there's one comment in there that is JUST for you. Lets see if you can figure out which one