Who decides? Who eats?

I usually do not force my children to finish the entire food that 'I' have filled their plates with.

DD2, around 8 months of age, at every meal time, almost for an entire month, only looked for curd on the dining table. I let her eat it, till she said 'enough'.

DD2, 1.5 year, said no to dal rice, for a period close to a month again. She would eat some curry and then curd rice. I let her eat, till she said 'enough'. 

DD2, 1y 8m old, wanted to eat more of dal rice and then curd rice. Used to mix curry pieces in the dal rice. I let her eat, till she said 'enough'.

DD2, 2 yo, asks for what she wants, mixes the food with her own hands, eats curry, dal and curd. Likes rasam, even drinks some plain rasam in a glass. I let her eat, till she said 'enough'.

DD2, 2y 3m old, says her favorite curry is beans and paneer. Every meal, she has been asking for beans, these days. When the ingredients are  available, I prepare, when not available, I explain. 

No force, no threat, no coercion. 

The way a child is now will not be the same as how she would be 20 years later in life. Children will definitely explore if the environment to open up is provided. 

I never ate tomato even in my mid-20s. Now, I like tomato with every vegetable. What is needed is the freedom to open up. 

Let the child be. Let the child explore. Let the child decide what she wants. Let the child be explained if what she wants is not available at that moment. Let the child learn in all and every circumstance. 

#Freethekid