To maintain the same family rules with playmates -

[mulranno]

eg...no pudding if you dont finish (or at least make some effort) dinner

Frankmustard, I was thinking along similar lines, make something child friendly together, or maybe even have a picnic or buffet type tea instead of a cooked meal.

I don't do the pudding rule as it has set me up with bad eating habits from my own childhood. Plus we rarely have pudding!

def relax the rules for food - if your own child then brings it up another time, you can explain why if you need to

YABU with rules that pertain to food, yes

As many have already said, I find even the best little eaters have very little appetite when they are just desperate to cram in 2 hours of play before they get collected....

I always make sure I have some nice fresh bread, cheese alongside the regular meal so even the most fussy can fill up a bit and I always get a special cake or strawberries and ice cream when it's a "playdate" (hate that bloody word) day.

My girls both adapt back the usual rules no problem for regular teatimes..

Does that mean that if your children eat all their food, they get that nice yummy bit of chocolate cake, but if playdate friend does not even touch the greens he or she will have to watch your children eat that yummy chocolate cake?

Not fair.

But, to be honest, I don't make my dd eat all her dinner before pudding. And like someone else said, I do not always eat all mine before I have pudding! I recall vividly as a child phsyically not being able to eat one more savoury thing, but being able to manage a bit of ice cream. I did not, not eat my savoury thing because I did not want to, it was like I had two stomachs, a savoury one that was full and a sweet one that was not!

pmsl pavlov. so it's true then? My ds3 keeps claiming he has a dinner tummy and a dessert tummy too

I hate this rule about being forced to clear plate. It flies in the face of every bit of common sense imo and is such a control issue. can't imagine enforcing this on a guest

I still have that issue Pavlov, not that we eat dessert very often,but I do find myself unable to eat any more of my main meal, but able to eat a little dessert.
It's a textural issue for me. Sometimes I've had enough of a particular texture.

I sound like a toddler I know.

I have a dinner tummy and dessert tummy - it does exist!

But that's a known fact, whilst you are completely full of one food, you still have room for another.

I would never trat anyone's else's child like this but then whenever I have playdates, I make sure I serve something that is pretty much universally loved.

exactly! had enough of that texture, flavour or whatever. and desert is so small compared to the main meal hence why we can usually eat it all before you get fed up with thattexture or whatever (unless it is Phish Food and I am not pregnant ).

How about 'eating with your mouth open'? My DD has a best friend who eats no problem when here but does it as a form of public entertainment.

AIBU to ask her to close her mouth? HAve not dared so far!

It makes my hair stand on end BTW

I'd ask her to keep her mouth closed when chewing.

I have been known to say "In our house we do ..." but recently it's been wrt computer usage since I have found some things in my History which made me .

Certainly don't make rules about food for other people's kids. I'd suggest they have some spinach (!) before they get pudding but not force it.

to be honest no i dont when it comes to food only behavior to each other and our things

all kids i think at times can be fussy and im very relaxed with children and food