pudding or no pudding, that is the question?

[papulacandin]

My DS2 (3 years old) eats at best a mouthful of his main course at home and then says he's "had enough" and starts asking for pudding.

Everyday I'm in 2 minds as to whether or not to give him yoghurt / fruit. Give him pudding and ignore the fact that he hasn't eaten his main course and allow him to take the edge off his hunger with yoghurt / fruit. Or hold firm and refuse pudding until he's eaten more of his main course and let him go to bed hungry.

I would appreciate the MN'ers view on this conundrum. I want him to eat a balanced diet but I'm also wary of using 'pudding' as a reward for eating his main course. I have a colleague who blames her obesity on the 'reward puddings' of her childhood!

Any words of wisdom / experience?

i would make sure pudding is a very small piece of fruit or something.

that way he isn't going to fill up on it, and will prob still be hungry. so when he asks for something else 10 minutes later you can give him the rest of his dinner!

I'd be inclined to say quite lightly "if you aren't hungry that is fine you can get down" and see what happens for a few days. He won't starve and will be hungry by the next meal. No pressure, but no alternatives either!

My vote is that pudding is for special occasions only (or if there's not enough main course to go round). No problem . . .