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Show "The Woman's Touch" MUST A CHILD FINISH HIS FOOD? At various periods in our culture we have heard opposite oppo-site pieces of advice, which we, in turn, have tried to drum into our children. One is that a child must "clean up his plate" at any cost. No one knows why. Another is that.it is "rude" to eat every last thing. Each baby is born with a built-in well-functioning hunger hun-ger mechanism. It tells him when he should eat and when he should stop. If this mechanism mechan-ism is respected by parents and baby, normal growth and appetite usually follow right along. But interference with this delicate adjustment can cause serious emotional difficulties diffi-culties in a young child that may continue into adulthood. Constantly coaxing a child or forcing him to eat beyond his capacity, puts this mechanism mechan-ism out of commission. It often results in an over-weight child or one tense and thin, prone to car sickness and frequently, fre-quently, digestive upset. If you have lost faith in yourself, just go out and get acquainted with a small child. Win his love and your faith will come stealing back to you before you know it. |