How do you find it when you and LO are eating with other children & parents? I've felt quite awkward lately when we've been eating with friends, as my laid back attitude and their 'you must eat all your dinner or no pudding' ideas clash somewhat.
A couple of weeks ago we ate with 2 other families with LOs a bit younger than Jiglet. She barely touched any of her dinner, just ate some bread and a bit of sausage and salad, not even trying the pasta (it had a bit of sauce on) or risotto - I hadn't really expected her to but want to keep offering because sometimes she will try. Fine, she didn't want it, I wasn't going to force her (at home we might have urged her to try it, but certainly not to clear the plate). But both the other children were being told they had to finish their meals, and I was asked if she was allowed pudding if she didn't eat more savoury. I'm pretty sure I couldn't have made her eat it anyway, and I didn't want to create a major battle over it.
Essentially I'm not going to change my attitudes and make my girls clear their plates to keep other people happy, but I can see that it must annoy them when my approach kind of undermines them in front of their children as my DD gets her pudding regardless. Short of never eating with other children, how do you reconcile different attitudes towards eating?