[metmom]

The feeding schedule of an infant is whenever they are hungry.

They often go through growth spurts and NEED more nurishment at those times.

When adults are hungry they go and feed themselves. They can do that.

The child is completely at the mercy of the adult in that regard and forcing them to go hungry to teach them “discipline” is child abuse.

There are plenty of other arenas in which to teach them self-discipline.

Using food is NOT one of them.

[imardmd1]

Thank you for your opinion. I doubt if forwarding it to my son and his wife, who have raised ten children very successfully on the plan I described, will make much difference for them except as a source of humor. The regulated daily schedule that doesn't involve the parents being obedient to the children's whimsey has worked very well for them, as compared to the results of the families of their siblings who essentially employed yours.

On a regular schedule, the child may have all the required nourishment needed at the established time for dispensing it. Whole armies function on the basis of scheduled activities, mess time included. Your hypothesis of what adults do when they are "hungry" simply would not work in the office, the factory, or wherever personal discipline supersedes self-gratification as the governing operational principle of fulfilling the conditions of employment.

Your argument here won't hold water where self-control is necessary for people to get along with each other, and I refuse any further debate about this issue. Do whatever you want in your home, but somewhere along the line take an inventory to determine whether it fosters family unity and personal maturity to the degree you were hoping for.