“Be sure to clean your plate.” For generations, children were taught to eat all that they were served, rather than eating just enough to satisfy their appetites. This acquired propensity to overeat leaves us feeling we need more food than we actually do, with the result that we've come to expect extra-large portions.

As primary caregivers, parents have an innate desire to feed and nourish their children, but sometimes, regrettably, this takes the form of prodding their child to overeat. It's difficult for parents to give a child control over his own appetite. For when your child is little, you believe you know what's best for him. In reality, though, your two-year-old must be allowed to listen to his own stomach, just as he has to become attuned to when he needs to use the bathroom.

That doesn't mean your child should serve himself. It is still up to you to provide him with healthy food and to discourage any less-than-nutritious choices. Your task is simply to encourage your two-year-old to eat as much nutrient-rich food as he needs — no more, no less.

Almost all children are born with a natural sense of how much they need to eat. If you respect this self-regulating function of the body, you will allow your child to gauge his own food requirements for staying healthy.

If your two-year-old is hungry again an hour after eating, offer him more healthy food rather than an unhealthy treat. Again let him eat until he is full. Just consider all of his eating times, whether meals or snacks, as opportunities for nutritious consumption. Many adults create a dichotomy between meals (healthy) and snacks (treats), but such behavior should not be extended to your child. With a two-year-old who is learning to eat properly, you need to make sure that even his snacks are healthy.

To support this goal of always eating wisely, use language that teaches your child to listen to his body. “Have you had enough?” “Are you still hungry?” “Do you need more?” Even two-year-olds, when asked, can answer these questions. This questioning routine is far more helpful to your child than your telling him how much to eat.