Do your children have to ask to get food?

[Junglemum]

Oh and yeah, i'm the same as Kim, if it's too close to dinner or i think they've had enough i say no. Or i move the food.
I don't find it interferes with their eating times at all. They tend to go for a mid morning snack and sometimes after a nap in the arvo. They don't eat all day. I think because they know it's there they can get it if they are hungry. If they did just graze on fruit and yoghurt all day and not eat their meals then i would have to look at changing our approach. But works well for us now.

The same goes for water, i have a jug for them with an easy pour lid at the bottom of the fridge and they help themselves. Being 2 and 3 we often have water spills while pouring, but i think it's good for them to learn to do it themselves.

ETA- My kids would never help themselves at someone else house! They know the difference.