You are absolutely right. Set the boundaries early and then let the kid learn from experience. If you are to overbearing your child will not learn to think for themselves.
The part about food is spot on. My parents never made me eat if I didn't want to and today, I eat everything but don't obsess about food. When my kids whined about what they were served I encouraged them to take a bite and try it, but didn't force them to "clean their plate." I didn't give them an alternative either. If they weren't hungry enough to eat good food, I guessed they weren't hungry. Both of them are now gourmet cooks and my grandchildren prefer whole, nutritious food without being forced into it. Sometimes their friends will come visit and simply sit and look at the food on their plates because it isn't chicken nuggets or mac and cheese. Some even bring "food" from home. Their parents don't engage their children, don't bother to give them guidance but just give in to their whining and give them pop-tarts instead of broccoli to keep the peace. These kids are sickly and tend to be the types that withdraw into their cell phones whenever they get the chance. To me, it's scary. What kind of adults will these kids turn into.
Thank you for this post. Upvoted and resteemed.