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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Vegetarians Cruel and heartless?

54 replies

MikeOxstiff · 07/04/2011 21:46

At DDs school when a child has a birthday they bring in sweets to share out after school (DD is 5 so the parents go into the school to pick up the children) I know some parents are vegatarian and when their child gets sweets they take them off them and say " They are not allowed those sweets"
The look of disapointment on the childs face breaks my heart

How cruel

OP posts:
Ismene · 07/04/2011 21:48

I've seen this too, but it is their parental choice. I do try to find sweets that are suitable for vegetarians though.

Shallishanti · 07/04/2011 21:49

oh ffs

child will probably be given much more delicious fair trade chocolate at home

who wants cheapo sweets full of chemicals and cows bones

onagar · 07/04/2011 21:49

Hardly anyone will agree with you. However the makers of sweets are still doing okay so most people still do give them to children. :)

TheFallenMadonna · 07/04/2011 21:50

Are you going to send in vegetarian sweets?

Flisspaps · 07/04/2011 21:50

Have you ever seen the experiments where vegetables/plants appear to scream when they're picked Shock

So mean

Wink
hairylights · 07/04/2011 21:50

I'm a bit catsbummouth at kids that age being encouraged to bring sweets in to school in the first place.

pigletmania · 07/04/2011 21:51

YOU are one of the parents that does this shallishanti Grin.

bubbleymummy · 07/04/2011 21:51

They are being unreasonable for bringing in crappy sweets made from extracts of the boiled bones, connective tissues, organs and some intestines of animals like cows, pigs, and horses. Mmmmmm yummy Hmm

:) I'm a veggie

Goblinchild · 07/04/2011 21:52

I used to swap crap sweets for better ones, the disappointment was momentary. I used to be a bit more discreet about it, it's not the birthday child's fault their parent lacks taste or values when it comes to sweeties.

wineclub · 07/04/2011 21:52

YABU. People shouldn't let their dcs have stuff they aren't allowed for fear of disappointment. I don't let my ds have dodgy sweets in case they kill him. He probably does look disappointed at the school gate but he looks fine at home when he is eating his alternate high quality sweets.

onepieceoflollipop · 07/04/2011 21:52

There are several dcs in my dd's class who can't have sweets for various reasons. Sometimes the dcs who are giving sweets out know this and will bring alternatives (e.g. one little boy has severe allergies and everyone brings raisins for him partly because he is popular).
Tbh if my dc can't have a certain item for whatever reason, as her parent it is up to me to provide alternative.

Our toddler group leader recently treated the dcs to chocolate and one mother was "off" with her as her dd is dairy free. imo she should accept that if you have an allergic/veggie/whatever child, then as the parent you deal with it appropriately. :)

practicallyimperfect · 07/04/2011 21:54

I was veggie for 13 years, and now I bloody love jelly sweets. I did notice the other day that haribo now do veggie ones.

pigletmania · 07/04/2011 21:55

Exactly they should carry alternatives for all eventualities

Shallishanti · 07/04/2011 21:55

yup, that's right am really cruel my children have suffered needlessly and all hate me
the grown up ones lost no time in becoming ravening carnivores and their teeth are all rotten from eating cheap sweets

animula · 07/04/2011 21:56

I'm guessing this is a joke, yes?

Even though I think you are being funny , with your synthesis of anti-vegetarians and pro-confectionary stance (a little crudely welded together, but full marks for originality - I'd never have thought of that one in a million years myself) I'm going to take this opportunity for a rant:

I loathe the "sweets at birthday time" thing.

If I get there in time, I take the sweets, because I disapprove, not even on vegetarian grounds.

I wish schools did not allow the consumption of sweets on their premises, let alone the quasi-approval bestowed on them by their being handed out in class/at the end of class, on children's birthdays, like some sort of treat/reward.

Sweets are tooth-rotting drugs for kiddies. Our culture is hideously addicted to sweet crap. It must be stopped.

chandellina · 07/04/2011 21:56

life without haribo is not life.
i gave up being veggie to munch on tangfastics.

trulyscrumptious43 · 07/04/2011 21:57

Why anyone would want to give their children the sweepings from the abattoir floor boiled up with sugar is beyond me. There are alternatives, my DS is 14 now and has refused these kind of sweets all his life because he knows what they are made of.

bubbleymummy · 07/04/2011 21:58

I just don't understand why anyone would want their child to eat that rubbish. Would you serve them up a nice bowl of steaming bones and offal for a snack?

Original poster
MikeOxstiff · 07/04/2011 21:58

shouldnt the children be left to decide if they want to be veggie when they are older?
Who are we to impose our veiws onto children

OP posts:
bubbleymummy · 07/04/2011 21:58

xpost truly :)

wineclub · 07/04/2011 21:59

My dcs all love bones and offal but only 1 likes haribo Confused

Bluetinkerbell · 07/04/2011 21:59

I have been vegetarian for 11 years now, 2 weeks ago was the first time I ate a veggie Haribo... tbh it was disgusting!

DD is veggie as well, but I blink an eye sometimes for a sweetie when she gets offered one...
Blush

Vallhala · 07/04/2011 22:01

Boiled bits of dead cow anyone?

No thanks, I'd rather have my vegetarian children disappointed and be labelled cruel to them than give them bits of dead animal to eat.

Flowerpotmummy · 07/04/2011 22:01

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

hairylights · 07/04/2011 22:02

"shouldnt the children be left to decide if they want to be veggie when they are older?
Who are we to impose our veiws onto children"

That argument also works conversely. Why should anyone impose their meat eating views onto children until they are old enough to decide for themselves?