To “make” my kids be vegan?

[Sarcy]

About 3 years ago I decided to become vegan, my two youngest are being brought up vegan. Whilst my 4 older kids made the decision for themselves. One of them decided about a year ago that he didn’t want to be vegan anymore, at friend’s houses or when he’s out with friends he’ll eat meat but at home I don’t let him. I’ve had a lot of people tell me I’m wrong for “forcing” my kids into this or not letting them backout easily. This isn’t the case but I made sure DS had truly thought about it before deciding not to be vegan. I’m just trying to understand what makes people think it’s wrong to raise children on a vegan diet, surly giving your children meat is much worse

guano ist bird shit...

"StrangLookingParasite it might be because animal consumption at the present level, is killing the planet. It causes destruction of rain forests and poverty and starvation for local people, because arable land is not used for food production.
The use of pesticides has a massive impact.
The use of Antibiotics in Farming is really what is causing them to not work as well.
That is without the suffering to the animals.
Veganism isn't about Animals, it's as much about Humans, as it is anything else."

It is not "killing the planet": our planet will outlive us.
It may not be great for human life to thrive upon the planet, but it's not killing the planet.

Is it ok to make our kids eat meat because we do? How many kids that want to go veggie are allowed to do so? I wasn't until I was a teenager and still get shit for it from my family 27 years later!

That was a brilliant post @MarieVanGoethem.

Nat6999 - You're not the brightest, are you? Some people can stomach cutting young girls' genitals, or leading millions of jews to deathcamps... you'll always find someone to do the job. It doesn't mean it isn't wrong.
Dead animals cluttering up the planet? I'd stop trying with this debate now. You're not up to it.

My mum and dad became vegetarian when I was about 11 years old. They refused to cook meat, but I couldn't do without it at the time. Eating meat was normal to me, and all my extended family ate meat! So I would cook my brother and I our meals whilst Dparents ate that nasty Quorn/TVP nonsense that's grown in labs. Yuck! I learned how to cook meals this way. My parents still spurn imo "good" vegetarian foods like beans, pulses and many vegetables whereas my family and I eat fish, poultry, and meat, veg, fruit, etc., the best we can afford, free range and organic. I'd rather eat a wild salmon and green veg than a frozen veggie sausage and baked beans like my parents eat.

Upshot: you eat what you want to eat. Just don't insist your kids eat the same way 100% of the time. They can eat your food at home, and eat lamb stew at their mate's house. It's not on to force them.

Nobody has named those vegan cultures yet?

First time I've heard human beings described as frugivores too! 🤣

As a species, we are omnivores. Not herbivores or carnivores or any other bollocks-ivores. Omnivores. The most successful, adaptable omnivorous creature on earth. It's perfectly possible to live a healthy life as a vegan- but it is more difficult

Nowt wrong with being vegan, but why make nutrition more difficult for young kids?

I try not to impose my views on my kids. I try to bring them up to function in society (which includes having manners etc) I offer them the wisest possible amount of safe, age appropriate experiences possible.

This includes food. Restricting it because of your own moral beliefs is simply indoctrination.

Your house your rules. My kids will live without tattoos or piercings until they leave home. Same difference. I won't allow my children to become overweight or smoke either because it's not healthy. Eating McDonald's isn't either and we have absolute proof bacon causes cancer

Corkscrewbetty I eat meat, it is socially acceptable to eat meat, just like it is socially acceptable to be a vegan, Genital mutilation & paedophilia are not something that is acceptable in social society & are illegal. I'll carry on eating meat.

Surely we all impose our own chosen diet on our young children, to one extent or another - unless they have a particular food allergy or intolerance?

As long as the child is getting a healthy, varied diet, that meets their nutritional needs, and as long as the parents are willing to listen to their child and understand if they choose a different diet when they are older (within the normal constraints of family life and budget, of course), does it matter if the diet is vegetarian/vegan/omnivore?

ohcecelia thanks for explaining - really interesting and useful.

Haven't read the full thread but am finding some of the comments really ridiculous:

It is neglect imo. A vegan diet is cruel and extremely unhealthy. Growing children NEED meat and dairy. It is not an optional extra. It is necessary. Imo it is child abuse.

😂

I was brought up by veggie parents. I don't see it any different to religion in that if they were devout Catholics for example, they wouldn't say "well, we are Catholic but we are bringing up our kids as atheists so they can decide when they're older." Of course they were going to feed me veggie food, that was their belief and I was their child. I'm absolutely fine and tried meat and fish when I was older but decided I didn't want to eat it. If it makes and difference I'm still veggie/trying veganism and my siblings have gone from eating meat to being vegan.

If DH and I have kids I won't be cooking meat and fish for them - for one thing I've absolutely no idea how to cook it so would probably give them food poisoning - but it doesn't follow our beliefs so why would we?!

@Nat6999 it's becoming less socially acceptable all the time. In my lifetime I expect to see serious measures taken to make people reduce or eliminate meat consumption. It's unsustainable and is destroying the environment.

@bluerunningshoes true, but as it comes from seabirds it's not a product of intensive livestock farming.

I wonder how many on this thread would still eat meat if they had to kill the animal themselves - or even see it be killed in an abbatoir. I think very few have actually faced up to the reality of what meat consumption means and decided they're fine with it. For many, it's only acceptable because they can bury their heads in the sand and not think about what happens in between seeing cows in a field and seeing a steak on a plate...

Me! Have killed and eaten a few things.

Hope my kids do too.

Let them make their own choices but support them to make informed choices.

Let them try things elsewhere if they wish, encourage debate covering both sides of the matter. Perhaps you could keep some chickens or quail so they can get eggs and meat confident it was sourced as ethically as possible, and be involved in the whole process. If they are going to eat animal products at least that way you can be confident that the animals were kept and killed to as high a standard as possible.

@neonyellowshoes I actually have more respect for people like you who have killed animals for food. I don't agree with it personally, but I think that you have at least faced up to it and made an informed decision!

I grew up with poultry kept at home, I am happy to and do often kill my own meat. I think it leads to a greater appreciation of the food, and makes meat more of a treat a few times a week rather than a daily essential one eats without thinking about.

I wonder how many on this thread would still eat meat if they had to kill the animal themselves

Been there, done that.

Some vegans seem to think that all omnivores live of shit burgers and have no idea how meat is produced. That's just bigotry.

There are plenty of ethical meat eaters around. Being vegan does not make a person morally superior.

I know exactly where the beef we will eat in a few hours came from. Walked past the herd lots of times.

I can respect someone who is vegan on moral grounds. On health grounds? Nah.

Lots of ignorance on all sides here.

Some vegans seem to think that all omnivores live of shit burgers and have no idea how meat is produced. That's just bigotry.

There are plenty of ethical meat eaters around. Being vegan does not make a person morally superior.

I know exactly where the beef we will eat in a few hours came from. Walked past the herd lots of times.

I can respect someone who is vegan on moral grounds. On health grounds? Nah.

Lots of ignorance on all sides here.

Nobody has named those vegan cultures yet?

Hinduism and Buddhism ? (Although the Dalai Lama eats a little meat on medical advice - it would be a greater sin to deliberately harm yourself for a precept, apparently).

You sure?

Hindus eat dairy products-ghee, paneer.

Buddhists have yak butter in their tea.

Veganism is a western, modern invention. Not that, that makes it a bad thing but it irritates me when people abuse history to justify themselves.

Nat6999 - But they ARE socially acceptable by those who practice them. Child brides, genital mutilation, slavery. At some point someone has to say no... and then the law gets changed if enough people say no. It's called progress.

A close friend and her adult DD are vegetarian but they’ve always cooked meat for the boy as he likes meat.