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

YABVVVVU. If you force veganism onto a child, they will suffer with their health long term. Do you want that for them?

No?

Then don't DO it!

I said following an ‘omnivorous diet’. I did not say I am a herbivore, @blaaake. I am a vegan. Substantively different, certainly biologically.

A few people are saying 'oooh vegan diet is SO good and nutritional if carefully panned and done well..' But the fact is, in most cases, it ISN'T. I know a number of people who became vegan, and were always ill, and as soon as they ate normally again, their health improved dramatically.

@ConciseandNice
I am very healthy. I’m healthier than literally any omnivore I know.

Are you saying you didn't imply you aren't an omnivore here?

You’re being disingenuous. I said I am vegan. I am biologically an omnivore. I choose a vegan diet. That better?

"Chips and beans" is vegan. I love chips and beans!

It's better, yes. Well done you.

But being vegan isn’t about eating meat though. It’s about a lifestyle. If your child doesn’t want that lifestyle they shouldn’t have to live it. Otherwise it’s akin to forcing religion into a child.

*isnt JUST about eating meat though.

@UserV that may be the case for some, in fact my aunt became very sick when she stopped eating meat but in my case my DH, DC and I are very rarely ill. We’re all very healthy

One of my colleagues told me this joke and I find it’s true more often than not.

Q: how can you tell if someone’s vegan?
A: wait 5 minutes and they’ll tell you.

Q: how can you tell if someone’s vegan?
A: wait 5 minutes and they’ll tell you

I have heard this sort of thing a lot and when I ask people has that ever happened to them they say no.

I have no doubt everybody will pop up on this anonymous format to tell me all the people they know who have done it but as you can guess by this tone it will mean very little to me.

People feel implicitly judged by vegans and veggies and it causes this really odd ragey reaction. I think this thread is an excellent example.

If you’re preparing and cooking food that is vegan I don’t think yabu for serving that to someone who also eats meat. They should be allowed to have meat in the house if they are going to prepare and cook it.

Imo, if you expect others to respect your food choices, you should really respect theirs.

You can easily make a vegan meal - baked potatoes, baked beans, salad or veg. Quite ordinary food. But then you need something to brighten it up - butter in the potato? cheese? Eggs? So much easier and nutritional to be veggie not vegan!

I’m a vegan and only cook vegan food at home for me and my DC’s. They eat meat at other people’s homes / grandparents / school etc and if we’re eating out they chose what they want. Sometimes they’ll stick to vegan food sometimes they don’t. I think they’ll make up their own minds when they’re older. They haven’t asked for meat dishes at home yet so I’m not 100% sure how I’ll handle that when they do but I’m leaning towards teaching them how to cook meat themselves if they want it.

Sprinklesinmyelbow, well its nice to live in a World with a variety of wildlife. And not having to see more and more pictures of dying children, hearing about absolute poverty etc. But if even that isn't important to them, then antibiotic resistance should be. They will one day be Adults and will look at the World their Grandchildren are left with, thinking "why did it get to this point".

Just like those against plastic, who were ignored, are.

I think you have the right to insist that your house, your rules but out of the house if the kids want to eat meat then you have no right to say no. Even eating out as a family if they want to order meat then that is their right. As for the younger ones, I would say raise them as you see fit until they are old enough to understand the argument on both sides and then let them choose their own diet, as the elder children do. I think that is fairest all around.

My husband is vegetarian. I’m not. If he cooks it’s without fish/meat and if I cook it’s mostly with.

My kids eat what is put in front of them.

If I was vegetarian then they wouldn’t have meat at home.

Simple solution:
If you are vegan then you cook vegan food at home. Same with packed lunches. If they’re at school or with friends/family then they can eat what they want. If they want non-vegan food at home (and are old enough) then they can cook it/tidy up after themselves.

You don’t have to agree with it but then they don’t have to agree with you.

Sorry I thought I’d got to the end of the thread. I see other posters have also suggested the same thing

Birds you indicated that eating meat was dangerous for the child. Antibiotic resistance is due to bugs becoming resistant

Are you properly vegan? What school shoes are your children wearing? Do you check your clothing for animal products?

I'm not trying to be aggressive it's just that the diet gets so much focus and being vegan is so much more (disclaimer, not a vegan).

And children are one of the most environmentally unfriendly things you can do.

My DS has a friend who comes to stay. The boys mum is vegan, dad is vegetarian, boy raised vegi. I always make sure that there are lots of vegi things for him to eat when he's over (and we go vegi when he's with us rather than making him feel different) anyway, he's been a few times and it turns out that he'd been asking DS to take him to McDonalds and getting DS to make him ham sandwiches! When I found out I was "sworn to secrecy" in case his mother found out. He's 15!!

What do children not being environmentally friendly have to do with animal welfare?