To think vegetarian mums are selfish?

[lisabd345]

There's a woman on my Facebook who has a son 6 years old.
She's a vegetarian and she's made sure her son is too.
She's just posted that her son is suffering from iron deficiency and GP has said it's probably due to his diet and the fact he doesn't eat meat....and the GP has gave him medication to take every day and he is crying about it ..so she's asking what to feed him to bring iron levels up.
Aibu to think he should make a decision when he's older if he wants to be vegetarian and not have it forced upon him?

The OP is obviously not a genuine poster. But some of the people responding saying dumb shit like "imposing your diet on your child" makes them uncomfortable are. As if it's not normal for good parents to decide on what their children should and shouldn't eat until they're old enough to decide for themselves.

What planet are you that you think the woman and child who choose not to eat animal carcasses are the selfish ones? YABVU and you sound like a complete tool. There are loads of iron rich vegetarian foods and there are many things this mum can do to ensure her child has sufficient iron while still promoting an ethical way of life.

@AssassinatedBeauty He could point to stuff on my plate, but no I don't think I would have given him steak at six month, he could have choked.

That's not what I was asking. You said that "at any age he could say to me what he fancies", which was surprising to me. I wondered how your 6 month old could ask for what he fancied. Not point to things already on your plate, but ask for meat. How did you know that he understood at that age that he could choose not to eat meat if he wanted to?

That's not what I was asking. You said that "at any age he could say to me what he fancies", which was surprising to me. I wondered how your 6 month old could ask for what he fancied. Not point to things already on your plate, but ask for meat. How did you know that he understood at that age that he could choose not to eat meat if he wanted to?

DD has been veggie since birth and has had no problems nutrition-wise.

However. A friend who was veggie for about 20 years developed a severe iron deficiency. She and her doctor tried everything to deal with it but at the end of a couple of years she had to start eating meat. She hates it - but it worked.

So I would certainly review DD’s diet should such a thing happen to her. But equally I would try to treat it first without meat because she herself doesn’t want to eat animals.

I was iron deficient as a child and ate meat. It’s Nothing to do with him being a vegetarian and nothing to do with you for that matter.

@AssassinatedBeauty ok so he likes the smell or the taste of a choice of food and made a decision that mince is tasty. It's like that woman on the TV convinced her dog was a vegetarian and a choice was given to the dog of two bowls the dog immediately went to the meat. My son was like that dog.

Yawn. Goady McGoadface.

Load of bollocks, fwiw.

I'm not veggie but my kids are.
We all eat fish.
I wanted to avoid feeding them poor quality and processed meat.
I give them a vitamin with iron every day and they eat eggs, fish, dairy, beans, pulses, veg.
When they start school they can choose to eat wherever they want at school or friends houses. Just no meat at home.

What's selfish about not wanting to exploit animals?

There are whole cultures where everybody follows a vegetarian diet.

I fail to see how bringing up your DC vegetarian is forcing your beliefs on them or controlling them any more than any other way we chose to bring up our children.

And as everyone else has said most people can get enough iron from a healthy, well balanced vegetarian diet.

Yes, most people can. But not all. My friend was one. She has sourced the most ethical place to buy her meat and she treats it like medication. When she travels to other countries she does without meat as she won’t compromise on the welfare standards.

She is the only veggie I have known to have this problem, but have it she did. So perhaps this child does too.

Poor child. Iron medicine is vile. Really horrible to take.

The individual mother (and any other parent) in question should have paid more attention to her son’s particular diet. Not all vegetarians have the same diet.

Goady OP.

I'm not veggie but my kids are. We all eat fish

If they eat fish they’re not veggie. Vegetarians do not eat fish.

3in4years ... for the love of god! What?????

Your kids are not veggies if they eat fish!!!

Yes, it is entirely selfish. Why do parents like this feel the need to force their lifestyle choices on other people, including innocent children? Be vegetarian if you want, but at least, at the very least give your child the choice. Same goes for the more dangerous and extreme veganism. At least her son is only iron deficient, not calcium deficient as well because he isn't allowed ANY animal products. I do wonder at the mental health of people who feel the need to FORCE their child to take up their diets. I've noticed it more with vegans, tbh I haven't really noticed vegetarians being that bad. Her son is being deprived and forced to follow something just because his mother is. Is it a result of a lack of nutrition, or are selfish bullying and militant parents just naturally drawn to these diets? Stuffed if I know, but there does seem to be a link with these diets and forcing everyone else in the family to be on it. It is so wrong. If the mother wants to be on the diet, let her be on it. Don't FORCE it on someone else. That poor child, and poor any child in a similar situation.

..so she's asking what to feed him to bring iron levels up.

OP, since she is asking, post on there why not let him choose if he still wants to eat meat? Let him choose. That is what I would say.

Her DD and herself are now having serious rows over food. She actually told her DD that if she eats meat again she can move out from under their roof and survive on her own.

See, that's the type of bullying behaviour I mean. If you want to be vegan, fine. But why do these types always see the NEED to force their views on everyone else? Why? The girl is 16. She is definitely old enough to make her own choices. The mother sounds like a nasty piece of work who has to force her moral views and choices down everyone's throat. As I said, it is a pattern, particularly with vegans, to bully, browbeat and force everyone else around them into submission. I have many theories, the first obviously that bullies tend to be attracted to these diets and these diets are another outlet for their bullying and browbeating. It enables them an outlet, a platform to further practice their bullying and browbeating and militancy. But I also think that the lack of nutrition causes them to stick with the diet and thus become enraged and unhinged, ie screaming about 'toxins' and threatening to kick people out of home. The more I read about these people, the more the link between bullying and aggressive personalities and lack of nutrition to these diets becomes obvious.

@Merename Very young children can be easily brainwashed and cannot understand the need for a balanced diet. Most of us as children and teens go through a 'I don't want to eat the animals!' phase, but luckily most of us grow out of it, as we don't know how naïve and idealistic we are.

Also, omnivores DO give their child a choice. Omnivores don't eat meat 24/7, we all sometimes eat a vegetarian meal even if we don't have it in mind at the time. So those who ask you that question re your daughter give their child a choice ie they are OMNIvore. Where as your daughter has NO choice and can't eat meat meals. So your argument falls flat there. A. Can eat both, B. have no choice and can only eat one.

@NameChanger22 That myth is not true. theconversation.com/do-vegetarians-live-longer-probably-but-not-because-theyre-vegetarian-72191

You have it back to front @glintandglide You shouldn't need supplements if you are getting enough iron in your diet. Supplements are second best. True sources ie meat and/or lentils and greens is always better than a supplement in a pill.

@Neweternal Exactly! I used to work in a primary school and the kids who were forced by their parents to stick to strict diets all binged on sweets, sausage rolls etc at school functions at parties. A couple actually beat up kids for their money/treats. It is heartbreaking and it sets up a very unhealthy relationship with food, especially with girls. These poor kids would gobble down all and anything they were not allowed to have, even at my house. The parents have no idea the psychological harm they are doing and the unhealthy relationship with food they foisting on their children. Ask anyone who works with children close enough to notice. They will all have stories to tell about 'those kids'. Those not allowed anything nice develop binge-eating behaviours and eating in secrecy, like in closets.

Everything in moderation leads to a much more healthy child/adult. Psychologically as well physically.

She not selfish she just doesnt know how to deal with iron problems. If you know her suggest beetroot and spinach. I have anemia and when I was going to have surgery I looked up that these two are great for boasting blood levels.

As for the veg thing it's her child if he as an older teen or adult wants to change his diet that's his choice but now he is 6 and his mum cooks for him

Ugh, posted too soon. Was going to say to the vegetarian/vegan (more so vegan) parents on here; if you think your child doesn't eat meat at school or scoff sweets and junk food in secret, you are delusionally naïve. I can promise you this; they do. They definitely do, no matter what they tell you. Even the most outward staunch vegan/veg child. You would be shocked. You have no idea, you really don't. We've seen it all. They scoff and binge in secret at other people's houses, to make you feel better and to please you. Enjoy that knowledge and have a nice day....

Wow. 500,000 vegetarians and vegans in India and all those mothers are being ‘selfish’. My first ever .