To think veganism is not for children?

[ohhhhlivia]

Yes, I am aware that it is perfectly possible to have a healthy vegan diet at any age. I know that.

However, it is more difficult and easier to get wrong if you want to be vegan. It still is restrictive (even with all of the new stuff coming out) as in you need to tell hosts, check menus in advance etc.

It's a barrier that has to be overcome. I don't understand why you would do that to someone who has no choice in the matter.

Lots of kids go through a fussy phase too, add veganism in and surely you're at a high risk of health problems?

I think what I'm getting at, is that childhood nutrition can be hard enough as it is, so it just feels wrong to make it harder for reasons that do not directly benefit the child.

Oh and finally... think it's fair enough to say if you're willing to critique other diets then make sure you don't reveal your own child is a fussy restrictive eater

@crispycrisis 🙌 great summary of an insane thread

@crispycrisis agreed!

More common sense on this thread @crispycrisis - how will they cope?

More common sense on this thread @crispycrisis - how will they cope?

Can we just draw a line here? Leave it with crispy’s excellent summary and get on with all our lives.

Please?

@crispycrisis what a brilliant sum up, love that.

I agree it's time to draw that line, because there really is nothing more to add.

Just wanted to say thanks to @crispycrisis, @poiuyt123, @VeganCow and a few others for their input in this thread (yes I have read everything here).

Those mentioned have done really well giving time (& rational responses) to the goady nature of many replies where I'd have walked away long ago. It helps those of us lurking who don't have the time or energy to engage in a debate this in depth and this heated.

Rogers’ adoption curve (diffusion of innovations theory) is a great explanatory theory for what is happening with veganism (in modern western society).

The “Innovators” were by nature bold, enterprising, proud of their outgroup position and revelled in the clashes with the majority position. As time has progressed we’ve moved into the “early adopters” phase, more moderate people are adapting their diet and lifestyle, and enterprising food manufacturers saw a niche in the market and adapted to fill it.
There’s no sign of this trend slowing down, and we’re on the edge of entering the “Early Majority” phase. Major manufacturers are seeing the business benefit (Iceland have a great vegan range and it’s easy to not even notice that Flora buttery is vegan), and with the climate change agenda there’s even more reasons to make the change.

It’s not surprising that there’s a backlash where people’s world views (and sometimes livelihoods) are being threatened by a future where those who continue with regular consumption of animal products could eventually be seen as the “Laggards” as the adoption curve comes to the end.

So yes OP, YABU to imply that people who raise their children as vegan are automatically negligent and causing them long term health and social damage. That might be your opinion, but there’s no evidence to suggest that, so it is not factual and therefore unreasonable.

PS I'm not a strict vegan. I am increasingly turning to a plant based diet. Ethically I find dairy more repugnant than meat, but also harder to give up.

I couldn't agree more. The vegans have come out of this horrid thread really well. Maybe kindness really does breed kindness

@itputsthelotiononitsskin (great film reference there!) thanks for that in depth explanation of the way things are going with plant based/veganism, it's really informative and makes sense.

To the posters insistent that we need to consume milk as babies therefore ''animal products'' are needed throughout our lives. Please go into your nearest field and offer the sheep / cows etc a ham and egg baguette because obviously they need it...
We do not feed sheep and cows ham and egg because they would die- they eat plants . If we feed children animal products then they don't die because we are omnivores. However motherless lambs need to consume formula derived from cow's milk otherwise they will die.

I still don't see how vegan ideals will work in the real world in the long term.

Still no actual answers about the control of certain bird and mammal species over crops, or about the value of pasture in producing protein from land that isn't suitable for cropping.

On the plus side, the vegan posters have reminded me again that I should be avoiding intensively produced meat, for both environmental and welfare reasons.

I don't think that anyone has the 'vegan' answers myself included. A plant based diet for the masses will sadly take years to achieve so it will be a learning curve for us all. New farming techniques will be developed along the way including 'clean' meat and indoor farming. Imo.

'To the posters insistent that we need to consume milk as babies therefore ''animal products'' are needed throughout our lives. Please go into your nearest field and offer the sheep / cows etc a ham and egg baguette because obviously they need it...'

I don't think you've really thought that through

@satanstoenailsandwich you've obviously not followed this whole thread

I don't see why OP has got so much grief. I agree with her. People, especially children, are so easily swayed by peer pressure, fads and trends. My son's classmates, especially girls, all turned vegans as in year 2, they were shown this video by a vegan classroom assistant, showing how cute lambs were and they all were asked, "How can you eat that?" Now, his classmate is smaller than her 5' mum! Might not be direct cause... so don't bash me! Keep an open mind. Reduce meat intake by all means as it is good for the environment, but I have to agree with OP that veganism is very difficult to lead to a balanced diet. Incidentally, plants feel hurt when they are cut! Scientists can show you a video of that, too! What are we to eat then? Peer pressure is a terrible thing and if you think we are all rational, sensible human beings, think again!

Another YANBU

Well you’re wrong because I don’t need to do any of that

Ridiculous there is far more peer pressure to not be vegan if anything. It’s not difficult at all get educated and do some research before you think you know what you’re talking about. Plants don’t feel pain they give off stress signals. 🙄 they don’t have a nervous system hello. If you care about the plants so much then don’t eat them. Though my guess is you’re trying to point score

SS would laugh in your face 😂😂😂

I tried going vegan for about 6 months, a few years back. I found it OK, just a bit more planning and thinking. I gave some vegan meals to my DCs and served them meat, dairy, eggs other days, for a balance. My DS found the vegan meals really hard to cope with. Beans, avocado, nuts, lentils (sources of protein) are not his thing.

In the end we reverted to local meat, eggs and dairy milk. But it was a good experiment to do and I feel it was worthwhile to do. DH carried on as an omnivore throughout.

Any diet where supplements are needed is not a healthy diet... IMO

I would not hesitate to report someone to social services if I saw them raising their child(ren) as a vegan. Fortunately, most people I know have more sense than to do that.

what do you think Social Services are gonna do?

My dd has never taken on my views...even at an early change. She is now 12 and when I suggested eating less meat she told me " I hope you're not going to try and convert me to veganism mum!"
This free thinking attitude will hopefully serve her well.

Argh! It's a zombie thread

@namechange46 I have great respect for you bringing your children up vegan. And I am sure they are very healthy and happy children x I don't care much for meat but my husband eats it so it's hard for me at times. Maybe one day I'll be able to convert him lol We both actually hate the way livestock are killed especially Hallal so it makes sense to become a vegetarian or vegan.