Visit to abbotoir before veg. child allowed to be meat eater?

[poppynic]

My dp is a ultra-committed vego and decreed that if he had children they would have to be vego. Being desperate and clueless at the time I said, sure, whatever. We have now got through 4 years of vego child.

I asked dp when child could decide for himself. He said 5. Now child (4) is saying he wants to be a meat eater when turns 5. Dp wants child to visit abbatoir first . I'm a big softy and don't think it's fair to put ds through that horror - virtual child abuse. But I want him to be able to be a meat eater if he wants.

What do you think - is an abbatoir visit reasonable for a 5 year old?

Message withdrawn

I don't understand about the klaxon, but there is some debate about our evolutionary heritage

we are certainly not designed to cope well with pure meat or even a high meat diet

our dentition and gut suggest we are more fit for eating vegetarian diets than carniverous ones

I don't know more details off the top of my head but have a book I can refer to if you really want to know more, Pruni (am sure you can google it anyway)

LOL at "abbotoir", btw

franny - surely our teeth suggest the very opposite. how many vegetarian animals have canines exactly?

Am late to this debate so I am sure it has all been said ... still I am a veggie and so is my DH - despite the fact I was the commmitted teen animal rights activist - ran a stall, did demo's and marches, hunt sabbing etc. etc. stuff that dh never ever involved himself in- my dh is more 'extreme' than I (I think it is a man thing - they are so certain so 'black and white' about issues)- I do tell him to lighten up sometimes meat eaters aren't the antichrist and although our children are being raised veggie I won't disown them if they decide to try meat as they grow up.

I am not squemish or sentimental about animals I was born in a rural area and used to watch my neighbour skinning rabbits as a toddler I don't think I was bothered by it and certainly didn't become veggie until I was 15. I don't think an abbatoir visit is necessary but allowing children to understand the connection between cows in the field and the beef on the plate is a good idea. i personally believe that if you want to eat meat you should be capable of slaughtering it yourself - but I wouldn't expect that of a child.

Message withdrawn

Interesting review of naturalists' work on this subject here , SP

highly biased, obviously, but some good info nonetheless

I agree it is not cut and dried, we appear to be a bit of a mish mash, but it seems fairly clear we are more suited to vegetarianism than meat eating

This is also interesting

especially

"Compare The Characteristics To Reveal The Exciting Truth"

you get the idea, anyway

just read the first link you posted. very mixed. according to Huxley, we're frugivourous. does that mean we should stop eating veg?

But, Senora,

"Compare The Characteristics To Reveal The Exciting Truth"

second link has to be wrong (not that I've looked it up). cat's don't perspire through their tongues. and do dogs have claws?

it is exciting though.

I think dogs have claws

they sound like they do when they run on parquet

blimey where did that apostrophe in cats come from? I think I need a lie down.

i'll try and have a look at some dogs' feet tomorrow.

before I lie down though I would just like to say ooooh, parquet.

"I think dogs have claws

they sound like they do when they run on parquet"

for Quote of the Month

Franny, you have too much time on your hands

Message withdrawn

I was going to post that dd sounds like she has claws on the parquet but it's too late now.

have'nt read all the posts but just had a thought. Our high street butchers has regular deliveries and it's not unusual to see the back doors of the lorry open with several half-pigs hanging inside. Would a visit to a butcher shop back room/meat locker be more approriate where you can still see the meat in animal form, but dont have to go through all the 'how it's done' stuff. Appreciate this may be the point your DP is trying to bring home, but I do think 5 years is a bit young

I was just trying to back up my assertion with some kind of evidence. I don't lie around in wait for dogs in an attempt to listen to their claws or lack thereof (besides, the parquet would get chilly)

haven't read the whole thread but am in similar position to poppynic except DS is 10mths old.

there is no way I would take a 5yr old to an abbatoir, the memory would haunt him forever.

take him to a farm and let him see the connection between animals that feel & react & the meat on his plate but chainsaws blood & guts are strictly over 16 rated IMO

ack can't read all thread

how about reading a bit more about meat with him? HFW The Meat Book for example? some of the river cottage stuff? and then make a point of buying say from farm shops?

think kids do need to know where food comes from but...dunno, can't see abbatoir letting a 5 yp in anyway

(oh and, tbh, I am more than comfortable with saying, eg, that our house is a meat free zone-which it is, dp is a very strict vegetarian and our kids do have to live with that, its a house rule)

fwiw
my limited knowledge of anthropology is that we evolved as scavengers, historically we would have meat if we could find it especially marrow, very efficient protein source & helped us to develop the bigger brains we have today ,there are other theories about man as hunter/gatherer & the rise of settled agricultural societies.(Richard Leakey & Stephen Jay Gould wrote lots on this I'm told)

but here & now, we don't need meat to survive, (or there would be no hindus left ). I sometimes have meat because I was brought up on Sunday roasts & bacon sarnies & I like the flavour, but the less I eat, the less I miss it.

I am concerned that I don't know enough about veggie nutrition for the sake of ds who is so far a veggie, I'm sure his nappies would be even more fetid if he ate meat.