Should I raise my child vegan?

[Howtolivelife]

Okay, I get it, milks important, but is giving my child soy milk or almond milk really a better solution? My mother certainly doesn’t agree.

I myself became vegan some years ago for personal reasons and was wondering if raising my child with that lifestyle would be unbenificial, how would she cope at school? There’d be so much she could and couldn’t eat that it leads me to wonder if the other kids would poke fun because of it.

What’s a mother to do?

@TuftyMarmoset

80% is a bit of an exaggeration- 1/3 of your diet is supposed to be fruit & veg and 1/3 starch so that’s 2/3 of it that’s meant to be made up of foods which are naturally vegan.

I was thinking of all the things I feed my children across a week. I’d be wiping 80% off the table I think. Perhaps not with some switch ups. But if I was thinking of the exact things we eat I reckon it would be 80% if not more.

@IactuallyHateMN the definition of veganism, as coined by the vegan society who came up with the word vegan, is “a philosophy and way of living which seeks to exclude—as far as is possible and practicable—all forms of exploitation of, and cruelty to, animals for food, clothing or any other purpose; and by extension, promotes the development and use of animal-free alternatives for the benefit of animals, humans and the environment.”

Unless the woman is exploited, human breast milk is vegan.

Unless the woman is exploited, human breast milk is vegan

Ffs 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣 R. O. F. L

I think the 'individual's choice' thing works both ways though. It's perfectly fine for DCs to choose to eat meat or vegan or whatever; its also perfectly fine for the person that does all the cooking to make their choices too. My vegan friend won't touch meat therefore she won't cook it - and that is her choice to make. Her DCs can do what they like when they're big enough to cook for themselves and can choose for themselves outside the home too.

The woman is exploited @kikisparks as it's her blood that makes the milk and therefore depletes her of vitamins and minerals

@IactuallyHateMN

The woman is exploited *@kikisparks* as it's her blood that makes the milk and therefore depletes her of vitamins and minerals

What a load of nonsense. A woman breastfeeding her own baby is being exploited? I’ve heard it all now.

Unless the woman is exploited, human breast milk is vegan.

Exactly right. Humans are born vegan, and where you wean a baby on vegetables and then meat, try replacing the meat with beans/lentils/tofu etc.
Far easier when they’re younger than older.

A plant based diet is nutritionally far superior to an omnivore diet.

IactuallyHateMN

Are you ok, you seem to have lost the plot? 😬

I think it depends on whether the child actually eats the right things to make it a proper balanced diet. My daughter wanted to become veggie and I refused as she won't eat what I consider a good range of vegetables and she won't eat any pulses. I have said to her I happy to cater for a vegetarian diet once she starts to eat a better range. However as a compromise we buy less meat at try and buy free range or organic meat

Not sure what to say to that really. I don’t consider feeding my own baby my breastmilk of my own volition to be exploitation

Just wanted to say that school dinners are unlikely to be a major issue. My sons school has a bit of a catch all dietary requirement option each day. Usually it's a vegan pasta sauce with the choice of rice or pasta. It covers dairy free (like him) vegan, veggie, gluten free, egg free etc.

Breastmilk is vegan. It's how nature intended us to feed our babies

Not sure what to say to that really. I don’t consider feeding my own baby my breastmilk of my own volition to be exploitation

I don’t think any of us know how to respond to that poster. 😬🤣

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My copy drop me a message.

@Peanutsandchilli

I only need to look at the people I know that are vegan to realise that there is a severe lack of nutrients in the vegan diet. Despite exercising regularly, their skin is dull, excessively wrinkled, and they look about 20 years older then that actually are.

I could perhaps raise my kids veggie but not vegan. I don't think it's an appropriate diet for a young child who has no choice in the matter.

I think this is a slightly unfair thing to say to be honest. A lot of things can impact how old someone looks. Sun exposure, exercise, smoking, drinking, whether someone is NT and genetics all play a major role in apperance and how fast/slow someone ages. Confirmation bais will also play a role. If you already think vegans look old and wrinkled then of course you are only going to see examples of vegans who back that belief up.

I'm 30 and people are always shocked when they find out how old I am because I (apparantley) look a lot younger. Most people seem to think I am around 21-23 but I have been mistaken for even younger before. I still get asked for ID on a regular basis. I have had people sneer at me when I am out with DS because they think I am a teen mum (not that it would be any of their business if I was). I don't really eat well either although I try to. I am more of a junk food vegan these days. In my case I think it is genetics because my parents are both in their 50's but look a lot younger imo.

The bottom line is it is unfair to say that all vegans look old and wrinkled based off ones you know. Especially as it is very unlikely you know their complete medical history, what they may have been through and any stress they may have been under/went through in their life.

It's also worth pointing out that ageing is normal. It is normal to get wrinkles and look older as time goes on but for some reason nowadays it's seen as some kind of failure.