If you're vegetarian, would you raise your kids as vegetarian too?!
Answers: I'm considering it, I really don't think meat is neccessary in the human diet anymore but some people say you should feed the kids meat up to a certain age or let them make the choice themselves when they're old enough. But couldn't it be said that parents who feed their kids meat aren't letting them make the choice to be vegetarian? What are your thoughts?
That's a really good question.
Right now, I don't have any children, but I think that when (and if) I finally do, I will probably rear them as vegetarians.
I think it is an extremely healthy lifestyle and with childhood obesity skyrocketing, I think it would beneficial for them to adopt a good, healthy way of eating when they're young.
I agree with what you said: meat-eating parents are not exactly giving their children the option to go veg, so it's a wash if I decide to have my children become vegetarians.
just let them choose. don't go out and buy them meat unless they ask for it or want to try it. i was raised eating meat and simply lost taste for it and i think that was better than starting off vegetarian.
I am vegan, however my boyfriend isn't, so there is always meat cooked in the house anyways. My daughter loves chicken nuggets, so I let her eat them with her dad. I have made the choice to be vegan, but I am going to let her make the decision herself when she is old enough. My daughter only eats what SHE wants to eat, we provide her a full meal, with vegetables, potatoes, and meat, and she always goes for the meat before anything, so she's making that decision.
However, IF my boyfriend were vegan as well, I would raise my children to be vegans. If they never ate meat in the first place, they wouldn't want it. That's just not the situation I'm in right now.
I would prepare meals including meat and let the kids decide. Since you are veg, when they are old enough you will be able to explain it to them and let them make up their own mind.
If you're cooking, and you usually avoid meat, I'd continue avoiding meat. I would not spend my money and go out of my way to purchase meat products. Part of being a parent is showing your children your value system. Part of them growing up is deciding for themselves.
As long as you're open to them trying meat if they want to, I think that's fair. My SIL and brother are raising their daughter vegetarian, because they don't keep meat in the house, but once she's old enough, they've decided she can try her father's 'meaty' foods if she wants.
I'm a happy little vegetarian. Their dad will be a meat eater... and we're going to let the kids decide. Simple as that.
When they're little? They'll eat what the doctor says is best.
I'm thinking that the same could be said for parents who do feed their kids meat. It might be the child's preference to not eat meat, but they really aren't getting a choice. If I had children I would raise them as vegetarians, but if they were exposed to meat and wanted to try it, I wouldn't stop them. I feel that if they were only used to vegetarian food, though, they may not have the desire to eat meat. Just my thoughts.......
Kim at: http://www.peaceful-organic-planet.com/v...
i thhink you should it what you like in front of your kids till they taste meat outside of your view and let them make their own decision, dont tell them anything about meat or being a vegeterian just let them make decisions from experiences
YOU HAVE TO LET THEM CHOOSE CAUSE THEY NEED VITAMINS AND STUFF SO THEY NEED TO GROW. I THINK THEY SHOULD EAT MEAT BUT IF U CHOOSE NOT TO LET THEM IT'S DIFFERENT
Yes my children & now my grandchildren.
Babies, Toddlers, Children do have different needs than adults. All these needs are meet under a good balanced Veggie-Vegan Diet. My small children (& grandchildren) automatically on their own ate Fruits & Veggies they had no "taste" for meat, poultry etc. I think it shows what is natural for them to eat before garbage is introduced to them. Meat is a aquired or learned taste. Rarely do small child care for it. I personally never learned to like it, though I could eat it as I got older.
As a child gets older they do make their own choices. What they eat away from home, what path they follow as adults. Just as I kept (keep) Christianity in my home I keep what I consider a better way of eating. Which do you honestly think is worst A clean eating trim Veggie Child or a Junk food loaded obese Child? I think the later is child abuse.
Slainté (to your health)
I was raised a vegetarian ( never tried any type of meat), and am doing the same with my children. There is no need for meat in your diet, all your protein and vitamin needs can be met elsewhere.
Yes, i would.
You raise children according to your morals until they choose to make up thier own mind - its called parenting.
Pretty much the same as people take thier kids to church, they encourage then not to bully, kill, steal, you want them to be kind, go to school.....you just want to encourage your kids to adopt your morals.
If they reject those moral choices when they are old enough to decide, then you shoudl let them do thier own thing.
I would raise my children as vegetarian. I firmly believe that a diet without meat is healthier and therefore would not want my children eating something I see as harmful(considering all the hormones, antibiotics, etc that are in meat).
It is my duty to see that my children are raised properly. Everyone raises their children according to their own set of beliefs. Some parents don't allow their children to have junk food, some don't allow t.v/computers, etc. Some parents idea of raising children properly is to bring them the church. No children are raised exactly alike, we all impose our beliefs on our children, hoping that they will keep those beliefs as they grow.
I am fully aware that some people may judge my decision to raise my child as a vegetarian. I will not however, feed my children meat simply because it is the norm.
I may not be giving my children a choice when they are younger, but that is what parenting is all about. If parents sat down and thought about all the things that their children were not given choices about, the list would quite long.
As children get older they can have more freedom to make their own choices, that is also apart of parenting. While parents still need to maintain control over many parts of an older child's decisions, there are times when children need to be able to feel as if they are influencing their own lives. If my children(when they were older), decided they wanted to eat meat, I would allow it. I believe children need to be given autonomy as they get older, in order to become a better functioning adults.
We guide our children the best we can, and when they get older we expect a little of what we taught and instilled to remain, the rest of their morals and ideals are gained on their own as they mature and experiece the world around them.
I wouldn't let my kid abuse drugs, so why would I give them meat.
When they are so small and can't talk or understand why you don't eat meat, don't give it to them, give it to them when they ask for it and when they understand what it is or they might be mad that you fed it to them.
I'm vegan, husband is an omnivore, and our 6 year old son is a vegetarian. (by choice) He has had plenty of opportunities to eat meat, and with the exception of some turkey at one school Thanksgiving party, he doesn't want it. (He says it smells sick.)
He does eat cheese every now and then though.