Legality - Is this true?!
As a vegan I have had to learn a lot about food and the healthy foods intake, so my child would not be an danger form "missing" out on food healthy growing foods.
My car pool friend, was telling me that is a form of abuse. And that if as a mother I do not make my child meat food, I can get reported to the school and it is a form of neglect?
Answers: I am vegan, I was raised a vegetarian. I grew up in London. Now live in Utah. My husband eats meat. When we have a child, I would like to raise my child a vegetarian, but if my child wants to eat meat, dad can make it. – As I have never successful made any meat dishes!
As a vegan I have had to learn a lot about food and the healthy foods intake, so my child would not be an danger form "missing" out on food healthy growing foods.
My car pool friend, was telling me that is a form of abuse. And that if as a mother I do not make my child meat food, I can get reported to the school and it is a form of neglect?
That's absolutely untrue. There may be ignorant, closed-minded people who try to report veg*n parents, but a parent can't be found guilty of neglect if the child turns out to be healthy! There have been volumes written on veg*n pregnancy, lactation, infancy and childhood. Point your carpool buddy to the American Dietetic Association's position paper on veg*n diets; in it the nation's nutritional watchdog states that properly planned veg*n diets are APPROPRIATE FOR ALL LIFE STAGES. I know plenty of people who were raised vegetarian, and plenty of parents who are raising their kids veg*n. Not a one of them has ever been involved with an abuse of neglect case. Don't you think that Hindu groups would be crying foul if they were being arrested en masse for simply raising their kids according to their spiritual beliefs (as they've done for centuries.) Your carpool friend is an ignoramus. And if you were raised vegetarian you ought to know better.
Sorry, I didn't mean "you should know better what the letter of the law is," I meant "you should know better that raising a child vegetarian isn't abusive and neglectful." Just that, based on your experience, you're in the best position to know it's not cruel and unhealthy.
No absolutely not. It is not any form of abuse.
Maybe in Utah, lulz..
oh wait you live in Utah.. OH SHI-!
I doubt it. If it is than there is a serious problem with the laws in your country, or ours if you live in the U.S.
As long as you are feeding your child healthy food and making sure they have the nutrients they need, I see no possible way it could be child abuse.
Talk to the pediatrician. But it is posible that this is illegal.
Their first child died. Their second got sick. It was proven to be carbon monoxide poisoning, so I don't know if the law has been changed.
SALT LAKE CITY, UT.
On January 9, 2004 a Utah Second District Juvenile Court Judge named Kathleen M. Nelson ruled that a Vegan diet is neglectful and inadequate.
This came as a shock to parents Dan and Carolee Thaxton, whose now 18 month-old child Matthew was removed from their care by the State Department of Child and Family Services (DCFS) seven months prior on grounds of "dietary abuse." The Thaxton1s have been fighting to get their son back ever since, but to no avail. Now Matthew will be going up for potential adoption.
By definition, a Vegan diet contains no meat or dairy products. But according to the DCFS recently filed Findings of Facts, "Matthew1s current medical condition is the direct result of malnutrition caused by the parent's dietary practices."[1]
The State of Utah and the DCFS have become particularly concerned with Vitamin B12 in a vegan diet. The Columbia Encyclopedia defines Vitamin B12 / Cyanocobalamin as "a group of organic structures that are required in the diet of humans and animals for normal growth, maintenance of life, and reproduction."[2]
Your friend is full of it. As long as the child has all the nutrition he/she needs, then you are ok feeding he/she whatever you want.
No. If you are feeding your children a healthy diet with or without meat and they are getting all of the essential nutrients, then you are not abusing your child.
I would be more concerned about parents who allow their children to continously eat junk food. I'd say that's a far worse "abuse" than raising them vegetarian.
No, that is not true, it is not considered abuse to raise a child vegetarian. There are literally millions of people in America alone who raise their children vegetarian and they certainly have not been reported to authorities nor would there be reason to just because of their diet.
If what you feed your child is truly unhealthy, yes it can be reported as a form of abuse. If you haven't already, I'd talk to your child's pediatrician to see if what you feed your child meets all nutritional requirements, or what you need to change. That way, you have a doctor's ok and if anyone ever did try to report you, nothing would come of it.
it is not abuse. As long as your child is getting the protein and other nutrients that he/she needs from other sources and the child is healthy and well fed, it's not abusive. Also you've mentioned that the father can make the child meat-dishes, so I don't see where the problem is. I guess if someone was denying making their child meat and not providing alternatives then it could be neglectful, but as long as you're nutritionally satisfying your child's needs, it isn't neglect.
No - it is not a form of abuse. You sound much more clued-up about your child's requirements and food nutrition than most mothers. Go for it and don't worry. Good luck. :o)
That is crazy. You can raise your child as a vegetarian. As long as they are getting all of the vitamins they need. They can get protein from things other than meat. Now, there was a case, where the family only fed their child lettuce and it was considered abuse and the child died but I'm sure you would make sure the child ate fruits and vegies and beans and what not to get the proper nutrition.
I live in Utah also.
You as a parent have the right, and responsibility to care for and nurture your child. What you feed your child is also your right and responsibility. As long as the child is growing and is health, you should be able to feed it what you like. The best way to tell if it is properly developing and is health is to have regular checkups with the doc after it is born.
A bigger issue may be the discrepancy you and your husband have about eating habits. You cannot each "force" your will on each other, so its sounds like you two need to negotiate and compromise with each other over how to feed you child.
If your child is suffering as a result of this then yes parents have been sued for neglect for similar things. If your child is totally healthy however they will have a hard time proving this. If I were you I'd feed the kid meat... it's a no brainer if you love your kid, everyone knows people were meant to eat meat, it is healthy... once the kid is grown then let them be a vegan or whatever. Why risk the kids health????
It might not be abuse for sure. But you should really let the child eat what they want to until they turn of age. Then they can make their decision. Children need tons of nutrients while they are growing. Nutrients found in meat is one. But no....its not neglect but if you deprived me of meat I'd call social services on you. They would take me away and put me up for adoption to a family that would feed me meat. Might be difficult though because I'm 27. I wonder how that would hash out....lol.
Yes, they have prosecuted parents who's children were malnourished due to a vegan diet.
There are things a child needs to properly develop that you can't substitute with vitamins etc. like you can with an adult.
Your diet was something you decided upon as adult and is suitable for an developed body. Your child shouldn't be forced into that same diet. Talk to your Obgyn and pediatrician before you make decisions that could adversely affect your babies development.
Below are links to news stories about parents prosecuted for neglect due to a vegan diet. Or google "Andressohn vegan child neglect."
Yes I heard a case about this, where a baby was sick, and the farther who was a vegan did not take the child to the hospital for treatment, because neither he nor the mother believed in doctors and were both vegans. The baby unfortunately died of starvation because the child was on a diet of soy milk and fresh fruits, apples etc.
The child was a new born at age 7 months. This was very upsetting to me and made me wounder how I would raise a child on a vegetarian diet. I am a 2 yr veggie.
I don't think that you can get arrested for not giving your child meat. A child can be raised on a healthy vegetarian diet; ensuring that all nuritional values are established, by doing research on child veggies and going to a nutritionist. You do not have to be a child to suffer from loosing vitamins and minerals because you have started becomming a vegetarian or vegan. IT is due to not knowing the facts and needs of your new lifestyle. I think you should start your baby out on a vegetarian and meat diet. By showing your child both world, they can decide which route they will want to choose. Because even after you have decide you wouldn't allow your child to eat at home, they can obtain meat from any fast food restaurant while you are not arround.
The meat you should do, should not be red meat ast that is not healthy. You and your husband should discuss this before you have a child and decide what eating habbits you want your child to develope, because health is the most important factor here, to avoid starvation and obesity.
yeah rite
no not at all. you just need to make sure your kid gets everything they need. start giving them B12 supplements and ur good to go. make sure they eat thru fruits, veggies, and healthy fats like nuts, seeds, oils, low fat dairy. :) dont pay attention to what others say. if it worries you go talk to a nutritionist about it.
Oh my goodness that is just not true. As long as your child is getting all of the vitamins and minerals required for that day there is not problem with not eating meat. Why would you get reported.......there are a lot of people out there that don't eat meat are they going to report them all. Tell your car pool friend that you are still giving your child nourishment and that is what is required for the child to grow. Meat is not a necessary.
No, it is only abuse if you force the child to eat what he doesn't want to, and that will hardly be reported.
My advice would be to stay in close contact with a pediatrician. You could feed him a vegan diet, aside from things like formula or breast milk, until he is old enough to make his own choices. He may, at the age or two, decide that he absolutely hates meat, or that he hates certain types of vegetables, or will go on a binge of living on macaroni and cheese. That sort of thing usually only lasts about two weeks, but they can be pretty stubborn about it.
Just be sure to allow him to experiment with different foods, and don't try to force him into something he hates. You can encourage him to eat a vegan diet, but he may decide to eat a little meat, as well. Chances are, he will grow up eating a mostly vegetarian diet, but will probably include a few animal products in his diet, as well.
Your wrong
Humans are Omnivores..
Jesus blessed the fish at the gathering.
And You already say it is up to the child..
BTW is your friend a lawyer that is capable of determining abuse..?? or another vegan ..?
It is not illegal to feed your child healthy food. Period.
You do NOT need to start eating meat (or fish) to breastfeed your child, you can sure tell that was written by someone who doesn't know what they are talking about, perhaps you should visit a La Leche League meeting if you have any questions in that department.
Trust your own instincts. You'll be a wonderful mother who makes the right choices for your child and your family.
Honestly with all the health problems that come with eating animal products and how many kids suffer, not feeding them vegan is abuse.
It's utter crap. One can assume that you would not allow your child to become malnourished, so no authority would be involved.
whoaaaa, ok, you live in the US right???? last time i checked, it was free will, to pick and choose everything you put in your body, as well as what your child eats. AS LONG as you are feeding him/her, and not trying to starve your child, why would anyone have a problem with it.????
sorry to say, but your friend is pathetic.
No! Because some religions also don't allow meat to be eaten. If that was classed as abuse, you could sue for SOOOO much!
Your carpool friend is simply ignorant and seems unwilling to learn. There are allot of questions raised when being vegan, like how to you get enough protein, calcium, b12 but as we vegans know its very simple!!! There are lots of healthy foods and vitamin supplements that give us the vitamins we need. Where do they think the animals they consume get their vitamins?! The only thing they get from animals that we can't and don't want to find elsewhere is added cholesterol! My family didn't raise me vegan or vegetarian, and I had a size c breast cup at the age of 11 because I was raised on unhealthy meat and other animal byproducts. Whats more abusive, feeding your child healthy food that can add up to ten more years to their lives or clogging your child's arteries and causing them to have high cholesterol and blood pressure and colon cancer and many other medical problems that come with the territory of eating meat and other animal byproducts. Fact is our bodies aren't "made" to eat meat or drink cows milk, our body makes plenty of its own cholesterol and milk makes the baby animal big and fat, you can get calcium many different ways to keep strong bones! Just making sure that your child eats a variety of different healthy vegan food and maybe a few oreos once in a while:) All that matters is your child is healthy, and being vegan is the most healthy way to be!!
No way what kind of carpool friend do you have? That is total nonsense. I say just make sure that your child takes a multi vitamin and feed the child a balanced diet and make sure that they get enough protein in different ways other then meat.
No you cant yet eating animals is tasty
For the sake of your child, do not raise your child vegan. The growing child need nutrients that are only easily found in animal foods. Even while you are still pregnant, what you eat and what your diet is deficient in can have disastrous results for your unborn child. A growing fetus needs things like cholesterol and some forms of fats for proper development.
As for yourself, if you plan on breastfeeding, you should start eating some animal foods yourself like fish to ensure your infant is getting the best nutrition possible and that you stay healthy too.
It is a scientific fact that vegan diets are unhealthy and unnatural for humans. We evolved as meat eaters and our biology dictates what we must eat some animal products for optimal health.
Parents have been prosecuted and convicted for malnourishing their infants on a vegan diet. In one such case the baby died.
Drop veganism for the sake your health and your child's health. Resume your vegan diet when your child's health no longer depends on nutrients from you.