Will you raise your children vegetarian or vegan?!
Answers: I'm just curious... I am a vegetarian and my fiance is not. I do not force him not to eat meat although I'm very up front about my feelings as he is about his. I don't believe in imposing any belief on anyone. I don't have kids yet, but plan to in the future. I always make a point to tell people they should let their children decide what is right for them... should the same be true for this?
This all depends on why you are a vegetarian. If you do it for health reasons, I'd say as long as you limit their meat intake they should be ok. However, if you do it for ethical reasons I would think you would want to raise your children to be compassionate and kind towards all that inhabit the earth. Being vegan or vegetarian for ethical reasons is very different than for health reasons. It carries with it morality, compassion and sacrifice... and teaching children that is never wrong.
Starting them off on the right foot young will make them better stewards of animals, the earth and their fellow man/woman later.
Absolutely
No, if I was a vegetarian I would give my kids the freedom to decide for themselves. The same goes for religion...I am not religious, but if my kids want to go to church I am fine with that.
very true.
I will let them decide.
But I am not a vegetarian or vegan ethier is my fiance'
children need more protein than adults, as long as this need is fulfilled they will be fine. I plan on never ever ever having kids so my twisted value system will die with me.
It's easier for me because I am vegan and so is my guy.
If and when I have kids, I think that I will raise them vegetarian and when we visite my parents they can have meat. Something like that. I wont shelter them from the meat world, but I also wont be cooking it :)
I'm a vegetarian who was raised by omni parents, and I think I got more hassle for my eating habits than my husband, who was raised by vegetarian parents. Meat wasn't a forbidden thing in their house -- they let their kids try it if they asked for it, but the meals they cooked at home were vegetarian.
I think they handled it rather well. They didn't force their beliefs on the kids, but raised them to be compassionate and educated them about animal pain. My husband and his sister have both chosen to call themselves vegetarians since they were preteens.
He and I aren't really planning on having kids, but if we did I think we'd probably handle it the same way his parents did.
want to raise my kids vegetarian. If you as a parent believe something is cruel , wrong, and sinful you wouldnt subject your child to it would it? Sure they can decide for themselves when they are older, but as children they cannot make a choice and by feeding them meat-You ARE making a choice anyhow. A choice you feel is completely wrong.
Children can't make decisions like that so you teach them your morals, your beliefs, and you make sure to be honest about the world around you and others beliefs as they age. If they decide to eat meat-then they do.
Thing is, you do hav eto be carefu b.c those not exposed to meat can get extremely ill if they eat it.
Most people growing up vegetarian do not miss meat at all tho! we have substitues anyhow..
You do what YOU feel is right..just reemmber the opposit choice is still achoice you are imposing on your child..giving them meat is still forcin them to eat flesh..so either way you have to decide..which is the most moral thing?
I am vegan my wife is not. I would feed my kids a majority interesting vegetarian diet (my wife often prefers my food), but I would not interfere with their desires to eat meat. They'd see a few PETA videos at some stage however (when old enough). I wouldn't want to fill them with guilt about meat eating in childhood, plenty of time for that as adults!
I would suggest letting your kid and soon to be husband eat meat at a minimum because every needs meat in there meat in there daily consumption,or maybe have twice a week!!!of course I'm only 14 so my words might not matter because of my immaturity but just keep in mind that everyone needs meat in there diet
I am only 13 but, I am a vegetarian (my own choice). I am going to go vegan this summer. But when I do get older I will have my children grow up at least vegetarian possibly vegan. I cannot stand the sight or smell of meat. When I see a cow or chicken I almost cry because, I know that it will end up in someone's stomach.
I agree that people should let their children decide what is right for them, but babies certainly aren't capable of making those decisions right off the bat. I'm vegan, and would raise my child that way. After all, if I'm not willing to put something in my body, why would I put it in my child's? One of the points in having children is to pass on morals & values, so I'll teach them what I believe to be right--the same as teaching them it's wrong to steal, harm, lie, etc. However, when the time comes that they're eating dinners away from me, at school, etc., it'll be up to them. Having a control freak for a mother isn't healthy! Still, I wouldn't allow meat in my house...
It just seems like raising your child to eat meat really isn't any different. You're still passing on your beliefs on the subject of food. I'm also concerned that a young child could possibly be confused by the whole matter, especially if its parents have different diets, so I think it's best to just serve them what you want them to eat and save philosophical discussions until later.
Vegan. Turning vegan when older is so difficult, and I'd be doing them a favour by giving them the ability to do it naturally.
I am a vegetarian (almost 11years!!) my husband is not, we have 2 kids 5 and 7, they are NOT vegetarian, twice a week i make family meals that contain no meat products,( i am getting tired of making two meals every night) but it is MY belief that children's body need that added protein from animal products, its part of our DNA we have been eating meat for centuries, once they are older hopefully they will make the correct decision, but i have to do whats right for their health and well being. As a note I only buy free-range,local, organic meat products , so they wont grow a third eye from all the radiation, steroids and by products :)
I know when I have children I want them to be raised as a vegetarian. While I do believe children need a sense of autonomy, they also are not able to make major decision for quite some time(what they eat would be a decision that would have to wait until they are older). As they mature and can reasonably make the decision themselves to continue on the vegetarian diet or eat meat, I will support what ever they choose.
Parents need to make decisions for their children all the time, its called parenting. Parents make their children go to school, weather they continue is eventually their choice(children are not capable of seeing the long term benefits of many things, as they tend to only live in the present). Children need to be a base to start with, where they go is their choice.
I think it is like religion, I was raised in the religion my mother believed was right, when I got older I decided the religion didn't fit my needs, and now believe in no formal religion.
Dear Mizz Zero: Sometimes I was vegetarian and this condition was a problem for my family and friends. When a person is different, always has a problem. In spite of, I think that if you really wants the best for your future kid, I advice you that you teach this style of life. If he decides to change when he or she will be a adolescent, it will be his/her decistion. I support you.
Best regards, from Mexico
If it were my child I would raise it to be a vegetarian. But that is just my opinion
I'm sorry I really can't help much, I think this is a decision that you and your fiance need to make. I hope you guys come to a mutual agreement.
I would raise them as vegetarian (provided my wife agreed) and let them get older and figure it out for themselves. Once they went to school, if they wanted to eat meat, I'd let them.
if u ask me, i will raise my kids to be vegetarian,but limit the dairy intake bcos 2 much protein isnt gonna do good either..dairy proteins take time to digest thou they are the richest source of iodine..i would suggest tat everyone take a bottle of cultured milk drink daily..its iodine is just in d rite amount
I would raise them vegan (in my situation), but there's not much you can do if he disagrees... Why not try raising your child vegetarian though? If they disagree later in life, then it's their decision.
I would give them the knowledge to choose. If they choose to be one, I would respect it and help them create a workable diet.
I would not support a strict vegan life-style for I find it unhealthy. It would be similar if my child wanted to live an all meat and potatoe life-style.