Questions for vegans/vegetarians with kids?!
Don't worry!. I'm not a troll or anything!.!.lol!. I just have some honest questions that will help me one day so please answer!. Me and my boyfriend are both vegan and I just often wonder how you raise veggie kids!.
1!. How old are your kids
2!. Are you/them vegan or vegetarian
3!. How do you handle school functions when you're not there as far as them eating meat/dairy!. Ex!. if it's someone's birthday and the teacher brings in cupcakes for the class!. also how do you handle you're childs friends birthday parties, sleepovers, etc!.
4!. Do your children ever want to eat non veg things!? And do you let them!?
5!. Were you a vegan/vegetarian during your pregnancy!?
6!. Any other things that I might find interesting!.
FYI, I asked this because I know that you can't be with your kids 24/7 and people probably do offer them candy and brownies and I'm sure most kids can't read ingredient lists so I'm very interested to know how you guys handle it!. Thanks so much!!Www@FoodAQ@Com
1!. How old are your kids
2!. Are you/them vegan or vegetarian
3!. How do you handle school functions when you're not there as far as them eating meat/dairy!. Ex!. if it's someone's birthday and the teacher brings in cupcakes for the class!. also how do you handle you're childs friends birthday parties, sleepovers, etc!.
4!. Do your children ever want to eat non veg things!? And do you let them!?
5!. Were you a vegan/vegetarian during your pregnancy!?
6!. Any other things that I might find interesting!.
FYI, I asked this because I know that you can't be with your kids 24/7 and people probably do offer them candy and brownies and I'm sure most kids can't read ingredient lists so I'm very interested to know how you guys handle it!. Thanks so much!!Www@FoodAQ@Com
Answers:
1) 31 and 26 years old
2)Vegan all
3)When they were little , First I would tell the teacher at the beginning of the year the Boys were Vegan ( and explain) , At a Birthday Party , I would either send the Boys with a 1/2 dozen Vegan Cupcakes which they could share with others who had allergies !.If This was not an option after wards I would give them a vegan cupcake or cookie so they got a fun dessert too!.Today it is so much easier , with all the allergies children have, My grandson's ( he is 4 and Vegan) his invitations will say No peanuts, No Dairy sometimes even No wheat etc !.!. When you RSVP, explain your child does not consume any dairy, (eggs or milk) or Meat , and offer to send something for your child to eat!. Sleepovers with Relatives are No big deal as they all knew, and I would send additional food!.
I did not allow sleepovers with friends until they were a bit older and could explain themselves ( and still I sent them with food and extra to share ) !.!.It is not as hard as it sounds , Basically People are understanding and if you tell the Parents whose house they will be sleeping over, They will respect you!.
If someone told you their child could not eat Nuts or Soy or Wheat, you would make sure not to !.!.yes!?
4)No , My children always looked at animals as animals , Not food !.
Even When they were young , they would Not conceive of eating an animals body in any form!. It is hard to put into words ,but children are smart !.The only asked me if something they may have wanted was an animal and if I said , Yes , They had NO interest in it !. I Never forced them in any way , and as Adults they obviously make their own decisions!.
5) Vegetarian with the first , Vegan with the Second
6)You might get a few phone calls from the school , When one of the boys was in kindergarten and the children were having burgers for lunch (lunch room menu is usually gross, I always packed them lunch) , my son told the other children , that their burgers were a cow!. The children after discussion and maybe elaboration <!?> they believed him and NO children would eat ! !.!. This happened on more then one occasion!. !.!.!.lol!.!.
I also got a call one day when my son was in first grade and forgot lunch at home, he told them he only wanted some fruit and salad for lunch !. They called me because the other children were eating spirals and sausage and they thought my son's lunch was not healthy!.!.!.!.!.!.uhhhhhh!.!.!.!.
When children know the truth, they will chose Not to eat an animal!. It is only when it is disguised as a Nugget and not as a Chicken , they will want to eat it !.
Show a child a live chicken and they will not even think it is Food or want to eat it , but show them a nugget and say this is "good" and they will eat it !. The reality is most people Do Not tell children the truth of what they are eating , and then claim it is the child's choice!. I know there is an expression about putting a child in a room with an apple and chicken, which do you think they will want to eat and which want to play with !.!.
When they are very young you will be teaching them , you will guide them and you will have to explain that they can not eat foods unless you approve it or they know it has no animal in it !. As they get a little older they will understand and do it own their own !. Believe me it does not take them long to comprehend all of it , I really did not think so much about it !.
I would just like to add that My sons , Now adults for many years , Have told me how Glad they are that I raised them as Vegan's ! They are happy with themselves and their lives , and part of the proof is , My Grandson is also being raised Vegan , eats well , is happy and well adjusted!.
Do Not stress about it , It somehow all falls into place !. Think about that you will also teach them not to do things that are dangerous and when you leave them alone, hope they do not climb a ladder or put a screwdriver in a socket etc etc etc !.!. To teach your children to respect All Life including humans can not be bad!. Hope this helps you
You can also join a vegan/vegetarian chat group (on line yahoo group ) , where others can help you or just for fun and facts !.!. we discuss current events and issues , as well as recipes, advise etc etc
http://groups!.yahoo!.com/group/veganview/!.!.!.
Vegan ForeverWww@FoodAQ@Com
2)Vegan all
3)When they were little , First I would tell the teacher at the beginning of the year the Boys were Vegan ( and explain) , At a Birthday Party , I would either send the Boys with a 1/2 dozen Vegan Cupcakes which they could share with others who had allergies !.If This was not an option after wards I would give them a vegan cupcake or cookie so they got a fun dessert too!.Today it is so much easier , with all the allergies children have, My grandson's ( he is 4 and Vegan) his invitations will say No peanuts, No Dairy sometimes even No wheat etc !.!. When you RSVP, explain your child does not consume any dairy, (eggs or milk) or Meat , and offer to send something for your child to eat!. Sleepovers with Relatives are No big deal as they all knew, and I would send additional food!.
I did not allow sleepovers with friends until they were a bit older and could explain themselves ( and still I sent them with food and extra to share ) !.!.It is not as hard as it sounds , Basically People are understanding and if you tell the Parents whose house they will be sleeping over, They will respect you!.
If someone told you their child could not eat Nuts or Soy or Wheat, you would make sure not to !.!.yes!?
4)No , My children always looked at animals as animals , Not food !.
Even When they were young , they would Not conceive of eating an animals body in any form!. It is hard to put into words ,but children are smart !.The only asked me if something they may have wanted was an animal and if I said , Yes , They had NO interest in it !. I Never forced them in any way , and as Adults they obviously make their own decisions!.
5) Vegetarian with the first , Vegan with the Second
6)You might get a few phone calls from the school , When one of the boys was in kindergarten and the children were having burgers for lunch (lunch room menu is usually gross, I always packed them lunch) , my son told the other children , that their burgers were a cow!. The children after discussion and maybe elaboration <!?> they believed him and NO children would eat ! !.!. This happened on more then one occasion!. !.!.!.lol!.!.
I also got a call one day when my son was in first grade and forgot lunch at home, he told them he only wanted some fruit and salad for lunch !. They called me because the other children were eating spirals and sausage and they thought my son's lunch was not healthy!.!.!.!.!.!.uhhhhhh!.!.!.!.
When children know the truth, they will chose Not to eat an animal!. It is only when it is disguised as a Nugget and not as a Chicken , they will want to eat it !.
Show a child a live chicken and they will not even think it is Food or want to eat it , but show them a nugget and say this is "good" and they will eat it !. The reality is most people Do Not tell children the truth of what they are eating , and then claim it is the child's choice!. I know there is an expression about putting a child in a room with an apple and chicken, which do you think they will want to eat and which want to play with !.!.
When they are very young you will be teaching them , you will guide them and you will have to explain that they can not eat foods unless you approve it or they know it has no animal in it !. As they get a little older they will understand and do it own their own !. Believe me it does not take them long to comprehend all of it , I really did not think so much about it !.
I would just like to add that My sons , Now adults for many years , Have told me how Glad they are that I raised them as Vegan's ! They are happy with themselves and their lives , and part of the proof is , My Grandson is also being raised Vegan , eats well , is happy and well adjusted!.
Do Not stress about it , It somehow all falls into place !. Think about that you will also teach them not to do things that are dangerous and when you leave them alone, hope they do not climb a ladder or put a screwdriver in a socket etc etc etc !.!. To teach your children to respect All Life including humans can not be bad!. Hope this helps you
You can also join a vegan/vegetarian chat group (on line yahoo group ) , where others can help you or just for fun and facts !.!. we discuss current events and issues , as well as recipes, advise etc etc
http://groups!.yahoo!.com/group/veganview/!.!.!.
Vegan ForeverWww@FoodAQ@Com
If you're interested in that topic, you'll love this blog!. Not only does the guy have wonderful recipes, they're also healthy and kid-approved!. He has four healthy happy children and the whole family is vegan!
http://vegandad!.blogspot!.com/Www@FoodAQ@Com
http://vegandad!.blogspot!.com/Www@FoodAQ@Com
I'm not a parent, sorry!. But if it helps I'll try to answer from my parents point of view!.
1!. I'm 14, my sister is 11 and my brother is almost 19
2!. my entire family are vegetarians
3!. What do you mean "how do you handle!?" Since we are not vegans, we will eat cupcakes and such when they are brought in!. If someone offers us meat, we decline!. That's it!.
4!. No we don't because we are all vegetarian by choice!. We weren't raised vegetarians, I just became a vegetarian when I was 12, my brother and sister went veg before me and soon after that my parents did too!.
5!. no my mom wasn'tWww@FoodAQ@Com
1!. I'm 14, my sister is 11 and my brother is almost 19
2!. my entire family are vegetarians
3!. What do you mean "how do you handle!?" Since we are not vegans, we will eat cupcakes and such when they are brought in!. If someone offers us meat, we decline!. That's it!.
4!. No we don't because we are all vegetarian by choice!. We weren't raised vegetarians, I just became a vegetarian when I was 12, my brother and sister went veg before me and soon after that my parents did too!.
5!. no my mom wasn'tWww@FoodAQ@Com
I find it funny how you are assuming that most vegetarians are such fascist pigs that they force their children to grow up and push their lifestyle upon them!.Www@FoodAQ@Com