Vegetarian kids and teens, please help?!

Vegetarian kids and teens, please help?

My 9yo son recently decided to become a vegetarian, after months of thinking and talking about it, and research at the library and online. This was partly due to health reasons, and partly due to animal welfare concerns. His dad and I are completely supportive of his choice; we meal plan and grocery shop together, he helps me prepare meals and we discuss his choices, and his dad (a self-professed carnivore) is going meatless about 4 days a week, happily.

He's ovo-lacto, as neither of us feels that he's old enough to cut out eggs and dairy (he's not that fond of legumes or soy/rice milk).

My question is: what are ways that your family and friends showed support for your decision to go veg, or what do you wish they would have done? He's firm in his convictions and feels good about his decision, but being 9, there are times when he feels left out. My husband and I really want to encourage him in what we feel is a wise and good decision.

Any help is appreciated - thanks!

18 hours ago
I wanted to add that he does enjoy meat substitutes, such as veggie burgers, chicken nuggets/patties, veggie sausage, etc. and eats them almost daily (partly taste, partly protein). It's mostly around other people, who don't understand his decision, that he starts to feel out of place. Especially around other kids...who can be pretty darn mean at that age to people who aren't "just like them".

I was 6 when I became a vegetarian (I'm 18 now). For years, my mom would prepare a separate meal for me. When I was about 13, she partially converted to vegetarianism for her own health. It was nice to look up vegetarian recipes with her and prepare meals for family gatherings.

There's also a great book called "Vegetables Rock! A Complete Guide for Teenage Vegetarians". It discusses nutrition, food choices, lifestyle choices, and recipes. It might be a good one for him to grow into.

If he's still a bit self-conscious, remind him of all the celebrities who are vegetarian-- John Cleese, Richard Gere, etc.

Most of all, remind him that he is free to make choices in his life-- it is the responsibility of others to accept them.