Bambi's mom

[freckles and boo]

Oh boy... We have had the Bambi DVD for a while now and have only watched it two or three times with our girls. My six year old just asked to watch it again, but said "Mom, do you know that some people don't like animals? Some people shoot them. With guns. Like Bambi's Mom. Why would they do that?" I am really unprepared and reluctant to discuss hunting with her. I don't want to open a dialogue about whether hunting is right or wrong - I am just looking for an age-appropriate answer for a very smart, curious, and persistent girl. We have taught her to be compassionate to animals and that guns are dangerous (we don't and won't own firearms but recognize others right to). Fortunately for the moment she has dropped the subject, but if it comes up again I still don't know what to tell her. Suggestions???

 

[DVC~OKW~96]

I don't pretend to have a comprehensive answer, but I do understand your desire to not be inflammatory in your response.

You could offer that some people find stalking big game a sport. It may not be for everyone, and certainly isn't for your family, but it is for others.

I'd urge you to not hesitate to impart your values to your child. If you find hunting to be an inappropriate activity for you then it really is ok to teach your child that too.

 

[Schmeck]

Unless you're a vegetarian family, how do you get her to eat meat? That was someone's baby, you know...

You could explain to her that's how people get some types of meat to eat.

Neither of my kids eats meat right now. Youngest hasn't since she was a toddler, and older one went vegetarian a few years ago. Neither one likes the concept of where meat comes from!

 

[familydisney]

I had a similar situation in my household. I am a hunter and live in the mountains of Colorado. We rejoice every time we see beautiful deer, elk and moose. My seven year old asked me why I hunt them.

I explained to him that mankind has removed the natural predators such as wolves, grizzly bears and mountain lions from the ecosystem. I said that without careful herd management by the state wildlife department and hunting, that many additional thousands of deer and elk would die each winter from starvation, or lose their fawns to malnutrition in-utero. I also explained that all meat comes from beautiful animals, whether raised on a farm, or taken from the wild and that man has for thousands of years hunted game animals to place that bounty on the table.

You can use the "circle of life" to explain that there is a symbiotic relationship between hunter and hunted. It is also important for children to understand that 80 years ago there were very few elk, deer, and moose in the lower 48 states. It was was American hunters that helped foster legislation to protect, manage and foster strong populations--Organizations like the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation.

I know that hunters are many times painted in a negative light, but I have seen the carcasses of starved elk, where you can see where they kicked at the ground trying to get up when their strength was gone due to lack of forage from overpopulation. It's not a pretty picture and a horrible way to die. Proper mangement reduces the number of "winter kill" and ensures a healthy population for future generations.

BTW-- This the Dad of FamilyDisney. Mom of Family Disney does not like hunting, but doesn't turn her nose up at the freezer full of chops and roasts for the winter.

 

[freckles and boo]

Thanks for your thoughtful responses. I really do have a very difficult time with the idea of recreational gun use and sports hunting but I am well aware of the issues that arise from a lack of natural predators. I think the "circle of life" approach might be the clearest and most appropriate for her, especially considering The Lion King is her all-time favorite movie. I think I will leave out the parts about starvation and fawns dying in utero. It would open too many other cans of worms I am definitely not ready to get into... she is a worrywart and I don't need her losing sleep about that!

As for imparting our values, that usually is not a problem! She is quite used to hearing us say "No, that isn't something our family does". Usually there is an explanation that goes along with it, but sometimes it is just a simple statement of fact. I want to be especially careful discussing this issue though because my dad hunts. I don't agree with it but I love him very much. He is a good person and if/when she learns he is a hunter I don't want her thinking he is mean or horrible or hates animals.

As for explaining meat... oh, dear. She thinks all steaks are Zebra steaks and they are lying in the meat counter waiting for Lions. I have told her they are cows and she simply says "Mom, that is so gross!". The only meat she eats is chicken and she doesn't seem to care that a chicken has gone to the great beyond for her benefit. I am sure the day will come...

Thanks again!

 

[#1 Pocahontas]

I just fast forward through that part.

I have no idea what I would say. Best luck to you that whatever you decide to say goes well for you.

 

[jennobrn01]

familydisney gave a thoughtful response. Thanks, I enjoyed reading that.

We were so very poor at times growing up that wild game was the only meat we could afford. Also growing up in a farm family; I witnessed first hand how deer can wreak havoc on a farmer's crops (therefore the farmer's paycheck) if not kept in check. It really is part of the circle of life.

 

[GotFids]

familyDisney: Very well put. Wish I could have thought of that when my dd asked about it. She's a big time animal lover and even attempted the vegetarian lifestyle...but after 2 weeks of it she was confronted with our yearly Easter brunch...she totally caved! Piled on the bacon, sausage every breakfast meat imaginable! She told me that she'd try again when she's a teenager.

 

[Stephres]

My six year old is very interested in cooking and trying new foods. He told me his new favorite food is ribs, but he feels sorry for the pig. It is difficult to reconcile and I appreciate reading the responses here.

 

[Schmeck]

There's a reason why we don't own either the Bambi or the Dumbo movie - the little one without it's mommy just bothers me way too much! I don't think my girls have seen either one - now that they are 12 and 15, maybe I can be brave enough to get the movies for them, LOL!

We've had the cow/chicken/fish/pig debate at my house. You should hear my kids fuss when my mother goes fishing/lobstering!

 

[puffkin]

I don't know know what your family values are....or where your stand is on hunting. However, something that can easily be brought into this conversation with a young child (and is probably best exampled by the Circle of Life theme) is that hunting and natural predators only kill what they need to eat. It is not a sport but a matter of survival.

BTW, I grew up in a family of hunters and fishers. My family ate everything that my father (and eventually brothers) shot or caught. Nothing would get my dad more upset than people would hunt just for the Sport of it. He felt strongly that you shouldn't hunt or kill something unless you planned to use it.

 

[cosine4]

I am also an avid hunter. My oldest daughter is an animal lover as well. I didn't think that she was old enough to understand, so we always avoided the conversation. She would ask questions about me hunting and I would give her no more information that I thought a 4 year old should hear. Everyone in my family also took the same approach. However we wasted our time tip toeing around the subject because she was able to figure out on her own where the food on our table came from.