Would you 'allow' your child to become a vegetarian?

[MAKmom]

Being a Vegan is very hard. The Vegatiarian thing is easy if you do dairy & eggs.

The Calcium you get in COWS MILK is artifical. They add it after pastrazation. The evening news recently said that its not even being absorbed into our bones & the drink your milk myth is a old wives tall.

Our Ped said to eat Tums or calcium fortified OJ.

This could be a fase so I would go along with it. My DD went threw it. BOth my brothers are vegatarian.

 

[brerrabbit]

My DD is 16 and generally only eats chicken and peppironi (pizzas). She doesn't like beef at all. As for the rest of us we eat meat all the time. I don't think I could ever be a vegitarian. At my daughters age if she wanted to be a vegitarian I would have no problem with it and would cook for her.

In high school and college I debated and one year our topic was worldwide hunger. When you debate, if you do it right you spend hundreds of hours researching your topic from both sides and a lot of what I learned back then has stuck with me. One of the facts that stuck was that children as they are growing need protien to develop their brains. This was a huge issue because a lot of what was always sent to third world contries in the form of aid was grains, rice, wheat, and things of that nature. The lack of protien assured that while these starving children would live they would never develop their minds because of the lack of protien. Any vegitarian or vegan diet that a parent allows, or forces on a small child should always offer a suitable substitute for protien, otherwise you are risking their mental development.

 

[Lisa loves Pooh]

I would allow my children to be vegetarian--however, I do try to find other protein options.

My oldest LOVES soymilk and soy yogurt--but she doesn't usually like the soy burgers/nuggets and such. She does eat chicken.

I don't believe in forcing any child to really eat anything (been there, did that--didn't like the experience as a kid--so not doing that to my kids).

Now that doesn't mean my girls can eat candy all day every day b/c they choose that. no.

I do give them choices though.

If given enough protein options (fortify items with protein powder if necessary--any time we do smoothies--this is a MUST for my girls)---then no need to make them eat meat.

And for that matter--no need to force them to drink milk if calcium can be obtained elsewhere.

 

[Lisa loves Pooh]

Not B12, by any chance? - perhaps the only reason I believe some animal products (not dairy) are healthy for consumption is because I think B12 is only available from animal sources.

Look at me! I'm not even vegetarian! I'm one of those people who knows exactly what's good for me and still eats the junk

I think that is the one that cannot be replaced. You must take a vitamin for that.

As for the others---making a complete protein (whole grain and protein source)---is adequeate for getting your proper protein amounts.

I read this in the Super Baby Food Cook book which is put away some where--so this is very much a paraphrase.

But one can succesfully grow up healthy without the assistance of an animal product.


However--I'm poultry-tarian...I love chicken too much!

 

[malibuconlee]

Kids and food is a hot topic in our family. DH has a nephew that will be 3 at the end of the month and ONLY eats yogert and slices of processed American cheese food. That's it. She's even quit feeding him the baby fruits and veggies he used to eat.

He's TINY!! I went and saw some family friends this past weekend and her nearly two year old is bigger than my nephew.

I'm not sure if I'd let my 12 year old become a vegetarian. I would do the research with her to find ways for her to do it and be getting all the protien/nutrients she needs. However, I would still have to cook for the rest of the family, and I wouldn't make two separate dinners every night. Of course at that age she's old enough to cook for herself. I know I could/did.

 

[Lisa loves Pooh]

I didn't believe you until I Googled it. wow...

I didn't know they were real!!!!


It had me laughing b/c I remembered---oh what is that movie with Julia Roberts and Hugh Grant where she is a movie star.

In one scene--his friends set him up with a woman who is a frutarian. If it didn't fall on the ground--the poor vegetable/fruit was murdered. I thought they made it up!

 

[Lisa loves Pooh]

Yep, I believe that Worcestershire Sauce is made from fermented sardines (and first appeared in ancient Greece). So many people don't know that!

I only learned recently that Jello is not vegan. Gelatin is from an animal source. Who knew?

 

[bigmerle1966]

I thought Worcestershire Sauce was made with anchovies? Were they sardines in a previous life? I have no clue why that last sentence stikes me as being funny, I think I need to go home. Just asking though.

As for being a vegetarian, as long as it's done right, not a problem. I did know a vegetarian family when I was young and the children were way to small, they ate too much junk to compensate for the lack of protein. The oldest who was my age was about 6in. shorter than I was and I remember her drinking lots of soda.

 

[DisneyDotty]

I only learned recently that Jello is not vegan. Gelatin is from an animal source. Who knew?

Yep--actually, Jello is recommended as a source of animal protein for vegetarians...

 

[Tigger&Belle]

Yep--actually, Jello is recommended as a source of animal protein for vegetarians...

That one cracks me up! Not sure why since my vegie kids have been known to have jello now and then.



Merle,

I thought Worcestershire Sauce was made with anchovies? Were they sardines in a previous life?

Yep, sardines in a previous life!

 

[PrincessKitty1]

How do you force a 12 year old to eat meat? I'm just curious; if you try to force her won't you cause more problems? This is for the parents who say they would not allow their child to become vegetarian.

I became a vegetarian at the age of 14, in 1970, when there were not a lot of vegetarians around! My mother was sure I would drop dead , but she did realize she couldn't MAKE me eat meat. And yup, I haven't eaten meat in 36 years.

 

[snowwite]

I know this may start a debate, but I am curious as to how people feel on this. A friend of mine has a 12 year old daughter, who just recently decided she wants to become a vegetarian (one who eats only oatmeal and toast, but thats another issue). Anyway, would you 'let' your child do this? Do you feel as a parent you have a right to say, hey, you have to eat meat. Or, would you support their decision? Can they make that decision for themselves at that age? My oldest is 4, so not really a concern yet, but I just wanted to see how people felt about it.

DD now almost 18 has been a vegetarian since she was 12. She was doing strictly veggie but has agreed to eggs,dairy and fish. He does not eat poutry or red meat at all. I just make sure to buy a lot of fresh fruits and veggies,got some good books on it and ran itby the doc. She was a "carbatarian" for a while but is nuch better now about eating her endamame,peanut butter,tofu,yougurt etc to be sure she gets enough protein. We have all grown accomstomed to new foods we now love like hummus,taboule and stuffed grape leaves.She should ask her doctor and get some books if she has concerns.I am trying very hard to be supportive.I have fought a weight problem forever and would not want to force her to eat something she does not want.I think it might actually help her to be healthier. I did try it too but I like meat and could not completely avoid it.

 

[ashjohnson80]

I became a vegetarian when I was 12, and my parents weren't fond of it, but I just refused to eat meat. So she started cooking more vegetables and not letting me do certain things unless I ate them. I had friends who tried the vegetarian thing and lasted about two weeks. I didn't eat meat until I was about 20 and my now husband threatened to break up with me if I didn't start eating meat.

 

[Stacey2grls]

My DD almost 8 is practically a vegetarian. She refuses to eat meat, but, will occasionally eat a chicken nugget, if I or her dad asks her to. She refuses to walk past the meat section of the supermarket, she holds her nose, and gags! I on the other hands have always loved meat, as a kid my nickname was "steakhead" so I have no idea where she gotten the idea that "meat is so gross"! So, sometimes it is beyond your control, I am not going to force her to eat something that she doesn't want too.

 

[TDC Nala]

I don't have a child, but sure. Nothing wrong with vegetarian. The kid would have to expand the diet beyond toast and oatmeal though.

What I wouldn't allow is for the kid to be the kind of vegetarian who tends to lecture everyone who isn't vegetarian. My cousin did that.

 

[aprilgail2]

I would certainly be fine with it if she never wanted to eat meat again!! I can not stand meat..haven't eaten it since I was about 7 or so and honestly it disgusts me to even cook it but she eats chicken,eggs,fish and bacon so those I cook for her...luckily she hated steak and pork chops and some other meats I cooked for her so I get out of cooking those again!

 

[amarberry]

Oh and thanks to them there is one item I didn't realize isn't vegetarian, worcheshire sauce. someone who eats no animal pruducts at all (and usually will not wear leather etc) usually goes by the term Vegan.

Most health food stores sell a vegetarian worcheshire sauce...I actually used up a bottle of it tonight while making dinner!

 

[amarberry]

Like pansmermaidzlagoon, my DD, who is only 20 months, has been a vegetarian since birth (she also doesn't eat eggs because of an allergy). I look at what my DD eats compared to her carnivore toddler friends and relatives and can honestly say that she has a much healthier and much more BALANCED diet than all of them. I am very conscious of our protein intake and we get more that the recommended daily amount, without meat. She's also in the 90th percentile for weight, so we must be doing something right!

Even if we did eat meat, I would never feed my child hot dogs, bolongna, and those disgusting looking meat sticks that they make for babies! I can't believe that people think that I am strange for not serving my child that stuff. Bring on the tofu, beans, lentils, whole grains, and fruits/vegetables for us!

However, if my DD came to me when she was 12 and told me that she wanted to eat meat, I wouldn't stop her. We all need to make decisions for ourselves at some point and I don't think that 12 years old is too young provided the parent guides the child properly.

 

[ZachnElli]

My ds is almost 11 (in just 8 days) and we are always saying he's our future vegetarian! Once he gets over his love of cheeseburgers, he'll be one! I'd support him. It would be hard since I am a meat and potatoes gal, but I know he really doesn't like meat. He hates going grocery shopping with me and seeing the meat. Thanksgiving (turkeys) and whole chickens really freak him out too. It's just a matter of time with him.

 

[Talking Hands]

Both my daughter are. The oldest became a vegetarian at age 8 and will be 28 next month. She is vegan. My other daughter, 23, is ovolacto-vegetarian. She became vegetarian around age 10. I have never cooked special meals for either of them except to avoid using products they are allergic to.