[cognitive-dissonance]

Hi All<br><br>
As most of us know, philosophically speaking - normal is subjective. But what are the pros and cons of raising a child with vegetarianism or veganism as normal.<br><br>
First thing I think is that it's a great way to do it, it's something me and my girlfriend are doing with our youngest and so far she's stunningly compassionate, funny, happy and doesn't feel at all alienated to her peers. Infact, her incredible compassion has lead her school to genuinely hold a goodbye party as she used to stay behind and help look after the younger children in the creche. (she's 6)<br><br>
The other alternative to raising vegetarian children seems to be to raise them knowing that eating meat is normal and that they're being 'elite' or better by eating vegetarian diets. I feel this appears at first to give children more confidence with their sometimes very critical peers - but does it?<br><br>
My question to you is if you raise kids as vegetarians - do you take into consideration that vegetarianism can be normal, or do you work around it as "well, it's not normal but it's better <img alt="" class="inlineimg" src="/images/smilies/grin.gif" style="border:0px solid;" title="">"?<br><br>
This is my first thread, so be gentle. XD

 

[Clueless Git]

Hi again CD <img alt="" class="inlineimg" src="/images/smilies/smiley.gif" style="border:0px solid;" title=""><br><br>
My three, 21,19,17, were all raised vegetarian from birth. My grandchild, 5, is a from birth vegetarian and the maternal grandmother of my kiddies is a vegetarian too.<br><br>
I raised my own on one simple premise; Meat eating is one of many wrongs that pass as 'normal' and that every wrong thing a person refuses to do makes that person 'better'.

 

[angie54321]

Like Clueless, I have also raised 3 vegetarian children, now aged 24, 20 and 19. None of them wanted to be 'normal' and were and still are appalled at the thought of eating animals. During their school years many of their friends were jealous of them because their omnivorous parents would not allow them to be vegetarians. Their friends ate regularly at our house and I think that helped them to appreciate that vegetarian food can be as normal as their food, and just as tasty.<br><br>
My brother is also vegetarian (he started the trend in our family) and so are my parents (they followed my brother and myself). My oldest son's girlfriend is also vegetarian.<br><br>
I can honestly say that when bringing my children up it never once crossed my mind to give them meat or fish. The normal in our family was vegetarian.

 

[nomad888]

The advantage of raising kids as if vegetarianism is normal is that they won't assume that McDonaldsatarianism is normal.<br><br>
My girlfriend (also vegetarian) is due in a matter of weeks. Looking forward to raising our first kid vegetarian <img alt="" class="inlineimg" src="/images/smilies/smiley.gif" style="border:0px solid;" title="">

 

[ElaineV]

We will have conversations about how our family is a little different than most families early on. Different doesn't mean better or worse, it's just different. being vegan is just one of the many ways our family is different than most families.

 

[peacefulveglady]

I am going to raise our future children if we have some accept Vegetarian living normal. I was raised an omni and ate loads of junk and I gained so much pounds and had health problems. I am planning on raising them from Birth to live in a peaceful lifestyle and eat a peaceful meal, a peaceful meal is not fully on omni foods and I have more things to check into until I cross that bridge.

 

[@rno]

I am raised as a normal person. It was very strange to me that other people ate animals (= our friends).<br><br>
And my son and daughter are also raised normal (= vegetarian). They are adult now and still normal.

 

[Vancityveggie]

<div class="quote-container"><span>Quote:</span>
<div class="quote-block">Originally Posted by <strong>cognitive-dissonance</strong> <a href="/forum/post/3020333"><img alt="View Post" class="inlineimg" src="/img/forum/go_quote.gif" style=""></a><br><br>
Hi All<br><br>
As most of us know, philosophically speaking - normal is subjective. But what are the pros and cons of raising a child with vegetarianism or veganism as normal.<br><br>
First thing I think is that it's a great way to do it, it's something me and my girlfriend are doing with our youngest and so far she's stunningly compassionate, funny, happy and doesn't feel at all alienated to her peers. Infact, her incredible compassion has lead her school to genuinely hold a goodbye party as she used to stay behind and help look after the younger children in the creche. (she's 6)<br><br>
The other alternative to raising vegetarian children seems to be to raise them knowing that eating meat is normal and that they're being 'elite' or better by eating vegetarian diets. I feel this appears at first to give children more confidence with their sometimes very critical peers - but does it?<br><br>
My question to you is if you raise kids as vegetarians - do you take into consideration that vegetarianism can be normal, or do you work around it as "well, it's not normal but it's better <img alt="" class="inlineimg" src="/images/smilies/grin.gif" style="border:0px solid;" title="">"?<br><br>
This is my first thread, so be gentle. XD</div>
</div>
<br>
We've raised both of our children vegan. They are in grade 3&6 now. We've had many discussions about meat eating and society's attitudes towards it. We have tried to instill the value that we think meat eating is wrong without raising hyper critical people who feel completely disconnected from their peers. They understand how ingrained meat eating is and how people like their grandparents whom they love just don't get it. We thought it was important to cultivate compassion for the animals as well as other humans. My daughter is willing to talk about veganism when appropriate and has a natural ability to talk about it in a non confrontational way. I wish I was as good as her at it and she's 8. My son has had a tougher time with it. He did a project on the environment last year and talked about veganism. He was teased quite a bit after that. Everything in his lunch was picked apart by others and staff were not very helpful. He doesn't talk about it at school anymore. He wants to blend in more. For our family it feels "normal" for us but we are well aware that outside it is not seen that way by most.

 

[Move of Ten]

I don't understand the distinction between raising them as if its normal and raising them as if it's not normal. <img alt="" class="inlineimg" src="/images/smilies/huh.gif" style="border:0px solid;" title=""><br><br>
I was raised vegetarian and it made perfect ethical sense to me always, but I also always had meat eating friends. Some of them who were raised omni got it too. I remember a girl in second grade who wouldn't eat pigs because they were her favorite animal and a friend I had in middle school who stopped eating meat, because he felt bad for the animals. So it is not a weird concept for kids at all.<br><br>
I also have some memories of craving meat in childhood, because being around something a lot that's off-limits can make it very desirable on some level. I didn't actually want to eat it, because I knew it was wrong, but it looked good.

 

[Undaria]

My parents were divorced when I was three, both vegetarian when together, mum started eating meat again when they split up. It was just the normal thing in our household that there was no meat at dads, and by the time I was 10 I wasn't eating meat at all. Basically, I think you shouldn't make a big deal of them choosing to eat meat when they aren't at home, but don't allow meat in the house and don't buy them meat when out. If you do that and teach them your reasons for being vegetarian in a causal setting they will probably decide to be vegetarian when they are able to understand it. That is what I did. My older brother chose to eat meat for longer, but eventually got there and is vegetarian now.

 

[Clueless Git]

<div class="quote-container"><span>Quote:</span>
<div class="quote-block">Originally Posted by <strong>nomad888</strong> <a href="/forum/post/3020403"><img alt="View Post" class="inlineimg" src="/img/forum/go_quote.gif" style=""></a><br><br>
My girlfriend (also vegetarian) is due in a matter of weeks.</div>
</div>
<br>
Mail order girlfreinds?<br><br>
That is too cool!

 

[Undaria]

As far as food is concerned parents have two obligations to their children. The first is to give them a nutritionally complete diet, and the second is to teach them to make the right food choices when you no longer have control over what they eat. Raising your children as vegetarian you can do both.