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Thread: When did you introduce the concept of veganism?

  1. #1
    not2ez2bgreen's Avatar
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    Default When did you introduce the concept of veganism?

    My daughter is 18 months old and has never known another way of eating, but I wonder when I should introduce the concept of what it means to be a vegan. She got a little people farm for Christmas, and we decided to let her keep it, and she now knows the animals and the noises they make. The babies and the mommy from her little people house also play with and love on the animals She also knows that other people..(grandma and grandpa) eat food that she doesnt, but she obviously doesn't know that grandpas steak came from a cow. And the issue of milk is really confusing, because other people drink "milk" and she drinks "milk" and she knows that she used to get "milkies" from mama. She also eats boca nuggets which look just like uncles chicken nuggets, and eats mac n cheeze...which even has the same name as the non vegan food!
    When did you tell your kids that you choose not to consume products that come from animals, and how did you distinguish between things that are okay, and things we abstain from?
    How do I explain to an 18 month old that her mac n cheeze is acceptable and Uncle's is not?

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    Ex-admin Korn's Avatar
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    Default Re: When did you introduce the concept of veganism?

    When did you tell your kids that you choose not to consume products that come from animals, and how did you distinguish between things that are okay, and things we abstain from?
    When they understood what we say?
    how did you distinguish between things that are okay, and things we abstain from?
    I think the simplest way to explain this to a child is to say that someone suffer or became sad or even die because humans like certain types of food, we abstain from that food. It's very easy for children, who usually are a lot more in touch with their feelings than we are, that we don't want anyone to become hurt or feel pain.

    It also helps to say that they if they had an animal (or human) friend and should feed it, they probably wouldn't give them anything that was bad for their bodies of which made others suffer. I've yet to hear a child say "yes, we would!" to that one...
    I will not eat anything that walks, swims, flies, runs, skips, hops or crawls.

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    baffled harpy's Avatar
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    Default Re: When did you introduce the concept of veganism?

    Hi, not2ez2begreen - I think I remember your dilemma about the farm from before Christmas. Glad it worked out OK in the end!

    I don't have any experience as a parent so I don't have much to add to Korn's answer. I would think it might be kind of traumatic to find out that grandpa's steak is made of dead cow, but I don't remember being traumatised by it - no doubt my parents told me some story about why it was OK (although my mother didn't really think it was OK and is now more or less vegetarian, incidentally). But anyway, that part of it is something that might need careful handling I imagine.

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    CATWOMAN sandra's Avatar
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    Default Re: When did you introduce the concept of veganism?

    I found with my two children when they got to around 6 or 7 years old they began to question different eating habits. When my son or daughter asked me I just replied.........'Some people eat animals, but I don't eat animals'.
    I remember my daughter would ask me when she saw anyone eating chicken............'Is that the walking chicken or the eating chicken?'...............I had to tell her it was the walking chicken. I could see she wasn't happy with that by the look on her face................my son and daughter are 22 and 26yrs old now and are both vegans.
    I like Sandra, she keeps making me giggle. Daft little lady - Frosty

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    fortified twinkle's Avatar
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    Default Re: When did you introduce the concept of veganism?

    My best friend at kindergarten was vegan and I went vegetarian very young, probably because of some of the things she told me. She never really explained why they didn't have milk or eggs, which might have been just as well because I don't think my mum would have let me go vegan at the age of 6 or 7. However, although I remember very clearly being upset to equate living animals with my food, it didn't occur to me to be bothered by other people for continuing to eat animals until I was much older.

    Not sure if that helps, as I may have been a particularly self-obsessed child, but I think it's okay to explain quite clearly why vegans don't eat animals or things that hurt animals without worrying too much that it's going to make them think badly of their other relatives/friends etc. Just focus on what YOU do and don't choose to eat and your reasons.
    "If you don't have a song to sing you're okay, you know how to get along humming" Waltz (better than fine) - Fiona Apple

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    Default Re: When did you introduce the concept of veganism?

    Hi not2etc., great to hear that you raise your daughter as a vegan!
    IMO, as soon as she is able to understand (maybe with 3 years???), you should tell her in child-friendly words about veganism and what happens to animals.
    Take a look at this book:
    http://www.amazon.com/Thats-Why-Dont.../dp/1556437854

    Best regards,
    Andy

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    phiewe's Avatar
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    Default Re: When did you introduce the concept of veganism?

    Andy Im so happy you shared this with me, Im only 22 and not in a position to be bringing up children but I want the book!!

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    missbettie's Avatar
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    Default Re: When did you introduce the concept of veganism?

    as soon as I get some money I am going to get that book, i don't even have kids.
    "i'm rejecting my reflection, cause i hate the way it judges me."

  9. #9

    Default Re: When did you introduce the concept of veganism?

    As I've mentioned elsewhere, I'm pregnant with my first child at the moment (Due Tuesday!) and it's something hubby and I have discussed at length.

    I think the best thing is to wait until they have questions and answer them in a direct way, but not in an upsetting way. Sure, when they are old enough to understand why factory farming is so horrible maybe that's the time to discuss it. In the mean time a short 'Animals have to be hurt for people to get food from them, and we don't like hurting animals' might well cover it.
    Quitting something because it's hard is wrong, and quitting something because it's wrong is hard. One takes cowardice, the other bravery.

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