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Thread: Any advice for introducing 5 year old to being vegan?

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    Default Any advice for introducing 5 year old to being vegan?

    Hi, new to this site and to the whole forum thing. I have a 5yr old boy who I am trying to introduce to being a vegan- unforunatly im finding Mr Mc Donald wining...

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    Chicken's Avatar
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    Default Re: any advice?

    Sorry but usually younger kids loves junk food and don't know how bad it is for them! Try and get him out of that lifestyle or he may develop a taste for grease. Try sticking to recipes you usually cook for him only add vegan replacers. And no more McDonalds, if you want food fast you can go by the supermarket and they have food you can get, I’m sure you can find vegan food there, I think. Good luck, and the sooner the better!
    Chickens.

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    CATWOMAN sandra's Avatar
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    Default Re: any advice?

    Hi Ashee, you could try making your own vegan burgers, [usually shop bought ones are best], and let him put whatever else he likes on [lettuce, onion, tomato ketchup etc]. Let him see they are tastier than those other ones. My children from an early age watched what I was eating and just seemed to want to eat the things I did, don't force him, just make it fun!

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    Default Re: Any advice for introducing 5 year old to being vegan?

    I'll try the burger idea! Thanks!

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    Default Re: Any advice for introducing 5 year old to being vegan?

    Hi Ashee
    It may not be something you want to hear, but it's not Mr Mc to blame for your child eating This c**p. As a parent YOU are the one in control of what your child has/doesn't have. I know thre is so much pressure from 'the powers that be' and peer pressure - but at the end of the day what matters is you and yours.
    When my child was at school, the other kids were fascinated at what he had in his lunch box and it was a daily battle for him to hang onto his food. Not that he was bullied or had food taken from him, they just wanted a bit of this and a bit of that because they were interested and my son was willing to share.
    Yeah, your gonna have to listen to the constant whinging and whining when she/he doesn't get what she/he wants - but that will pass if you stick to it. We all learn by repetition - if you give in, your child will expect you to giveIN.
    The word NO is so powerful and your child WILL learn quickly. I brought my child up from birth as a vegetarian and a vegan from age three so to him it's natural. He has never eaten meat and never had a thought to try it.
    When your child is older she/he will thank you. We do what is best for our children and knowing the health risks of meat and dairy, it's shouldn't be based on personal opinion - it's a case of it being the right decision - because we love our children.

    My child (now 14) is aware of the whole shitty industry and because of his knowledge he remains a vegan. Knowledge is power. Arm your child with it and they can make their own decisions. Making our own decisions makes us who we are - we should accept others for this as, we ourselves, want acceptance from those we love.
    How far your acceptance stretches it is a matter of personal choice. I myself wouldn't allow any meat, dairy, skins ..... into my house. But away from my home I can't decide a persons life.

    Be strong and remember your goals.

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    Default Re: Any advice for introducing 5 year old to being vegan?

    I see what your saying and you have a very good point, I didnt meanMr. Mac literary, first of all, I have been explaining to him that animals must die to have an animal produce; he understands this to a degree. I make vegan breakfasts, dinner and lunches (this includes school lunches) he does eat this and enjoys most. But when he is away from me is the problem, at birthday parties, at his father’s house (I won’t even get into the kind of person he is) I have my grandmother brain washing him at every possible opportunity (“boys need their meat”-is the latest one). etc… I have no control in these areas. How did you insure that when you weren’t around that he would ask “does that have meat in it?” and at what age?
    Ps. I think its something I did want to hear, Thanks

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    pat sommer's Avatar
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    Default Re: Any advice for introducing 5 year old to being vegan?

    Nope, you can't ensure anything with kids. They experiment. Do your best and eventually it will work out.
    With my 4 yr old I have started pointing out spotty fat teens and rolly polly toddlers and asking her 'what do you suppose they like eating, McD or broccoli and tofu?' Pictures of rainforest distruction are handy too....
    No one said I have to play fair. I also try to have snacks to share on us at every outing and hope she will take up the habit of offering vegan goodies, as I did when a young vegan-newbie rather than head to the first fast-food outlet with the herd
    the only animal ingredient in my food is cat hair

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    Default Re: Any advice for introducing 5 year old to being vegan?

    I think Pat has said it - kids will experiment - I was probably very lucky that my son just didn't want to try anything other than I gave him. Maybe that's down to him having been given the choice, maybe it's because he never had meat from birth, maybe because he's an old man Capricorn - I dunno. My sister found that her son used to sneak sweets and stuff when she wasn't around - he became vegan around 8yrs. old. Maybe it's an age thing. Kids see so many images these days blatently and subconsciously confirming that crap is good for you - if you don't have/do/eat/wear our products, then you won't be accepted. It goes to show the lengths that capitalist go to ensure that their next generation of consumers if roped in early.
    I used to really big up that my son was an individual, and he became proud of who he was at such an early age.
    I understand about the 'father thing'. My ex couldn't even begin to comprehend where my life was going - and as for me dragging his son down that road - he was determined to stop it. Only he didn't stop to think that he son had a mind of his own. He didn't like that one and I got accused of brain washing!!!! But if steering your child clear of animal slaughter and cruelty and loading your body with shit loads of health harming substances is brain washing ... then yeah, I'm guilty.
    Would your inlaws and ex. be open to the facts of what is in meat and the damage it has on your childs health, learning ....? How could they possibly object when presented with the facts. Maybe a talk with them that what they are doing is only confusing your child. But maybe they are like my ex and my parents who I cut out of our lives because of the negativity they continued to show whenever we visited (a decision not made easily). As I have been a single parent (stil am) since my son was 18 mths., we were never apart, he is quite shy and never really wanted to go anywhere on his own. I could ensure that he wasn't given anything by his father when he went out with him alone on the odd occasion. It wasn't until he was about 7 that he spent some time at his friends house, so by this time he had a very good idea of who he was and what his diet involved.
    Oh, and it isn't that Pat is playing unfair - I look at it that it's the meat eaters who are playing unfair - it's just accepted public propoganda. I agree with the comments he made and it does work. If there is a negative - come straight back at it with a positive and vice versa.

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    Sheila's Avatar
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    Default Re: Any advice for introducing 5 year old to being vegan?

    Quote pat sommer
    Nope, you can't ensure anything with kids. They experiment. Do your best and eventually it will work out.
    With my 4 yr old I have started pointing out spotty fat teens and rolly polly toddlers and asking her 'what do you suppose they like eating, McD or broccoli and tofu?' Pictures of rainforest distruction are handy too....
    No one said I have to play fair. I also try to have snacks to share on us at every outing and hope she will take up the habit of offering vegan goodies, as I did when a young vegan-newbie rather than head to the first fast-food outlet with the herd
    Wow, you and my daughter are the same! When we go to the grocery store she checks out everyones cart and comments to me on the poor choices they make and the size of their butts. She tells me she does not want to end up looking like that.

    Sheila
    "Take the path of least harm"

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