Do you think parents have the right force kids not to be vegetarian?

Question

My brother at maybe 12 or13 wanted to be a vegetarian. We always had veggies at very meal but my mom made him eat meat. Her reason is that. There are nutrients, proteing etc that a growing boy needs and it can be done as a vegetarian and she did not know how and had no intention of learning. She also had no intention of making separate meals for him. He need protein and she did not make tofu or soy. She told him when he lived on his own and made his own food he can be a vegetarian. I also have a half brother who did not live with us who was a vegetarian. When he came for dinner she never made a vegetarian meal. She made extra veggies and starches for him but we still had meat. Again she believes in you eat what we eat.

The funny thing is now my bro is an adult and not a veggatrian my mom is leaning that way not fully yet. She still makes what ever she wants and if you want a burger so what she made tofu and that is what you eat. At least she is consitent

Answer 1

I think parents have the right to raise their children in a way that is consistent with their beliefs - I was raised devoutly Catholic, and though I doubted my faith from an early age I was forced to go to church and confession and go through the motions until I finally moved out. It's not uncommon, parents want their kids to be like they are because they believe they're doing the right thing. It's difficult for parents to have their beliefs and values challenged by their child in any situation.

Having said that, I'm obviously biased because I'm vegetarian and I went vegetarian when I was 13 and still lived under the same roof as my parents. Luckily my mother didn't shoot me down completely and instead, out of concern and because she was open minded, she looked into it on her own first. She met with my pediatrician first, and my pediatrician gave her a thumb's up, but my mom got a second opinion with a nutritionist anyway. Finally, my mom approved my decision, as she was armed with an arsenal of information about how many sources of protein, iron, and other nutrients can be found in many other foods, and not just meat.

Maybe your brother was disrespectful, or maybe your mom just didn't want to hear it or look into it because she wasn't ready to let go of her own misconceptions and beliefs about meat and how essential it is or is not for the human body. It's a conflict within her as well because it implies thinking about the animal involved, about the reasons why people go vegetarian, and whether you really need to eat that many animals, or any at all. That was the one thing my mom never wanted to hear about because she just didn't want me to spoil meat for her, and I reserve her that right. I know that she would go vegetarian if she sat through "Meet Your Meat", because she has the same heart that I do and is a real softie. But I think she knows that as well, but it's her choice and I never pushed it.

Answer 2

no thats wrong because if u want to be a vegetarian then ur allowed to but maybe just once a month at least eat a lil piece of meat because meat is good for ur bones

Answer 3

i think that so long as a child's choices are not harmful to them or to anyone else their parent should be supportive and allow them to be an individual.  i'm going to raise my kids as vegetarians, but if they want to cook themselves meat when they are old enough to buy it and cook it, i will certainly let them do so.  i don't believe that parents should force anything on their kids once they are old enough to know the consequences of their choice.  if it is a young child though, not old enough to accurately weigh their options and understand the reprecussions then i think the parent should do what is in their best interest.

Answer 4

I am a 68 year old vegetarian and I have been so since I made the decision at about 14. Being a vegetarain in the 1950's was not easy when literally every meal was meat. Steak and eggs or bacon and eggs was a mans breakfast. A meat pie or a roast beef and salad sandwich was considered the norm and the dinner was braised beef or beef stew with mashed potatoes (made with lard or dripping or butter and creamy milk) the vegetables were always overcooked with heaps of fats lard or butter. Any snacks were generally made with lard or dripping. Puff pastry was generally made with lard. Lard was a basic for cooking - as oil was not readily available at that time. If you wanted a snack bread and dripping or bread and lard was the norm. So when I announced I wanted not to eat meat well that was it my mother wnet mad. But I perservered and ate tomatoe sandwiches and tomatoe, onion and lettuce sandwiches. Vegetable gardens were big so you could eat them but really there was not much to eat so I was constantly hungry and thin. Soups were big but always made with beef or mutton bones so they were out. Nutritionally it was not good . I dont believe that its in the interests of the child to stop them from deciding to be vegetarian especially now when you have 1000's of choices in food preparartion. In the fitties lentils were unheard of and dried beans were added for added bulk to stews. It really was a meat and three veg diet. My grandma once made onion soup but it was made with meat stock! There really was not that many vegetarians in the 1950's. Rice was not a big thing but if purchased was specifically for rice custard. Pasta was totally unheard of and never eaten, and pizza just was not discovered where I lived.

As a vegetarian young person it was really hard but in these days why make it hard. Its not hard to have rice on hand or pasta to make a vegetarian meal? Its not hard to make sure there are vegetables and lentils. And young people should be encourage to make there own food.  No dont make it harder for young people to do what is right for them! Let them develop into the people they wnat to be!

Answer 5

i dont think parents should be able to force there kids to eat any kind of food.  if he wants to be a vegetarian, his mom should allow him to do so.  that doesnt mean that she should cook special meals or anything for him, but that she just shouldnt force him to eat meat

Answer 6

No, parents do not have a right to act that way. its wrong for them to force you to be a certain way. Kids and teens go through lots of things to figure out themselves, and being a vegetarian is not bad. Your mom is just being stubborn and hard headed to not listen and let your brother tell her about it.

I agree with Fabulous..

Answer 7

The parents are buying the food and are responsible for their children so they should set the diet.

Answer 8

When I was 12 I decided to be a vegan and people in the family hated it but so what I ate what I could. Did I understand being vegan and what it was about? No I did not but I hated cheese and eggs and meat and as a baby would not drink milk. So really it was easy for me. I ahted meat as a baby also so being vegan was quite normal. I lived off vegie sandwiches like veg ed but also ate tons of vegie soup I made myself and ate toast with margarine and yeast estract. So really it was easy I still am a vegan I am happy with it although I eat better now I dont live with my parents. A person cannot expect to be healthy living off vegie sandwiches and vegetable broth. Mum and dad pretty much caused the nutritional issues in a growing person by not taking their responsibilities seriously and providing non meat foods how ahrd is it to serve tomatoe pasta? Or make sure there is a vegetable stew or a vegetable pasty or pie avilabale? Its not hard to get in the pantry dried soya milk or make sure there is rice for a fried rice dish. Sad really someone would not care enough to help their child!

Answer 9

Its all about RESPECT really. If somebody wants to be vegetarian than respect their wishes. its not a big deal and the food is amazing - chickpea salad, lentil soup, mushroom pie, basil pasta its not a big deal. I want my children to be respectful to others so I am respectful to them. Just because they are children does not mean i have power on them and should use it because they live under my roof!! Go vegan or vegetarian and I will look up recipes for you and we can explore togther. Friends or family come over and I will help you and make a few sides that are vegan or vegetarian - here have an eggless, dairy free chocolate cake and try to tell the difference! you can't. Lets have chinese and I bet you will think you are having sweet and sour pork when its really sweet and sour tofu. I am flexible and intelligent enough to pick up a challenge! also the safest place for the children to be in under my roof so its about being FLEXIBLE! end if story not a power monger - "You are under my roof and you will do want I want" "Or I am your father/mother and what I says goes" being a tyrant or power monger is pathetic for a parent - so flexibility and respect is my view!!

Answer 10

we have 5 kids. i cant expect them all to want to eat or like the same things. i have to make tons of food anyway, so i might as well make everybody happy, right? my mom was raised that u ate what was on your plate, and she hated meat and eggs. so she never made us eat anything we didnt like. i would never make my kids eat something they didnt like. my husband though, tells them hes going to save their plate for breakfast if they dont eat it,lol. he never does though

Answer 11

The simple fact of the matter is that until you are 18 you are under the care of your parents or guardians and have to abide by their rules. If they don't support your dietary choices, you either have to do what you're told, or find a way to do it for yourself.

Answer 12

It sounds to me like the mother is being a mother instead of a caterer.  If a child decides that he has different values from his parents, he shouldn't expect them to turn their world upside down for him.  I agree with the mother on this one.  When the child buys his own food and does his own preparation, he's entitled to eat anything he wants.

Answer 13

Parents do not have that right if the kids disagree with it.

Answer 14

no i think your mom is very selfish and rude.  she didn't have to completely change her lifestyle in order to support other peoples.  also a little research might of done her some good as a vegetarian diet is healthier.

Answer 15

Parents should not be able to tell a child what they can and cannot eat. A child is a person and they have their own beliefs and values, and those beliefs and values should be respected.

Answer 16

At 12 or 13 I ate what my mom cooked for me. Period.

Your mom could have been a bit more open minded and experimented with vegetarian dishes or soy products. Most mothers cook foods that the majority of the people will enjoy. If only 1 person out of 4 doesn't want to eat meat, why should she make everyone else suffer?

Also (I'll probably get flamed for this), but 12-13 is a bit young to be set on a vegetarian or vegan lifestyle. Did he completely understand the purpose behind it and what it entails as far as nutrition and research? Kids that age may see someone else who is a vegetarian and think, "Oh cool. I think I'll be one too!". Obviously your brother did not adopt the lifestyle into his adulthood, so he probably didn't take it very seriously.