How do you feel about Vegan Parents?

Question

OK I'm not a vegan or a vegetarian and will never be, but I'm seeing a lot of questions about parents not wanting their kids to eat meat.

Now i think that's just wrong. Don't you think its the kids choice? And kids NEED meat. Sure there are other ways but its not as good getting things from pills or other alternatives.

There have been cases where kids have died because their parents wouldn't let them eat meat or where kids wouldn't gain any weight.

Answer 1

I believe that vegan parents have the right to raise their children vegan, but I think that they need to be careful to make sure their kids are getting all their vitamins and nutrients. It's very possible to live healthy without eating any animal products.

Vegan parents believe that their children will grow up healthier if they are kept on a vegan diet, so why shouldn't they? I believe they are right. If I was in their position, I certainly wouldn't want to give my kids the c**p that the meat and diary industry throw in our faces. It's loaded with hormones, chemicals, and preservatives. No wonder girls are having earlier onsets of menstruation than ever!

I believe that the child will come of age when they can start making decisions themselves. If they choose to stop being vegan, then the parents should respect their decision. Just like meat-eating parents should respect if their child decides to become a vegetarian.

Answer 2

Wow I feel so sad that you don't understand. Where do I start...

How do you feel about Vegan Parents? I think they are awesome, all parents should be vegan parents.

The kids are young and growing so they clearly cannot make the descion. And since they are young and growing the need the proper nutrients and food, which is only in vegan foods, not pills or whatever you think 'alternatives' are. Not only are there studies and evidence that humans do not NEED meat, there is even research that suggest the human body rejects meat. The American Diabetic Association has stated that a vegan diet at any age is great. Once your child reaches the age of 16 then you can ask them if they want to consume dead body pieces with blood and f***s that causes harm to your body and drink pus infested milk that comes from a mother of another species that was taken away from her young just so you can drink it and her young was turned into veal or a dairy cow, and by consuming this they will be contributing to global warming, world hunger, and environmental damage.

No there have not been cases were kids have died because their parents wouldn't let them eat meat or where kids wouldn't gain any weight. There have been cases were parents have malnutrition and or abused their child(ren) both animal eaters and vegans (more so animal eaters though.) There a millions of children all over the world that are starving specify due to the production  of meat, if that was stopped or lessened we could feed all the hungry people and children.

PLEASE do some research Yahoo!, Google, search engines, books, websites the truth about veganism is out there please read up on it.

Answer 3

Kids do not need meat.  The American Dietetic Association, the world's largest organization of nutrition professionals, approves of properly planned vegan diet for all life stages.  Do you think you know better than the world's largest organization of nutrition professionals?  What are your educational credentials in the nutrition field?  Forgive me if I'm not overly impressed by your opinion.

I don't think it should be the kid's choice.  Small children aren't equipped to make those kinds of choices, which is why parents get to decide what religion to raise their children, what they eat and don't eat, where they go to school, etc.  I know kids who are being raised vegan and are perfectly healthy.  What you hear about in the media are isolated cases; don't forget that there are meat-eating parents who abuse and starve their children, too.  When a meat-eating kid is starved and it's covered in the media, nobody blames the parents' stupidity and cruelty on meat-eating, so why is it logical to assume that veganism has anything to do with the horrible parenting you're seeing in these isolated cases you're referring to?  Some people should never, ever be parents, vegan, meat-eater or otherwise.

Answer 4

As long as they breast feed their babies and know enough about nutrition to feed their kids a complete diet.  And if it is not possible to get enough nutrition into their small stomachs they need to compromise and go vegetarian or omnivore.  Anything less than that is attempted murder.

Answer 5

All parents are different. I would judge them by their actions not what they personally eat. That said, I would hope their children would have access to meat.

Answer 6

This is quite funny.

Did you think up all those cliches yourself, or are you reading from the "Dummy's Guide to Vegetarian Cliches" ?

Parenting involves bring up children in your own moral values until they are old enough to make up thier own mind.

This includes food, religion, morals, manners, social views , the friends they keep, the palces they visit, the language they use.

Kids don't need meat, vegetarians and vegans don't need pills or "other alternatives"

"There have been cases where kids have died "....sure, there probably has, but no where near as many cases as when children die of obesity or health problems due to parents feeding them junk meaty food.

Answer 7

No, kids do not NEED meat. They can get their vitamins and protein from other sources.

And once the child is of age where they can make logical decisions, I think its fine for the parents to not allow their children to eat meat. But after that, I don't know.

And there have also been cases where parents MAKE their kids eat meat.

Answer 8

I'm so incredibly sick of the criticism vegan parents receive, at least when I become a parent I know I wont be filling my children with happy meals, burger king and kfc. There is often bias against vegan diets for children; strange considering obesity related diseases are far more prevalent in high animal consumption diets.

As long as parents can ensure they are getting the right nutrients they need to grow, which is perfectly possible on a plant based diet. I think vegan parents should be able to raise their kids as vegans free form criticism. Parents generally raise their children according to their moral beliefs, religion or customs, diet should be no different. When they are older they can choose to maintain the vegan diet, become vegetarian, or if they want to be omni that's fine too. I think it's great if parents want to raise their children as vegetarians or vegans, I know I will when I have kids.

here is a great recipe blog from a vegan mum with vegan kids, I've tried some of the recipes and they're fab!

http://kidsarevegantoo.blogspot.com/

They are your kids and you have the right to raise them according to your beliefs.

Answer 9

i think vegetarianism is like religion, it only counts if its a free choice. and if the kids are starving to death, its probably because the parents are psychos and need to be put away. i think that babies, small children, and maybe elementary age kids need meat, but the body doesnt need it older than that, as i am living proof. but you cant force someone to not eat meat. obviously if the kids starved to death, then the parents didnt just not give them meat, they didnt give them food. but if the parents are very strict about it, they need to have the kid eat lots of soy, tofu, etc to make up the protein

Answer 10

"Don't you think its the kids choice? And kids NEED meat. Sure there are other ways but its not as good getting things from pills or other alternatives."

No, I don't think it's my childrens' choice to decide their diet until they are old enough to understand the implications of doing so.  Doesn't EVERY parent dictate their child's diet?  The parent is the one buying groceries and cooking meals in EVERY household.....doesn't that mean the parents are dictating that their child is an omni just like vegetarians and vegans dictate the diet that their kids follow?  Hardly sounds like "giving them a choice" to me.

Kids do NOT NEED MEAT.  Vegans and vegetarians don't get their vitamins and protein from "pills and other alternatives"......that is just what people assume because they aren't educated about the vegetarian diet.  Vegetarians and vegans can get EVERY SINGLE vitamin and mineral that everyone else does, even without eating meat.  EVERY vitamin and mineral in meat can be found in plant sources without ever having to take a pill or use "alternatives", whatever that means.

"There have been cases where kids have died because their parents wouldn't let them eat meat or where kids wouldn't gain any weight."

Yep...there have been kids who have died from starvation on a vegan diet.  And there have been cases where omni parents starve their kids, too.  What's your point?  There are MANY, MANY parents who are uneducated about how to give their child a healthy diet, whether they are vegetarians, vegans, or omnivores.  My own city has an alarming rate of child hunger (children who eat 1 meal or less per day) and there are barely any vegetarians and vegans in this city. Veganism and Vegetarianism are not the problem.....ignorance and stupidity is.

I am fine with kids being raised as vegetarians or vegans so long as their parents are willing to properly look after their child's nutrition.

Likewise I am fine with kids being raised omnivorous so long as their parents are willing to properly look after their child's nutrition.

My kids will be raised vegetarian, and my husband (a medical student and meat-eater) completely approves of this diet for their physical, mental, and spiritual wellbeing.  We plan on meeting with a nutritionist and reading as much material as possible about how to raise children on a vegetarian diet.  I don't see how that is irresponsible parenting......most parents don't go through half that trouble when deciding what to feed their kids.  They just pull into a drive-thru restaurant and call it a day.

Answer 11

Vegan parents are the exact same as every other parent. Some get it right and some invariably get it wrong. Any diet be it veg, vegan or omnivorous can be healthy or unhealthy.

I'm a recent vegetarian but I feed my children a mixed diet with occassional white meat and fish. I'm healthy, they're healthy and my husband who eats lots of meat for protein as he's a sportsman is also healthy.

Answer 12

i think a kid should at least have access to some white chicken meat. eating red meat is really bad for you. My mom usually stays away from red meats when she cooks dinner. but sometimes she'll just make it i think vegan parents should take a break and feed they're kids real FOOD.

Answer 13

Kids do not NEED meat.  No one does.  Humans are capable of thriving on a vegetarian diet, so why eat meat unnecessarily?  Do some research.  Meat causes much more harm than it does good.

And, no, most kids don't have a choice.  I can see a very liberal parent allowing kids to eat whatever they want, but if you were a parent, would you let your child eat nothing but, say, twinkies?  By your logic, you would.  But most parents need to guide their child's diet by what they think is best, and vegan parents believe that that diet is healthiest.  When their child is 18 they can make their own choices and decide to eat meat if they want.

And what cases are you talking about?  Show me some specific examples.  A child cannot die simply by not eating meat; there has to be some other cause.  The thing about not gaining weight is untrue; vegans' body weights fluctuate depending on the individual.