My parents don't know.?

Question

i've been going vegetarian since november, but i never told my parents, so the only time i would eat meat was when they would make it for dinner. but then for the last three weeks, i went to this summer thing for school and didn't eat meat at all, to see if i would be able to do it. well, i did, and now i'm back home, and my parents still don't know that i'm a vegetarian. when and how is the best way to tell them? and should i tell just them, and then the rest of my family, or when they're all together?

Answer 1

Why is it a big deal for them if you don't eat meat? Just tell them you choose not to, and it's not what you like to eat

I don't think they'd force you, and they'd understand

Just tell them while you're having dinner..

Answer 2

I advise you to tell them.

Answer 3

Just tell them at any time. First they might think you are joking, but after a while they would realize that your serious. Perhaps explain why you became a vegetarian to them.

Most likely they would support you and say we understand. If not, good luck!!!!!!!!!!      : )

Answer 4

simply tell them. it is your body and consumption of meat and it is no longer something you feel you should take part in..that that is how you feel and you how that they will be supportive..continue to be a vegetarin even if you don't get the support, as you shouldn't cave because they don't think your making the right decison. stay strong and don't cave if your truly serious.

good luck.

Answer 5

Probably best if you do a little research first so that you'll have answers to the inevitable questions that will come. Many of their questions might be to dissuade you and trip you up to show you that being veggie is stupid but others may just be curious. The more you know the more serious they will take you in this chapter of your life. The more they will support you as well and also the less you'll have to worry about their well-meaning but misinformed advice that you have to follow.

To that, they are most likely to ask about where do you think you're going to get your protein, calcium, iron... then they might say they've heard some bad things about soy...

There will be others -- check out the list of the best answer on this question to get an idea of what you're about to hear not just from family but friends and perfect strangers:

http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index;...

So, there are a few sites that will really help you out:

For reading I suggest going over the Vegetarian Resource Group site, especially the nutrition sections:

http://www.vrg.org/

And the International Vegetarian Union FAQ section:

http://www.ivu.org/faq/

Read this one especially from the Vegetarian Society of Colorado on Protein:

http://www.vsc.org/protein.htm

Check out these charts on protein, calcium and iron (and some other nutrients) from Soystache:

http://ultimatenutritiontables.com/

Here's the truth about soy:

http://www.vegsource.com/articles2/fuhrm...

http://www.compassionatecooks.com/all_ab...

http://www.compassionatecooks.com/blog/2...

http://www.washingtonpost.com/ac2/wp-dyn...

You might even print out some of these especially on nutrition (I'd suggest the Colorado one for sure) so you can hand them the papers if they don't want to believe what you are saying. Have the links to others ready that you can email to them so they can verify your facts with their own research and also ease their own mind.

Then there are several podcasts to listen to which are very helpful, one in particular just released in 21 parts (of 8 to 10 minutes each) in support of those wanting to follow Oprah when she went vegan:

http://blog.fatfreevegan.com/2008/07/mak...

http://www.vegan.com/articles/oprahs-21-...

And a weekly one "Food For Thought" from Colleen at Compassionate Cooks:

http://www.compassionatecooks.com/podcas...

I know there are others but they are slipping my mind at the moment.

A couple books you might be interested in including "Becoming Vegetarian" and "Becoming Vegan" by Brenda Davis:

http://www.powells.com/cgi-bin/biblio?in...

One thing that can be very helpful is to find out if you have a local veg club and or festival so you can get more support and try new foods.

Finally, you will probably have to be more responsible for your own food but if you offer to cook a meal or two a week you can win over some of the resistance and perhaps show how good the foods can be. If needed you might take some cooking classes. Try an internet search for vegetarian cooking class with your area to see if there are any at community centers, or colleges or stores.

The diet itself isn't all that hard; navigating the naysayers is much more difficult.

==

As for when, I'd say a couple days before the next grocery trip so there is time for it to sink in and start figuring out what to scratch and what to add. Again, you might have a list of foods you'd like ready and point out that you don't need all of them but that it is a general list (but do have a few you'd like that trip ready if the question comes up).

Answer 6

Tell a part of your family first and see how they react, then tell the rest of your family..

tell them its a choiice you've made and you would really appreciate if they would let you do it =]

good luck.

Answer 7

Tell them!

If they ask why, then tell them exaclty what made you want to become one.

If they make fun of your decision, play along with them. My dad calls me a "tree-hugging, tofu-eating, animal loving, bleeding heart hippy" and I always reply "That's MISS tree-hugging, tofu-eating, animal loving, bleeding heart hippy to you!"

My family, for all of their joking, ended up being really supportive. They love meat, but mom always checks with me and tells me when something has meat or dairy in it. I have started cooking vegan meals for my family, too-- last night, my little brothers ate pizza with tofu instead of cheese, and they LOVED it!

Chances are, you'll either get made fun of or they will totally respect your choice but either way they'll grow to love you for it.

I just told my mom one afternoon, and then asked her to go grocery shopping with me. When I told her, she laughed a little and said "Hey, at least you aren't pregnant or Comming Out."

Answer 8

just tell them your a vegetarian.

its that easy.

Answer 9

If you think they'll be supportive, just go for it and tell them.

You know them better than anyone else, but maybe "Hey, I don't know if you've noticed, but I've slowly been eating less and less animal products (meat, or whatever) and recently I've stopped altogether; I've decided not to eat meat anymore. (avoid the word vegetarian if you think they'll react to that word, most parents freak when they hear that word).