Double standard?

Question

Why if i decide to give my son a well balanced doctor ok'd vegetarian diet, im forcing my views onto him and tell me to wait till he can make his own choice (11 or 12). But non vegetarians feed their children meat which is their view that meat is ok and safe to eat and they like it, isnt that just the same? why dont YOU wait till their 11 or 12 and see if they want to eat meat?

Answer 1

What you feed your children is up to you.  So long as you feed them a balanced diet they will thrive.

If they want to chose, let them.  If they are inquisative let them develop their own views and try not to impose your own.  Have an open and honest coversation.  Animal food products are not 'bad' in themselves.

Answer 2

It does not matter how you feed your child. It is possible to give it a balanced diet either way. I am sure there are many vegetarian dishes your children will enjoy.

Answer 3

I agree with you completely! The most important concern you should have for your kid is teaching him how to eat right. As long as you understand what a child needs for nutrition, what you feed your kids should be of no concern to anyone else!

When I was young, I wanted to go vegetarian. However, my parents were not very supportive of it. They said it was a fad and it wasn't healthy. Well, 15 years later, I still feel the same way.

Answer 4

I couldn't agree more with you.  How are you supposed to let a baby choose what they want to eat?  My baby wanted to eat a giant ant when she was 6 months.  Was I supposed to let her because it was her choice?

We give our kids what we believe is the best and healthiest for them.  What they do when they grow up is their business.

Answer 5

Yes it is a double standard. Always being different has a price.

I view any child feed on a high volumne of fast food & junk ~ child abuse ~ but that fact has not caught up to the awareness of the masses yet.

Answer 6

The Vegetarian Society and/or the Vegan Society are both happy to advise you. I've known lifelong vegan kids, and they seem bright, healthy and goodnatured. I'm not gonna credit them with superhuman virtues, they were real kids - just looked good and usually behaved well.

Have courage, we're all behind you!

Answer 7

Yes, it's exactly the same but, unfortunately, it's the price you have to pay for being different than the majority.

Answer 8

Either way your kids will be screwed up in a way, just make it your way, that way you feel better about it.

Answer 9

I agree. But who said that you're forcing your views on your kid? Thats BS. I say, as long as he/she gettin what he/ she needs (nutritionally), theres no problem. Besides, i chose to be vegetarian and i WISH my parents had raised me as vegetarian. Kudos. I'll be doing the same, actually, when i have kids.

Answer 10

may be you should speak to your son to see how he feel or are there any vegetarian schoolmate he know by the way how old is your son? because you don't want your son feel different from other children in school. well i am not a vegetarian so i don't know how important this for you but i feel that children should have a "normal" balance diet and have a chance of tasting of "normal" food before before making any decision.

Answer 11

I think you are perfectly within your rights and duties as a parent to raise your son vegetarian if you choose.  Every parent has the obligation to do what they feel is best for their family, and to teach them the things they feel are important.  It is no different than raising your child in a certain religion from an early age, instead of waiting until they are a teen for them to decide for themselves.

Most children will be exposed to meat options once they reach school age anyway, so I think providing a good vegetarian foundation early with proper eating habits and choices can only help them once they are exposed to the real world.

That advice to wait until your child is 11 or 12 is just ridiculous... lol.  How many non-vegetarian parents have you seen that accept and allow their 11 or 12 year-old child to decide to become a vegetarian?  

Stick to your convictions and values, and ignore the nay-sayers... they know not what they do... lol

Answer 12

I asked my mother to stop serving me meat dishes when I was 8 years old when I realised where ''bacon'' etc came from. She was very supporting, because she allowed me to go ahead with being a vegetarian. I've been meat free for 11 years, and I'm fine.

Some people attack things they don't understand. I see no problems raising children as vegetarians. Like all diets, a veggie diet should be balanced.

Nobody should *force* their children to eat anything they don't like/need/want.