Would you support child that wanted to become a vegan/vegetarian?

Question

but expected you to plan meals,shop for other ingredients, pay for and cook special meals for them to support their diet.

Answer 1

I'm sure I'll get plenty of "thumbs down" for this, but..... if the child is old enough to make an INFORMED decision to become vegetarian/vegan; then they're old enough to prepare whatever special meals they would require, that are different from the rest of the family.  They might need you to help pay for other ingredients, but should be expected to work to pay for some of those too ....  As long the parents are providing healthy meals & snacks for the child, they should not be expected to also make entirely different menus for just one person.....

Answer 2

I don't eat meat so absolutely I would support it, my bf is not a vegetarian, so when we do eventually have children I will leave it up the child when he or she gets old enough to decide what lifestyle they want to follow.

Answer 3

yeah. you're their parent. you're supposed to provide for all that. and uh. if they were allergic to meat you would do it anyways. dude. it's not that hard to be a vegetarian you know. my mom is and the rest of the family isn't. say you make chili for the whole family. you make it vegetarian. you add the meat in the bowls of the meat eatters. not that hard. if anything. the vegetarian lifestyle is easier to cook and it's cheaper. meat is expensive in the grocery stores. also. being a vegetarian is really healthy compared to the average american's diet. commend your child for their healthy choices will ya?! and it's not like you're going to die if you eat all vegetarian meals anyways. plus, 3/4 of the stuff you buy is probably vegetarian anyways. just buy more fruits and vegetables for your child. it's supposed to be a good thing if your kid wants to eat more fruits and vegetables. don't discourage that. discourage drugs and alcohol not fruits and vegetables.

Answer 4

i would n im so totally a carnivor! but my bro is n yeah its good. sum of the healthiest people. u can support the kid and grub too cuz it may do u some good too. research if you're unfamiliar with their diet. go to a nutritionist

Answer 5

Yes, I think children's beliefs and choices should be respected.

As a parent you'd be planning, shopping for and cooking their meals anyway, wouldn't you? It isn't hard to adapt a family's meals slightly for one member. Take a big roast Sunday dinner, for example. The spuds and other veg are all vegetarian; vegetarian gravy can be quickly made with a kettle and some granules. If they're a vegetarian rather than a vegan, Yorkshire pudding or whatever the equivalent is (biscuits?) are OK for them. All that's required is a different centrepiece to the meal - say fake chicken instead of chicken - bought and cooked at the same time. Easy.

@Obviouslyetc: I was a teenage vegetarian; I went vegetarian at 16. I'm now vegan and 55. From your experience of teenage vegetarians, how much longer do you give my 'fad'?

Answer 6

Speaking as a child who was NOT supported I would definitely say yes, all the way. You should even try it yourself. I would've loved my parents to have done that, even if it was for one day of the week or something.

They have accepted it now...two years later.

Answer 7

im a kid and i decided to become a vegetarian because i think it would be healthier and i dont like how animals are treated. my mom said she would help me become a vegetarian with the special foods and stuff. i would support anyone who wanted to become a vegetarian...

Answer 8

Yes, I certainly would. Actually, my kids and I went veg together. As for buying special foods, most of the foods that a veg*n eats, omnis eat anyway, so there aren't that many foods that I consider special. I'd simply work the foods they needed/wanted into my budget. I would also encourage them to cook and buy a veg cookbook designed with children/teens in mind.

Answer 9

I would support them, of course, because that's one of the jobs of a parent. However, I would ask them to HELP out on the "expect you to..." part. I don't know what these people eat. I'd just give my kid salad all the time.

Answer 10

speaking from experience:

I have been a vegetarian for four years and started at a very young age (5th grade). at first, my mum didn't support it and tried to force me to eat meat. now, she has accepted it and as a family we are a lot healthier and eat fruits and vegetables as staples. the point I make is that there really isn't a 'special' meal plan: any meal you want to make can be made with soy products or substitutions. all in all it is a much healthier existence.

as well, my best friend took after me and decided to go veggie. but her parents werent all that enthused. soooo, they came to the agreement that she'd eat meat once a week so she wouldn't get sick if she decided to switch back to eating meat in the future. this plan could work for you as well, as a good compromise.

Answer 11

It's hard for me to answer this as I don't have any children, so of course it's easy for me to say yes I would.

I'm a vegan myself, so it would not be hard at all to fix vegan food for my child.

I would rear my child as a vegan and I'd be thrilled if they wanted to continue the lifestyle once they grow older. If they don't wish to, that's their choice.

On the flip, would I purchase "cruelty" foods if they wanted to be an omni? Heck no. They would have to buy it, fix it, eat it and dispose of unused portions. I wouldn't go near it.

....Technically, I'd still allow them to make that *choice*. It would just be up to them to work out the logistics of it all.

Answer 12

In my opinion, if a child is old enough to make the choice to become vegan/vegetarian, they are old enough to plan and cook their own meals- they may not, however, have the money to buy any "special" food, due to being to young to have a job (under 16).

Most vegan food, though, you probably already buy regularly- fresh fruit, veggies, (some) bread, pasta, tomato sauce, ect.

Dairy analogs aren't particularly healthy anyhow (the only ones I use regularly are rice milk and soy butter, occasionally getting soy ice cream/ cream cheese for a special occasion) so you don't "need" to have them on hand.

However, you could, as an experiment, buy soy milk instead of cows milk one week, soy butter instead of "normal" butter, ect and see what happens. You might find that you prefer the vegan items more then you did the ones from animals and thus making the transition for you and your child much easier.

Answer 13

Yes. Some children become very fearful when they find out that they could be eating a animal they might consider 'cuddly' or 'cute'. Especially if they find out how they are slaughtered.

My younger cousin loves Birds, all kinds, even chickens. And he will NOT eat chicken because he says it feels like he's eating his pet birds.

But, you should also explain to them that their meals might have to specially prepared or order something different when they go to restaurants. (i think they have made a veggies menu for children in certain restaurants to choose from instead of meat.)

Answer 14

I'm 14 and decided to become vegetarian about a month ago. my parents have been extremely supportive. my mom usually makes me shop, plan, and make meals with her now though, which, even though it's a pain, I think is a good decision. helping with the whole process really motivates me to eat even healthier. plus, you'd be suprised at the many options there are for vegetarians. stores usually have sections devoted to soy and tofu products. we often just buy soy dogs and veggie burgers when we are low on time or money. we also have to buy extra beans, eggs, and nuts. this all may seem like a financial burden, but my parents say that cutting meat completely out of our diet pays for all this alone. being part of this whole process, ive realized that its much easier than it looks to make the switch.

hope this helps! :-)

Answer 15

I think that you should support your kid.... It is a very good thing that they are trying it... My best friend is a vegan i try the things she eats to show her that i support her and some of the things  she eats are good some of them are bad.... But its a healthy thing to do.... I stop eating meat for 3 months every year.... It is very good for your body.....

Answer 16

Since we are living in a very dangerous world, i think i would really encourage my kids to go vegan.  All the nutrients we need are packed in veggies.  Go for organic veggies to maximize the benefits.  You could slowly go vegan by having fish as alternative.  Health is wealth and we should really get serious about it by following A.H. Maslow pyramid of basic food diet.  Eat more green leafy veggies guys! Go for it mama.

Answer 17

i would have to say yes supprt it but if its your child educate then on the ups and down of thier choise and make sure the take daily vitamins to provid the prope nutrients that are lacked because of the absece of meat

Answer 18

Kids need meat. If they don't like it, then only make them eat some. But if they're doing it for the sole purpose of being vegetarian, make them eat it anyways. As humans, meat is part of our diet. By not giving them meat, you're endangering their health. When they are out on their own, they are free to make their own decisions but right now they need to be eating meat.

Answer 19

I would totally support someone who would want to stop eating meat. i think of it as a way of expressing yourself, but i wouldn't let it get too far or out of hand. if they want to not eat meat then they should at least try and help out prepare the meals.

Answer 20

Nope.  Until they are 18 they don't have the right to demand such requisites.

Every teenage vegetarian I've ever seen is only doing it because of a fad anyway.

Answer 21

Yes i would support them, heck who knows this may just be a phase, and they may get over it in a few weeks. But i think that if they feel they are responsible enough, they should have the responsibility to plan there own meals. I am not a vegetarian, but my mom does this for me... you could get her to make a list of items she would like to eat. Then go through the list, and see if it is OK, (maybe tell her what brands to get) and send her to get whatever is on the list, and to meet you in, maybe 10 minutes in isle 3 or something.

Hope i helped! =D

Answer 22

of course. its your blood. you should still love and support them through everything. whether its becoming vegan, or becoming pregnant.

you should still love them!

Answer 23

yes...you are the provider..but within reason of course...and why not try some of there recipes sometimes?? it can be a good child, adult bonding moment. i mean you shouldn't be eating meat at every single meal...that's just plain unhealthy...but when my mom cooks meals..say shes making chicken casserole..she then will have baked potatoes, fruits and veggies...which is proper nutrition anyways...so its not that much more expensive.....just because they are vegan/vegetarian does not mean it will be expensive..hope i helped

-Tracy

Answer 24

If i was the parent of the child, yes since I have been a vegetarian for awhile and now trying hard to be a vegan.

If this child is mine, of course I would do all those things for her. it's what I am supposed to do. It would be better if they helped of course but not necessary.

If I want to enure good health for my kids, wouldn't it be better if I plan their meals to make sure they get what they need, buy for  them the stuff that they need? Would it be better if I let them eat junk food, vegetarain though it may be? Children need guidance and support from their parents not hostility and ridicule.  

And if I did my job right, those kids would not be so demanding and inconsiderate as you have described. They would be helpful and supportive to me as I would be helpful and supportive to them.

Answer 25

Is he old enough to make this sort of decision? And although you may not want to support it I think it's something that should be done, given that the child is well informed on why he wants to do this.  Sit them down and inform them that although that is something they want, it might not be something that you can support financially (if that is a problem).  Let them know that whatever they want to do is okay with you, that you will not love them any less.  You might also want to inform them that if they can prepare their own meal that would be even better.   Or if he can figure a way out to help in the preperation of the meal, to minimize the amount of work that needs to be done while doing dinner.  

I have a few relatives that live like vegetarians and their parents buy them veggie burgers, hot dogs, tofu, ect from the frozen food section.  It makes it easier on my aunts/uncles while preparing a meal.  All they do is pop something into the microwave.  

Support them, it's just another way of showing your love.  :)

Answer 26

I think support is different than you having to do everything for it. Maybe you should involve the child in planning, shopping and preparation so they see how much work goes into cooking differently for one child. On the other hand maybe the rest of the family could benefit from eating this way at least some of the time. Then it isn't so much of a chore having a specialized menu just for one person.

Answer 27

why wouldn't you is the question? your child most likely wouldn't say anything about your diet so why should you say anything about there diet? If they choose to do it in a healthy / knowledgeable way I don't see what the big deal is.

Now, if they expect you as a parent to wait on them hand and foot...that is not OK in any circumstance. If they want to be veg, but can't afford food themselves, make adjustments so you can afford to buy the food he / she needs to stay healthy. For example, buy tofu instead of chips...? or cut back on the amount of pounds in meat you purchase to accommodate Tofu or other proteins he / she needs. Once he / she starts making money, then they can buy food themselves.

I would expect them to want to cook the food themselves. If they expect you as the parent to do it, there is something wrong with that picture. If they truly are going veg, I wouldn't see why an interest in cooking wouldn't be shown.

all you can do is be supportive and make sure they know what they are getting into. But, at the same time, they should already KNOW how to stay healthy if this is the decision they made. (ie: eating the right proteins, getting enough vitamins - which is possible)

Answer 28

Well you should support them, but you don't have to. I would support a child if they wanted to be a vegetarian because there is nothing wrong to be different. Ever body isn't the same.

Answer 29

i would and wouldnt my sis and i are vegetarian but she got so bad that we had to take her to the hospital and they said she needed to eat meat for iron cuz her body wasnt becoming strong enough for her body to grow.... so i say its up to you...

Answer 30

Of course I would. I'm a vegan myself so I wouldn't have a problem with shopping around.

And if peta's behind my child's decision, then I'll thank them for expanding my child's heart to include animals.

Answer 31

easy! give them some props! support then with veggys and veggiburgers.  well it may not seem tasty 2 u but the child will crave it. try not to smire meat in there face. maybe you should try it too! i tried it for like 2 weeks and it wasnt cut out 4 me. hope me advice help you. :0)