Guest guest Posted October 19, 2001 Report Share Posted October 19, 2001 Does anyone know of any Vegetarian Groups on Long Island, NY? As we teach my 3yr old son that we are vegetarians he wants to know who else is and who is not. We only have two other vegetarians in the family so the list is unfortunately very short. I thought it would help him if we had more vegetarian friends. Also any suggestions on how to explain to a 3yr old that while we don't eat animals and other people (mainly relatives) do eat animals, it doesn't mean they should be thought of negatively. We try to say that we don't eat animals because we are vegetarians and some other people are not so they animals. But he always asks why we don't eat animals in the same conversation as who does eat animals and we don't want him to think less of his relatives. We say that it is a choice and non-vegetarians just don't feel as strongly about animals as we do. Any suggestions are appreciated. Thanks Evan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted October 21, 2001 Report Share Posted October 21, 2001 I live on Long Island, Nassau County to be more specific. My 14 year daughter has been vegetarian for a year now and I am in the process of become vegetarian. I do not know of any Vegetarian groups but, I have never looked. We could always start one. I am not up on what to tell a three year old. When my daughter came to me and informed me she wanted to become Vegetarian I asked her why? Her response was she loves animals all of them and since it is not necessary for our survival she would prefer not to eat them. I explained it was a choice she had to make but she could not go to an extreme and criticize those who choose to eat meat. I have attempted to explain this to my 4 year old nephew. As far as he is concerned my daughter is the cool one she gets special food. I could not be very specific with him because I feared he would never eat meat again and that was not for me to do. He loves animals even bugs. If we kill a bug he will cry and tell us how the bugs mommy and children need him and will miss him. When my sister gives me the OK to be more specific I will tell him about how different animals live and how some live together and protect each other and others live alone. I will explain that animals eat animals but we are capable of more. I will explain that not everyone cares about animals like we do and we have to respect it. Hope this gave you some ideas. egoldstein wrote: > Does anyone know of any Vegetarian Groups on Long Island, NY? As we > teach my 3yr > old son that we are vegetarians he wants to know who else is and who > is not. We only > have two other vegetarians in the family so the list is unfortunately > very short. I > thought it would help him if we had more vegetarian friends. > > Also any suggestions on how to explain to a 3yr old that while we > don't eat animals > and other people (mainly relatives) do eat animals, it doesn't mean > they should be > thought of negatively. We try to say that we don't eat animals > because we are > vegetarians and some other people are not so they animals. But he > always asks why > we don't eat animals in the same conversation as who does eat animals > and we don't > want him to think less of his relatives. We say that it is a choice > and non-vegetarians > just don't feel as strongly about animals as we do. Any suggestions > are appreciated. > > Thanks > Evan > > > For more information about vegetarianism, please visit the VRG website at http://www.vrg.org and for materials especially useful for families go to http://www.vrg.org/family. > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted October 21, 2001 Report Share Posted October 21, 2001 I don't know of any Vegetarian Groups in the Long Island area, but I have been wanting to start one in The Columbus, Oh area and maybe you could do the same. My baby is only 5 weeks old so I am not dealing with the same issues as people with older kids, but I would like to start early and also have a support base. There is a group here that meets once a week, more as a play group, that has many veggies and a few vegans, but that's not what the group is about and also includes meat eaters. I have wanted to start a separate group and email list for the central Ohio area and try to have meetings with discussions on issues we face as vegetarian parents, potlucks, and playgroup. I know it won't be easy raising veggie kids and I think it's important to have people that share your views and support you in your choice. I think it's also important for the kids to know other veggie kids so they don't feel like they are " freaks " . I was thinking of making flyers and posting them at the health food stores and vegetarian restaurants to see if anyone was interested in participating. good luck, Visit: http://didi-mao.tripod.com, www.peta.com, www.fight4choice.com Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted October 23, 2001 Report Share Posted October 23, 2001 but I have > been wanting to start one in The Columbus, Oh area > I was thinking of making flyers and posting them at the health food stores > and vegetarian restaurants to see if anyone was interested in participating. ++++You could start your own group at www. for Ohio veggies. The flyer idea I like too. ~*~Mitzi Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted October 23, 2001 Report Share Posted October 23, 2001 I have a 3 year old and a 6 year old. Both girls, both vegan. I have explained to them that animals are our friends just like our cats and we wouldn't want to hurt them. My first grader takes her lunch to school everyday while most of her friends buy the hot lunch. At the beginning the kids questioned the kinds of foods that she brings. Most of them don't know about hummus or tofu and she tells them what it is and tries to explain why she eats it. ( usually by telling them shes vegan and doesn't eat animal things) I have also told them we eat this way because it's better for our bodies and we need to stay healthy and strong with fruits, veggies etc. They also have never been sick and I relate that to the difference in what they eat and what their friends eat. Other kids seem to be sick alot. I believe mine aren't because they don't put any junk into their bodies. I have told them this and of course they can verify it by seeing that friends who eat Cheetos and drink milk at school are sick sometimes too. I also got on the www.peta.com website and they sent info on actors who were veg. but its geared for an older kid so you may want to scan it before just giving it to a preschooler. Hope this helps. Larissa - Theresa A. Wells Monday, October 22, 2001 8:55 AM ; egoldstein Re: Vegetarian Groups I live on Long Island, Nassau County to be more specific. My 14 year daughter has been vegetarian for a year now and I am in the process of become vegetarian. I do not know of any Vegetarian groups but, I have never looked. We could always start one. I am not up on what to tell a three year old. When my daughter came to me and informed me she wanted to become Vegetarian I asked her why? Her response was she loves animals all of them and since it is not necessary for our survival she would prefer not to eat them. I explained it was a choice she had to make but she could not go to an extreme and criticize those who choose to eat meat. I have attempted to explain this to my 4 year old nephew. As far as he is concerned my daughter is the cool one she gets special food. I could not be very specific with him because I feared he would never eat meat again and that was not for me to do. He loves animals even bugs. If we kill a bug he will cry and tell us how the bugs mommy and children need him and will miss him. When my sister gives me the OK to be more specific I will tell him about how different animals live and how some live together and protect each other and others live alone. I will explain that animals eat animals but we are capable of more. I will explain that not everyone cares about animals like we do and we have to respect it. Hope this gave you some ideas. egoldstein wrote: > Does anyone know of any Vegetarian Groups on Long Island, NY? As we > teach my 3yr > old son that we are vegetarians he wants to know who else is and who > is not. We only > have two other vegetarians in the family so the list is unfortunately > very short. I > thought it would help him if we had more vegetarian friends. > > Also any suggestions on how to explain to a 3yr old that while we > don't eat animals > and other people (mainly relatives) do eat animals, it doesn't mean > they should be > thought of negatively. We try to say that we don't eat animals > because we are > vegetarians and some other people are not so they animals. But he > always asks why > we don't eat animals in the same conversation as who does eat animals > and we don't > want him to think less of his relatives. We say that it is a choice > and non-vegetarians > just don't feel as strongly about animals as we do. Any suggestions > are appreciated. > > Thanks > Evan > > > For more information about vegetarianism, please visit the VRG website at http://www.vrg.org and for materials especially useful for families go to http://www.vrg.org/family. > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted October 29, 2001 Report Share Posted October 29, 2001 Hi everyone, Try visiting the IVU Global listing of veg organizations: http://www.ivu.org/global/ and also check the Vegetarian Parents Database: http://www.vegparentsdatabase.com for other parents in your area. The website of Vegetarian Baby and Child magazine will soon have lots of past articles up on line, and there will be one on starting your own veg group. Melanie editor Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You are posting as a guest. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.