Guest guest Posted July 31, 2003 Report Share Posted July 31, 2003 My non-vegetarian husband has been very supportive of raising my son on a vegetarian diet since he was born, and I even have caught him bragging to his meat loving family about how healthy our son is. I am vegetarian, aiming at vegan but getting stuck behind only because I love cheese. My 4 year old son (also vegetarian) and I had a discussion and I explained to him where cows milk comes from (he currently drinks both soy and cows milk depending on who went shopping). Now he doesn't want cows milk, and my husband is angry saying he needs his dairy. I was so proud of my son making this decision by himself, and I want to encourage it. What can I say to my husband? Any help? Also, about mixed families, does anyone know if most children raised vegetarian will continue to eat that way when they are grown up? Thank You, Danielle mother of 4yr. old son, Nash www.VegetarianRealtor.tk Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted August 2, 2003 Report Share Posted August 2, 2003 Danielle wrote: > I am vegetarian, aiming at vegan but getting stuck behind only because I love cheese. My 4 year old son (also vegetarian) and I had a discussion and I explained to him where cows milk comes from (he currently drinks both soy and cows milk depending on who went shopping). Now he doesn't want cows milk, and my husband is angry saying he needs his dairy. I was so proud of my son making this decision by himself, and I want to encourage it. What can I say to my husband? Any help? Maybe find out what he thinks your son will be missing if he doesn't eat dairy. If it is the calcium, make sure the soymilk is calcium-fortified. White Wave Silk also has vitamins A and D added, as well as B12 and all that good stuff. I would try to use logic as much as possible - men tend to be susceptible to it 8-). As to how the kids will eat when they are grown, I have no idea, any more than I do as to what their level of religious observance will be, compared to ours. All we can do is communicate our own values and hope. Be well, Hadass in Winnipeg, Ima to Rafi, 7, Ari, 4, and Shira, 8 months. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted August 2, 2003 Report Share Posted August 2, 2003 Danielle, It's great that your 4 year old has made that decision! Tell your husband that dairy is responsible for /or has been linked to a lot of childhood illnesses. There have been links made to development of asthma, diabetes and allergies. Dairy is one of the most highly allergenic foods. In his last book, even the very mainstream Dr Spock was advocating a vegan diet for children. Remind your husband that cows milk is designed for baby cows, not baby or adult humans. Cows have a different digestive system, and the milk is designed for calves that grow a lot faster and larger that human youngsters do. There is some good info on the whys and hows of vegan diets for children at the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine website: www.pcrm.org Karen Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted August 5, 2003 Report Share Posted August 5, 2003 In a message dated 8/4/03 9:39:13 AM, heviatar writes: > I would try to use logic as much > as possible - men tend to be susceptible to it 8-). > Hmmmm, is that what separates men from women? There is also another, slightly less logical, issue to consider. Fear. Many people in this type of situation exprerience a sense of fear, basically fear of rejection. Their child is being taught to embrace a set of values that do not match with the values and beliefs that the non-veg parent grew up with and retains an emotional connection to. So there is this sense of rejection of the parents own childhood, of the parenting they received and the beliefs that were established through this. There is a fear that if the child rejects the value system of the parent that they may also eventually reject the parent. That the child may see the parent as not living up to a " higher standard " and not being an acceptable role-model. So there is this sense of " do not teach the child to be better than me " or " do not teach the child that I am not as good as you " . There is also the typically pervasive lack of knowledge about nutrition and having had the " milk builds strong bones " motto drummed into ones head. This, the logical approach is just fine for. Phil " It's easy to say, 'It's not my child, not my community, not my world, not my problem'. Then there are those who see the need and respond. I consider those people my heroes. " - Fred Rogers Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted August 6, 2003 Report Share Posted August 6, 2003 Phil quoted me: > > I would try to use logic as much > > as possible - men tend to be susceptible to it 8-). > > > > Hmmmm, is that what separates men from women? > It's one of the things that I have noticed 8-). > There is also another, slightly less logical, issue to consider. Fear. Absolutely. But that is why I suggested the appeal to logic - it may help reduce the fear, by helping him see that many things that he is fearing will not come to pass. I was jumping straight to a suggested solution, thanks for articulating the problem more clearly 8-). Be well, Hadass in Winnipeg. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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