4 year old pretends to eat meat

October 31, 2003

Help! My husband and I have been vegetarian for years (25 and 17

respectively). We have a 4 year old daughter who healthy and happy

but is just now beginning to realize that other people eat things we

don't.

She pretend plays that she is a lion eating meat, humans, whatever.

She got a McDonalds outfit from a well-meaning friend and will

pretend that she likes to eat hamburgers. I suppose I should have

just thrown it away, but since she didn't really know what it was at

first, she just enjoyed pretending with it. Only once have we been

into a McDonalds. We were on a daytrip with a friend whose son " had "

to have a hamburger. She got to play in the playland and now always

says " When can James eat a hamburger and we can go play there "

whenever we see a McDonalds! I don't know if that is tied to her

sudden obsession with meat.

I asked her if she wanted to eat some and she said yes. I told her

when she grows up, she can make her own decision but while she lives

with me and Daddy, we won't serve any. I told her all our reasons

(which are many).

So, who has been here? What do I do? Will this pass? Do I let

someone feed her meat? It is her life and her decision, but I am not

going to buy and serve meat for her. Is she just feeling alone and

different from everyone else? There are so many ways you can feel

like you are wrecking your child. I don't want this to be one. I

don't want to deny her and make it something exaulted. Ahhhh!! What

to do?

November 3, 2003

I've been there to a certain degree. Each of my three children have gone

through many stages of pretending to be some kind of carnivorous animal, and

pretending that the beans or seitan or something on their plate was meat. It

does

pass. It never lasted too long.

I just keep reminding them of why we choose not to eat animals. Hope all is

well, peace. --Tracy

November 3, 2003

When David is your daughter's age, we won't stop him from eating meat. HOWEVER,

we won't change what we cook at home.

She's curious. She might not like it. When I was little I DID NOT want to eat

meat and I still remember being told I HAD to eat meat. As an adult, I don't

appreciate the way they forced their views on me.

So what I'm saying is that, when David is old enough to express an interest in

meat, we'll explain all our reasons for being veg and then when we're at a

restaurant or at someone's house he can make his own decision.

Like I said, I won't start serving it at home, and that's where he'll eat most

of his meals. I just think that 1) he's his own person and deserves the chance

to speak up and be heard and 2) the more we say no, the more curious he'll be.

Jan

>

> " dinoveg " <dinoveg

> 2003/10/31 Fri PM 12:35:13 EST

>

> 4 year old pretends to eat meat

>

November 4, 2003

Hi,

My oldest son is almost six and when he was four he was curious about

the taste of meat. He was also reaching the stage where he was

realizing there are things he can deliberately do to challenge moms

infinite wisdom and authority. One time he tried some sandwich meat

because he was somewhere that all the other kids were being served

meat. I think it was more curiosity than anything. As he has gotten

older he now realizes what meat is more than he did at four. Now he

does not like to see people eat meat. He has watched the PETA videos

which I got so he would have an understanding of the suffering of

animals. Of course I was with him and let him tell me when he had seen

enough. Now that his appetite is growing he has had more of a craving

for different foods. He likes Tofurky jerky and Morningstar hot dogs. I

have pretty much gone vegan but I was vegetarian until last year. For

this reason both of my kids are dairy fanatics. I am trying to wean

them but it is difficult. I think as their appetites grow and as they

find new tastes they will wean themselves. I do buy the organic milk

and occasionally remind them of the work the cow went through for his

glass of milk (especially if they are being wasteful!).

McDonalds is a horrid place. While traveling I have needed to use the

Playlands so my kids could run off some of their pent up energy. I have

never let them eat burgers. I imagine that the fries and pies are

dunked in animal fat but I have broken down and gotten those for

snacks. Once in a while, if the kids have been really good, we will buy

them a toy separately from the kids meal. I have banned the Playlands

for travel in the winter cold season because I think they are breeding

grounds for every infectious disease in the country.

Does your daughter have a pet? I have found that our pets have really

helped the kids develop an understanding for non human earthlings.

Has your daughter seen the original Dr. Doolittle movie, the one with

Rex Harrison, I think? What things led you to being a vegetarian are

there that you can expose her to?

Because I homeschool I do not have to deal with the school lunch

issues. If you are going to be sending her to school I wish you the

best. From what I have heard the vegetarian kids can have a rough time

in the lunchroom.

Good luck,

Teresa (in Missouri)

November 4, 2003

When I was about 4 years old my parents tried to trick me into eating meat..

telling me things didn't have animals in it that really did. Because they

feared I wouldn't get the vitamins or minerals that my young body needed. Now

my daughter is almost four. And I'm teaching her that some people eat animals

but " we " don't. We being " mommy and daddy and Lexes " we talk about how its not

" cool " to eat animals. That its really gross that some people do.. but that is

their choice. Not a choice that " we " have made. Hopefully I never have to deal

with her making that choice. She won't eat animals in our home because we don't

allow anyone to. We won't allow her to eat animals when we are out.. but

obviously we can't watch her all the time. When she starts school next year she

will bring her lunch.. but someone could offer her something there. All we can

do is hope that we've done a good enough job teaching our kids about respecting

other life.

Renee

" This is the true joy in life: being used for a purpose recognized by yourself

as a mighty one, and being a force of nature instead of a feverish, selfish

little clod of ailments and grievences, complaining that the world will not

devote itself to making you happy "

-- George Bernard Shaw

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November 4, 2003

> She pretend plays that she is a lion eating meat, humans, whatever.

I think that this is common. My daughter does it too but she says

(its only pretend meat, when I ask her). She knows that lions eat

meat so if she is " being a lion " than she pretends to eat meat.

Only once have we been

> into a McDonalds. We were on a daytrip with a friend whose

son " had "

> to have a hamburger. She got to play in the playland and now always

> says " When can James eat a hamburger and we can go play there "

> whenever we see a McDonalds! I don't know if that is tied to her

> sudden obsession with meat.

Sounds like the fun of the play place that she wants more than meat.

DO you ever take her to places (other than McDs) with play places

like that, where she can still eat a vegetarian meal? Maybe that

would help.

November 4, 2003

I haven't seen anyone else point out that when a child who has never

eaten meat tries some, they are likely to get sick as a result. That

happened to my older daughter once when she was 3 (the consumption was

an accident), and she's never forgotten it.

It's also been a helpful point to use with our extended family, who are

rudely unsupportive of our vegetarianism. They *know* they'd get

caught if they tried to sneak something to my kids....and it's hard to

make light of the situation or take the moral high ground if you've

made someone's children ill.

Liz

November 5, 2003

I'm a vegetarian and my parents are not obviously I was fed meat as

a child. I didn't like it but ate what was served. Do I resent my

parents for this? No way! They were doing what they thought was

best based on the information that they had at the time (all that 4

basic food groups stuff). You mentioned withholding meat as

something that might wreck your child. Like my parents you are

doing for your daughter what you feel to be best based on the

information available to you at this time. I certainly don't feel

you are denying her since she is healthier without meat.

I firmly belive that our children have parents for a reason if they

were able to make the best decisions for themselves 100% of the time

they would be like other mammals and leave us at a pretty young

age. As her parent it is your job to guide her. IMO a four year

old does not have the life experiences and the knowledge to

understand the entire scope of what eating meat will do to her body

her planet and perhaps her soul. I too have a 4 year old daughter

and thankfully she has no interest in eating animals whatsoever.

However if she expresses and interest I will tell her that when she

can drive herself and buy the meat with her own money she is more

than welcome to experiment. Until then both her father and myself

do not condone it.

You asked about letting someone else feed her meat. I think that

the biggest danger in that is the enormous mixed message that will

give your daughter.

I feel fortunate that this has not come up in our family and I do

not envy you. Best of luck to you.

Stephanie

, " dinoveg " <dinoveg> wrote:

> Help! My husband and I have been vegetarian for years (25 and 17

> respectively). We have a 4 year old daughter who healthy and happy

> but is just now beginning to realize that other people eat things

we

> don't.

> She pretend plays that she is a lion eating meat, humans,

whatever.

> She got a McDonalds outfit from a well-meaning friend and will

> pretend that she likes to eat hamburgers. I suppose I should have

> just thrown it away, but since she didn't really know what it was

at

> first, she just enjoyed pretending with it. Only once have we

been

> into a McDonalds. We were on a daytrip with a friend whose

son " had "

> to have a hamburger. She got to play in the playland and now

always

> says " When can James eat a hamburger and we can go play there "

> whenever we see a McDonalds! I don't know if that is tied to her

> sudden obsession with meat.

> I asked her if she wanted to eat some and she said yes. I told

her

> when she grows up, she can make her own decision but while she

lives

> with me and Daddy, we won't serve any. I told her all our reasons

> (which are many).

> So, who has been here? What do I do? Will this pass? Do I let

> someone feed her meat? It is her life and her decision, but I am

not

> going to buy and serve meat for her. Is she just feeling alone

and

> different from everyone else? There are so many ways you can feel

> like you are wrecking your child. I don't want this to be one. I

> don't want to deny her and make it something exaulted. Ahhhh!!

What

> to do?

November 5, 2003

In a message dated 11/3/03 8:43:58 AM, dinoveg writes:

<< It is her life and her decision, but I am not

going to buy and serve meat for her. Is she just feeling alone and

different from everyone else? >>

Be moral; be a good parent. It isn't true that " it is her life and her

diecision " . that sounds like you've abdicated both your moral values as a

vegetarian, as well as your parental responsibilities.

J

November 6, 2003

I completely disagree.

It IS her life. She needs to eat a well-balanced meal and she may want to try

meat at some point. I won't prepare it for my son, but I won't stop him from

trying it either.

Jan

who was FORCED to eat a diet consisting mainly of meat and potatoes

>

> AtlantaGaia

> 2003/11/05 Wed PM 05:14:04 EST

>

> Re: 4 year old pretends to eat meat

>

November 7, 2003

I disagree. As parents, it is our job to make many decisions for our

children, as we are supposed to be better informed than a 4 year old. I

think meat is horrible for a child's health and would not let her have

it any more than I would let her have a cigarette. Yes, eventually she

will make her own decisions but at 4 parents still need to watch out for

her health and well being. Lots of things 4 year olds may want to do are

not allowed by parents. That's why we are the parents. My 16-month old

wants to eat a cat turd from the litterbox. Should I let her since it

is, after all, her life?

Jen

APmommy76 wrote:

>I completely disagree.

>

>It IS her life. She needs to eat a well-balanced meal and she may want to try

meat at some point. I won't prepare it for my son, but I won't stop him from

trying it either.

>

>Jan

>who was FORCED to eat a diet consisting mainly of meat and potatoes

>

>>AtlantaGaia

>>2003/11/05 Wed PM 05:14:04 EST

>>

>>Re: 4 year old pretends to eat meat

>>

>

November 9, 2003

Did the reasons you explained to your daughter include the fact that

the meat is the flesh of an animal? Most children are sensitive to

that and respond well to that as a reason. Children naturally love

animals barring any traumatic incidents (like being attacked by

one). If that doesn't work, try reinforcing that realization with a

trip to the nearest farmed-animal sanctuary.

As a four-year-old child, it is up to you to lay down the boundaries

for what you want her to do. Until she is at least 18 and NOT

living in your house, she needs to abide by your rules. I didn't

like having a curfew growing up, but now that I'm an adult, I

understand my parents had one for a reason. I don't resent them for

it. They made a decision that was for my health and safety, as well

as what was morally correct. Avoiding meat is definitely in your

child's best interest. Helping your daughter understand that will

help later on when, perhaps, she is presented with the possibility

of smoking cigarettes or something along those lines. (And when one

considers the striking similarities between the beef and tobacco

industries, this is a poignant comparison. The leading cause of

cancer deaths according to the American Cancer Society is diet;

smoking is number two.) The issue here is whether or not you want

your child to do something that is dangerous and morally wrong. If

the answer is no, put your foot down and don't let her eat the meat,

but remind her each time you do this of the reasons, even if you

feel you might be demonizing her friends (obviously, be as tactful

as possible when they are around).

Having meat forced on you during childhood is NOT analogous to this

situation. Meat is unhealthy, bad for the environment , and morally

wrong. Forcing your child to do something unhealthy is not the same

as forcing your child to do something healthy. One is in the best

interest of the child (and the animals and planet) even if she can't

understand it as a four-year-old. Resenting your parents for making

you do something repulsive and unhealthy is completely

understandable; the opposite is not.

I don't know if religion is at all a part of reason for being

vegetarian for you. If it is, that should make things a lot clearer

for you. For example, my religion requires vegetarianism. My

husband and I will raise our baby in this religion. Of course, it's

out of the question for our child to eat animal products. On the

same note, many religions have certain dietary requirements, and

it's a given that the children will follow those requirements while

growing up.

Have you had any contact with other veg parents in your area? A veg

playgroup might help with reinforcing to your daughter's lifestyle.

Compassionately,

Allison

, " dinoveg " <dinoveg> wrote:

> Help! My husband and I have been vegetarian for years (25 and 17

> respectively). We have a 4 year old daughter who healthy and happy

> but is just now beginning to realize that other people eat things

we

> don't.

> She pretend plays that she is a lion eating meat, humans,

whatever.

> She got a McDonalds outfit from a well-meaning friend and will

> pretend that she likes to eat hamburgers. I suppose I should have

> just thrown it away, but since she didn't really know what it was

at

> first, she just enjoyed pretending with it. Only once have we

been

> into a McDonalds. We were on a daytrip with a friend whose

son " had "

> to have a hamburger. She got to play in the playland and now

always

> says " When can James eat a hamburger and we can go play there "

> whenever we see a McDonalds! I don't know if that is tied to her

> sudden obsession with meat.

> I asked her if she wanted to eat some and she said yes. I told

her

> when she grows up, she can make her own decision but while she

lives

> with me and Daddy, we won't serve any. I told her all our reasons

> (which are many).

> So, who has been here? What do I do? Will this pass? Do I let

> someone feed her meat? It is her life and her decision, but I am

not

> going to buy and serve meat for her. Is she just feeling alone

and

> different from everyone else? There are so many ways you can feel

> like you are wrecking your child. I don't want this to be one. I

> don't want to deny her and make it something exaulted. Ahhhh!!

What

> to do?

November 10, 2003

LOL

I don't think you can really compare the two, but I understand where you're

coming from.

Jan

>

> Jennifer Petrus <jen.petrus

> 2003/11/07 Fri PM 12:01:59 EST

>

> Re: 4 year old pretends to eat meat

>

November 19, 2003

I am going through the same thing at my house to some degree, and I

have to say that it comes not so much from her wanting to actually

eat meat, but from wanting to be like the rest of her family. We are

vegetarian (not vegan), although no one eles in the rest of our

family is. We spend alot of time with her cousins since I watch them

during the week, and although they eat veg when they are here, our

daughter knows that they eat meat. This led to a couple

conversations about why she can't eat meat. All you can do is

explain as best you can your reasons for becoming vegetarian. This

could be a long conversation (lots of questions) but it is important

for her to understand why it is important, and something to be proud

of. And I don't know what your feelings are on fastfood, I don't

make a habit of it, but most friends of ours are not veg, and there

will be trips to McDonalds. Kids just want to fit in, and unless you

have very strong objections to french fries, a couple now and then

won't hurt. I find that she doesn't feel excluded if she can go to

McDonalds with friend and get a Happy Meal without the hamburger.

And lastly, it's in kids nature to try on new ideas and identies,

pretending she is a lion eating meat could just be as simple as

playing to her and mean nothing more. And asking to go to McDonalds

doesn't necessarily mean she wants to eat a hamburger, it just means

she had fun there and wants to go again. You can make it not be

about the hamburger by letting her go and get some fries with friends

as a special treat every now and then.

Leigh

> , " dinoveg " <dinoveg> wrote:

> > Help! My husband and I have been vegetarian for years (25 and 17

> > respectively). We have a 4 year old daughter who healthy and

happy

> > but is just now beginning to realize that other people eat things

> we

> > don't.

> > She pretend plays that she is a lion eating meat, humans,

> whatever.

> > She got a McDonalds outfit from a well-meaning friend and will

> > pretend that she likes to eat hamburgers. I suppose I should

have

> > just thrown it away, but since she didn't really know what it was

> at

> > first, she just enjoyed pretending with it. Only once have we

> been

> > into a McDonalds. We were on a daytrip with a friend whose

> son " had "

> > to have a hamburger. She got to play in the playland and now

> always

> > says " When can James eat a hamburger and we can go play there "

> > whenever we see a McDonalds! I don't know if that is tied to her

> > sudden obsession with meat.

> > I asked her if she wanted to eat some and she said yes. I told

> her

> > when she grows up, she can make her own decision but while she

> lives

> > with me and Daddy, we won't serve any. I told her all our

reasons

> > (which are many).

> > So, who has been here? What do I do? Will this pass? Do I let

> > someone feed her meat? It is her life and her decision, but I am

> not

> > going to buy and serve meat for her. Is she just feeling alone

> and

> > different from everyone else? There are so many ways you can

feel

> > like you are wrecking your child. I don't want this to be one.

I

> > don't want to deny her and make it something exaulted. Ahhhh!!

> What

> > to do?

November 19, 2003

did McDonald's stop putting beef tarrow in their french fries.. I know they paid

the settlement.. but did they change the fries?

Renee

kobusls <kobusls wrote: