Guest guest Posted November 6, 2003 Report Share Posted November 6, 2003 I agree with J on this. If your child decided she hated black people, would you say 'its her life and her decision', or would you teach her right from wrong and tell her that is unnacceptable and why? What if she was kicking the family dog? Her decision? What if she wants Twinkies every night for dinner, her life, her decision? You dont let your kids do things simply because that is what people around them do. Maybe jewish parents should let their 4 year olds decide to be christian because they 'are feeling alone and different from everyone else'. When they are 18 is when it becomes their life and their decision, and then you just have to hope all of the years of teaching them right from wrong and all of the values you have imposed on them stick with them. Although you cant always control what your kids eat outside of the house, you certainly can when they are 4 yrs old, and when they are older and in situations where they may be swayed by peer pressure, you can still let them know how you personally feel about it. Think about it like smoking (eating meat is a health risk too)...when your kids are young you can easily make sure they don't do it. When they get older, you keep talking to them and telling them you dont approve.. they might still do it but the chances drop significantly if the kid knows the parent disapproves. (just my opinion! > << 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 > > > > ______________________ > ______________________ > > > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted November 7, 2003 Report Share Posted November 7, 2003 Or you have a child who resents you for not allowing for individual differences in your family. That's not going to happen here. I still remember eating every last piece of steak even though I hated meat and DID NOT want to eat it. Gross. Jan > > Shirley <mybluerat > 2003/11/06 Thu PM 04:52:23 EST > > Re: child's decision to eat meat? > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted November 8, 2003 Report Share Posted November 8, 2003 Seems like this is another of those issues we're just not all going to agree on. Here's my $.02: I too remember eating every last piece of steak even though I hated meat and did not want to eat it (I even remember holding a few huge bites of it in my mouth and pretending to go to the bathroom and spitting it out in the toilet!). But now as a parent, I have great respect for my mom's consistent parenting style. The fact that the expectations were always clear, made me never doubt that the intentions were for my own good and that " Mother knows best. " If children are making all their own decisions by the age of, what was the original post, 4 years old?, the child is given the message that the parent really doesn't know what's best, that there is no right or wrong. I have an example of the opposite: My husband's mother never made her kids eat anything they didn't want. If he didn't like what was being served for dinner, he was free to decline the meal and go make himself a sandwich or a bowl of cereal (and we ain't talkin' granola here, more like extra sugar on the pre-sweetened processed stuff!). To this day (he's in his 30's), he has a hard time even trying anything new. He doesn't like any vegetables or fruits, except for apples. And he blames his mother for this. My point is that kids who are " forced " to eat what's on their plate, develop a broader palate, aren't afraid to try new things, and do NOT resent the parents for it. Bonnie - APmommy76 Friday, November 07, 2003 9:14 AM Re: Re: child's decision to eat meat? Or you have a child who resents you for not allowing for individual differences in your family. That's not going to happen here. I still remember eating every last piece of steak even though I hated meat and DID NOT want to eat it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted November 10, 2003 Report Share Posted November 10, 2003 Then what happened to me? I just said that I DO resent them for making me eat meat all the time. Jan > > " EARL BARKER " <bebarker96 > 2003/11/07 Fri PM 10:59:08 EST > > Re: Re: child's decision to eat meat? > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted November 12, 2003 Report Share Posted November 12, 2003 No offense intended! I can't know what happened to you, and I think it's too bad that you resent your parents. Maybe it was the way they enforced it, or maybe every child is different. My point was that forcing a child to eat a certain way does not automatically result in resentment, and I believe others on this list have already concurred. - APmommy76 Monday, November 10, 2003 12:15 PM Re: Re: Re: child's decision to eat meat? Then what happened to me? I just said that I DO resent them for making me eat meat all the time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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