how to explain why mommy is veggy to 2 1/2 year old?

August 7, 2004

Karyn,

In our house, I'm veg and dh is not. My son ate minimal meat when he

was little (1 1/2 - 2 ish). He decided that he didn't want to eat

animals anymore when he was about 2 1/2. It was tough at first (he

would say, I don't want to eat " A chicken " but I want to eat chicken

like at Auntie's house). It was hard for him to give up some of the

foods he liked, like chicken, but it made it easier since I never

cooked it; it was just something he had occationally when he was out

(in retrospect, of course, it would have been easier to keep him off it

entirely, but I am hoping that the decision will mean more and and be

easier to stick with since it was a choice he made).

When he was 3 and people would question it (usually questioning me, but

since it was his choice, he would want to explain--even better), he

would explain that he liked to watch the animals run and walk around

and play, and if they are getting eaten, then he couldn't see them do

that because they wouldn't be around anymore. He would also talk about

how the animals didn't want to be eaten (Charlotte's Web is a good

story for that).

Anyway, it was how he understood it as a little guy.

I hope this helps your little one.

Cindy

August 11, 2004

I thank you all for your comments and suggestions. I have been trying to

offer little moments of teaching to my daughter when we read books about

animals or play with her pretend animals. She loves to imitate me when I

say, " Mommy doesn't eat meat b/c I want animals to live so they can play and

be with their animal friends. " She will respond " Me neither " It's cute.

We'll see how long this goes on. I do get nervous, and the only consolation

in terms of school is that she attends a preschool that is kosher and dairy

only. (We eat some dairy) It's truly a process.

August 12, 2004

Well, we have 2 birds and 2 dogs and my almost 4 yr old has always

helped to feed them and care for them, so he understands the concept

of " bird food " and " dog food " (our dogs are veggie too, but it's

still dog food). When he was about 2.5 yrs, we started telling him

that just like the dogs only eat dog food, and birds only eat bird

food, we are vegans and we only eat vegan food. He's never acutally

questioned that to this day--if we say something isn't vegan, he

doesn't ask for it again. While he was very young, we didn't want

to get into the whole " we think it's wrong for us, but not everyone

feels that way " thing; we wanted to keep it simple. It worked like

a charm, and it was darn cute to have him going through the

supermarket asking, " Is this for vegans? " " Is this vegan? "

Nowadays, we are a bit more straightforward, as he understands more

now, and we can explain that something isn't vegan because it

has " cows, " " baby chicken eggs, " etc... in it. Again, having pets

that he is involved with helps, because at this age animals are

animals to him. He's no more likely to want to eat Benny and Bella

(his budgies) than a chicken. Birds are birds, and eating them is

mean (his word). I don't correct him, because, honestly? I feel

the same way. Also, about they whole " we're vegans so we can only

eat vegan food " thing, now that his world is getting bigger, I've

had to modify that to explain that [insert family/friend's name] are

*not* vegan, so they don't eat vegan food, which means eating

animals. He said he's glad he's a vegan, so he doesn't have to eat

animals. Music to my ears

Shayla

August 12, 2004

My son asked lots of questions between 2 and 2 1/2 about why other people

eat animals and we don't. He was very curious but never wanted to try meat.

Once he turned 3 (14 months ago now), he started having visits to his dad's

house, where everyone eats meat. They always have mac and cheese or pasta

for him and you couldn't force him to try meat for anything. He even

questions me about things I give him! I took him to a restaurant last year

and he told the waiter he wanted " french fries with no meat in them because

he was a vegetarian. " [because MacDonald's fries have meat in them.]

He goes to a preschool/home daycare with only 3 other children, and his

babysitter just feeds them all Morningstar chicken nuggets or corn dogs.

Occasionally, when she does feed the other children meat that she has cooked

for her family, she feeds him something different. It doesn't bother him at

all to be different when he sees his friends eating meat. Will see if this

changes once he starts school, but I can't imagine that he will change.

He's very stubborn.