Guest guest Posted March 24, 2005 Report Share Posted March 24, 2005 My oldest child, who is only semi-vegetarian, is in the 1st grade, and she has recently learned (from me) that ham is pig, bacon is pig, hamburger is cow, and so on. She already knew that chicken is chicken and turkey is turkey and fish is fish. I'm not sure why we have euphemisms for some animals and not others. Since learning these sobering new facts, by child has taken it upon herself to inform all her friends at school. I think she enjoys seeing their reaction, which is typically of disgust. I know for a fact that at least one of her friends has told her mother about what my daughter taught her, and I sense that the mother wasn't pleased. I guess the news undermined some of what that mother has taught is proper. I'm afraid that my daughter will begin to stop being invited over for play dates and parties, etc. and eventually lose freinds. I have told my child (remember, just 1st grade) to not worry about what other children eat and to let those kids and their parents decide what is best for them, and that we'd concern ourselves with what is best for us. How have other parents handled similar situations? Regards, Alan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted March 25, 2005 Report Share Posted March 25, 2005 I agree with you! As new veggies here my 3 little girls ( 10,7,5) are very proud of their new choice to eliminate all animal flesh from their diets. However; they do like to " voice " these new opinions as well, which can be great and I'm soooo proud of their gumption; but I still make sure they still respect others views and choices. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted March 25, 2005 Report Share Posted March 25, 2005 Alan Boy, does that sound familiar. My son is a little younger than your daughter but gets the same enjoyment out of informing his friends about the food they eat. I worry that it will make him a target and try to encourage him to allow others to eat what they eat while focusing on what we eat. At Valentine's his class had a party and I sent choc covered strawberries and reminded him that it was his special treat and he shouldn't eat the other stuff-just say " No thanks " . When he got home that night he proudly told me that he ate only the strawberries and said no thankyou to Carter's cupcakes with toxic sprinkles. His exact words. So far, other parents have not avoided us but I realize this may happen when he is older. He is just about to turn 5 and has yet to visit a friend's house without me. I wonder if this is just something he will have to figure out on his own? All my reminders to 'live and let live' have fallen on deaf ears thus far. Once the shock factor is over he tends not to be that preachy. Perhaps once she has shocked her friends your daughter will lose interest in informing them of the origins of their lunch and their mothers will forget about it as well. Madeline > " Alan " <soy_decaf_latte > > > Pigs and Cows >Thu, 24 Mar 2005 19:16:48 -0000 > > > >My oldest child, who is only semi-vegetarian, is in the 1st grade, >and she has recently learned (from me) that ham is pig, bacon is pig, >hamburger is cow, and so on. She already knew that chicken is >chicken and turkey is turkey and fish is fish. I'm not sure why we >have euphemisms for some animals and not others. > >Since learning these sobering new facts, by child has taken it upon >herself to inform all her friends at school. I think she enjoys >seeing their reaction, which is typically of disgust. > >I know for a fact that at least one of her friends has told her >mother about what my daughter taught her, and I sense that the mother >wasn't pleased. I guess the news undermined some of what that mother >has taught is proper. I'm afraid that my daughter will begin to stop >being invited over for play dates and parties, etc. and eventually >lose freinds. > >I have told my child (remember, just 1st grade) to not worry about >what other children eat and to let those kids and their parents >decide what is best for them, and that we'd concern ourselves with >what is best for us. > >How have other parents handled similar situations? > >Regards, > Alan > > > > > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted March 25, 2005 Report Share Posted March 25, 2005 I've had similar experiences. My oldest, in the 5th grade, likes to preach about how gross meat is. When my middle child figured out that those items are really dead animals she was disgusted. But she keeps it to herself. We call meat dead cow, dead chicken etc etc. and they do it in front of others. I know what you mean about the other parents. My oldest has a friend that wants to be veg and the mom said no. I tell my kids that we will eat what we eat and perhaps others will see how good it is and want to try it. Yes, it is gross but everyone is entitled to make thier own decisions. I think it's all we can do. Alan <soy_decaf_latte wrote: I'm afraid that my daughter will begin to stop being invited over for play dates and parties, etc. and eventually lose freinds. Carol, mom to Melissa, 3/14/94 Julia, 2/18/97 Lily, 9/7/04 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted March 26, 2005 Report Share Posted March 26, 2005 A fact is a fact. No parent should be scared to tell their child where their food comes from! Whether they eat animals or don't. I have 3 vegetarian children and that has never stopped them from being invited to other homes. --Tracy Alan <soy_decaf_latte Thu, 24 Mar 2005 19:16:48 -0000 Pigs and Cows My oldest child, who is only semi-vegetarian, is in the 1st grade, and she has recently learned (from me) that ham is pig, bacon is pig, hamburger is cow, and so on. She already knew that chicken is chicken and turkey is turkey and fish is fish. I'm not sure why we have euphemisms for some animals and not others. Since learning these sobering new facts, by child has taken it upon herself to inform all her friends at school. I think she enjoys seeing their reaction, which is typically of disgust. I know for a fact that at least one of her friends has told her mother about what my daughter taught her, and I sense that the mother wasn't pleased. I guess the news undermined some of what that mother has taught is proper. I'm afraid that my daughter will begin to stop being invited over for play dates and parties, etc. and eventually lose freinds. I have told my child (remember, just 1st grade) to not worry about what other children eat and to let those kids and their parents decide what is best for them, and that we'd concern ourselves with what is best for us. How have other parents handled similar situations? Regards, Alan 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.This is a discussion list and is not intended to provide personal medical advice. Medical advice should be obtained from a qualified health professional. edical advice. Medical advice should be obtained from a qualified health professional. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted March 28, 2005 Report Share Posted March 28, 2005 Yesterday we went to my mil for Easter. She was great. She made many veggies and baked potatoes. She also had soy " meatballs " for me. But everyone else had leg of lamb. My kids and I were so grossed out. They were talking about it around the table. They kept refering to the " leg " like it was a piece of plastic but not something that was once alive. My 8 yo said don't you know you are eatng someones baby? Both of my bigger girls are very vocal about thier vegetarianism. Madeline White <madeline_killian wrote: Alan Boy, does that sound familiar. My son is a little younger than your daughter but gets the same enjoyment out of informing his friends about the food they eat. Carol, mom to Melissa, 3/14/94 Julia, 2/18/97 Lily, 9/7/04 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted March 29, 2005 Report Share Posted March 29, 2005 I've never seen anyone eat a lamb before.. I think that would make me cry. I hate being around people eating animals and we avoid it as much as possible. We ate veggie burgers at Denny's on Easter Sunday after Church. But we had Christmas with my mil and she had a turkey which was the only dead animal meal centerpiece my child has ever sat in front of. Hopefully it will be the last. Since my mother-in-law died earlier this year I'm glad we did go. Renee --- carol sobczak <cpsobczak wrote: > > Yesterday we went to my mil for Easter. She was > great. She made many veggies and baked potatoes. > She also had soy " meatballs " for me. But everyone > else had leg of lamb. My kids and I were so grossed > out. They were talking about it around the table. > They kept refering to the " leg " like it was a piece > of plastic but not something that was once alive. > My 8 yo said don't you know you are eatng someones > baby? Both of my bigger girls are very vocal about > thier vegetarianism. > > Madeline White <madeline_killian wrote: > Alan > > Boy, does that sound familiar. My son is a little > younger than your daughter > but gets the same enjoyment out of informing his > friends about the food they > eat. > > Carol, mom to > Melissa, 3/14/94 > Julia, 2/18/97 > Lily, 9/7/04 > > > > > > > > > [Non-text portions of this message have been > removed] > > > > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted March 29, 2005 Report Share Posted March 29, 2005 I appreciate the many responses I have received so far. I realize better that I feel somewhat ambivalent, a mixture of pride in my child's developing awareness and compassion, and concern over her juvenile teasing, and how that may affect her friendships. Maybe the lesson learned for others parents is to be proactive and careful ... when they tell their children the facts of animal life and death, to also mention that these are views that other children and their parents may not share and they should respect the views of others, even if they disagree. And that, of course, is not strictly a veg*n lesson. - Alan , carol sobczak <cpsobczak> wrote: > > Yesterday we went to my mil for Easter. She was great. She made many veggies and baked potatoes. She also had soy " meatballs " for me. But everyone else had leg of lamb. My kids and I were so grossed out. They were talking about it around the table. They kept refering to the " leg " like it was a piece of plastic but not something that was once alive. My 8 yo said don't you know you are eatng someones baby? Both of my bigger girls are very vocal about thier vegetarianism. > > Madeline White <madeline_killian@h...> wrote: > Alan > > Boy, does that sound familiar. My son is a little younger than your daughter > but gets the same enjoyment out of informing his friends about the food they > eat. > > Carol, mom to > Melissa, 3/14/94 > Julia, 2/18/97 > Lily, 9/7/04 > > > > > > > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted March 30, 2005 Report Share Posted March 30, 2005 Me too. As much as I tell them not to preach to other people, not just thier friends, I am very proud of thier compassion. Alan <soy_decaf_latte wrote: I realize better that I feel somewhat ambivalent, a mixture of pride in my child's developing awareness and compassion, and concern over her juvenile teasing, and how that may affect her friendships. Carol, mom to Melissa, 3/14/94 Julia, 2/18/97 Lily, 9/7/04 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted March 30, 2005 Report Share Posted March 30, 2005 It really was disgusting. They kept talking about it too. About whether she bought a whole leg or a half leg and how the butcher " boned it out " for her. I kept picturing this little baby lamb. It was very very sad and even more so that they didn't even realize what they were saying. Unfortunately, my dh is a meat eater. He actually ate the poor little thing. He rarely eats meat in the house but when we go out he does. He did bring home some of the lamb from his moms dinner. My kids are always telling him why it is wrong to eat animals but he will never stop. So, unfortunately they see it all the time. Renee Carroll <renecarol25 wrote: I've never seen anyone eat a lamb before.. I think that would make me cry. I hate being around people eating animals and we avoid it as much as possible. Carol, mom to Melissa, 3/14/94 Julia, 2/18/97 Lily, 9/7/04 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted March 31, 2005 Report Share Posted March 31, 2005 , " Alan " <soy_decaf_latte> wrote: > I'm not sure why we > have euphemisms for some animals and not others. My understanding is that in the bad old days the Saxons that took care of the animals named them cow, pig, deer and sheep (simple language, Saxon!), and the Normans that had the priviledge of eating the meat called it by the French words, now Anglicized: beef, pork, venison and mutton. Neile 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.