My daughter is 8 years old and a vegetarian. Am I alone?

Question

She decided about 6 months ago that she didn't want to eat hamburger. Then it slowly changed to all meats. She has her reasons and I've giving up trying to argue because she does get her nutrients from other foods ( protien and iron too.) and takes vitamins everyday. She eats everything, Including fiddleheads!!! She just won't eat meat anymore. I basically want to know if this is a phase other people have gone through with their child and how they dealt with it? Thanks in advance

To jim-deets (your answer makes you rude and disturbed...get a life!): My daughter eats a childrens Jimmy Nuetron vitamin once a day. She eats home cooked meals that included everything healthy. She does not eat fast food, gets one dessert a day, is not allowed to have soda except on special occations. She attends sunday school, bible study, is a straight "S+" student, and plays sports every season. You are an $%^#&*(^% for judging me!!!

Answer 1

Your daughter is very INTELLEGENT! She has done her research and as well feels the compassion for earth animals! Coodles to her.

You know I am 44 yo male and from 1980 tp 1985 I ate only chicken and fish and was body-building. From 1985 up till now I became a total Vegetarian eating dairy and eggs.
Mine was a gradual process and I will NEVER go back to that old/bad diet and life style.

Be open and do your own research as well who knows perhaps you can learn from your child. Funny thing about me when I started my quest in high-school my mother always said I was going to die and schrivel up, etc. Now the doctors have suggested a better low-meat diet to her and my family. As for me I have always been healthy, lean and stronger than others in my family. I attribute this to my healthy vegetarian life style.

Coodles to you for being a loving parent and supporting her on her quest!

Answer 2

My eldest son was raised a vegetarian (I was for many years) and he was (and is) quite healthy. I just had to make sure he got protien in other forms. Personally I think the daily protien requirement is high due to the Beef Council putting on the pressure. He didn't get refined sugar but did have healthy snacks like fruit and stuff sweetened with brown rice syrup. He's no longer vegetarian (since about the age of 6) but the great thing is, he still makes very healthy choices when selecting food. There are so many meat substitutes available - check out Boca burgers, Tempeh and the Garden Burger company has several products that don't have meat. Good luck!

Answer 3

Make sure you talk to your doctor! Truth is you do not always get everything you need from just Veggies and Fruits. Plus your body has been getting some from the meats for years and then you suddenly switch gears and it has to adjust. My daughters friend missed almost 2 months of school last year from being sick and they think it may have come from her switching suddenly to a vegitarian diet. Look up on the internet. I forget what it's called but there are cases of very bad illnesses due to this.

I am not saying Vegitarian is a bad thing but you need to do the research and make sure your getting everything your body needs. Vitamins are Man-Made and in fact not the best thing for you. Also just because it says you get certain vitamins from Vegetables what most don't know is in some cases you need FAT included in the same meal in order for your body to be able to extract it.

Have you talked with her as to why She want's this? She seems awful young to decide this especially since you don't seem to follow that choice yourself. Make sure it's not due to pressure from outside sources or she thinks she will get fat if she eats meat. PETA targets elementary kids these days. Help her look up healthy dieting on the internet. If she insists on staying on the diet then find things you can enjoy along with her.

My Daughter went that way for a while and we Bought her some BOCA brand meat substitute products (she said they tasted the best) She now has gone back to eating meat but not as much which I think we all could do better on. You can also get whole food vitamins at health food stores but they are pricey.

Answer 4

There's a great book, "Diet for a Small Planet", that explains how to combine foods so you get the right amino acids you need. If she drinks milk or eats eggs, you're unlikely to have the issue with proteins that some people here have voiced. I'd just go with it. I was a vegetarian for a while growing up. My Mom just made sure that the side dishes the rest of the family ate were enough for me. One of my step sons also decided he wanted to do it for a while (his GF is a vegan). We eat a whole lot of non-meat meals anyhow, so it wasn't an issue. He's still with the GF, but is back to eating meat occasionally.

Answer 5

Cant say I know much about diets, but I would be feeding her eggs every other day, though you dont say what her 'reasons' for giving up meat are. If they are ethical then eggs are a good way out of this because..

1. They can come from free-range chickens not caged ones.
2. The eggs are never fertilised, chickens will never hatch from them anyway as there was no rooster to do the do with miss chicken in the first place.

Answer 6

Besides the Jimmy Neutron vitamin she needs extra protein. Cutting out meat can seriously damage the normal protein intake. Talk to your doctor and he should provide a vitamin. Other than that your daughter is fine. It might not be a phase but as long as your child id happy and healthy, what does it matter? Good luck!

Answer 7

Nope, you're not alone. My stepson (10 yr-old) is a vegetarian too. No meat at all. He drinks milk, loves cheeses (especially feta), and eats all types of fruits. He is a little thin, but not unhealthy (the fact that he does not fall sick much). His mom eats seafood, but not this little guy. I think kids just have their own ideology and mind set at some point, and decide to stick to it. My advice is let your girl go her way, but do keep an eye on her diet to make sure that she gets all she needs to grow up healthily. I think natural sources of nutrient are always better than pills and supplements, so make her eat more natural products.

Answer 8

My daughter is now 8 and when she was six she went through a stage and at times there is meat she will not eat. I tend to make alot more fish, turkey, and things she rather eat. Also my doctor said that peanut butter has lots of protein. If you are really concerned do as I did and make a apt with her pediatrician. Best of Luck.

Answer 9

i have a friend who's daughter decided not to eat meat a few years ago. she, like you, let her daughter do it. her daughter is still a vegetarian today. the only thing i would suggest is that you may want to talk to the doctor or a nutritionist to make sure there aren't any vitamins or nutrients she's missing. they have supplements for these.
i think it's great that you are allowing her to do this, so many parents wouldn't. your daughter knows that you value her and respect her.

Answer 10

It sounds like your daughter knows who she is, already. It may seem odd that an 8 year old could make a decision like that but if she's stuck with it this long, it's obviously what she wants. Be supportive and don't ever ask her if she wants meat. I think it's great that she's made a decision like this so early on, sounds like she's going to be a very strong woman some day.

Answer 11

You are not alone. My 9 yr old does not like to eat meat either. As long as your daughter is eating nutritious foods, meats are not the only food that can provide her with the protein she needs. She is healthy, and it's great that she has an understanding parent who stands by her.