Is anyone raising children who are vegan / vegetarian?

Question

I'm vegetarian and are going vegan in a bout 3 months, (when my daughter is born) but I have some tough questions that are floating through my mind.

1. How do you deal with letting people babysit/take care of your child when you don't know what's in their food?

2. How do you deal with people telling you that your child is/is going to be unhealthy?

I know it's a lot easier to be vegetarian... 'just no meat please', but I WANT to go vegan and I've read that it's healthier for your kids anyway. But I'm really worried about all of the things that will eventually revolve around my daughter when her grandparents take her and so on.

Any advise or suggestions would be greatly appreciated, thanks so much.

Answer 1

Honestly, you won't be able to control everything your children eat when they aren't around you. (this applies to being vegan or not!) Get your daughters grandparents on board - tell them what your plans are and then ask them to respect you and your decisions for your daughter. Truthfully you aren't going to be able to do much more after that unless you grant them only "supervised visits". As your daughter gets older you can talk with her about food choices and help her to make the right ones when you aren't around.

As far as dealing with people who say that your child is going to be unhealthy. . . not alot you can do except smile and chuckle as you watch them stuff their children full of Mcdonalds while they lecture you. Every parent gets harrased by "well meaning" people who think they can raise their child better than you can. Just take heart in the fact that the same person who is lecturing you probably has 40 people breathing down their neck too.

Lastly - a tiny bit of unsolicited advice - I have been vegitarian, vegan, and even raw vegan. I have years of research knowledge and if you would like to email me ([e-mail]) I can tell you about my experiance with these lifestyles and the health problems they created that no one tells you about. (hair loss, sking problems, gained weight, etc). I can also tell you about what action I took to get myself healthy and still support animal rights and avoid cruelty to animals. If you are interested in a firsthand account that is less bias than alot of websites - - please contact me.

Goodluck with your daughter!

Answer 2

Well, the first 4-6 months it won't be an issue because the baby will be on either breastmilk or formula (they do have soy formula), but just get them used to the idea before then. Get information from your baby's doctor to share with them so that they know that she will still be healthy. I was a nanny for a lady that is a vegetarian and raising her daughter the same way. She did get fish and eggs , and I worked around it because it was my job to take care of her and follow her mom's wishes. If you use a daycare you might have to provide some guidelines for them, and possible special foods, but it would be easier to hire someone to babysit in your own home.

Answer 3

For one thing, if you are going to raise your child to be vegan, you cannot force the world to conform to what you want.
They will not be able to eat at school unless they avoid what you have for them so you will have to pack their lunches. Also, if your child goes to another persons home it is not their responsibility to alter their meal plans to suit your children.

If someone is babysitting at your home then you can impose the "this is what you feed them" rule. But if it is a daycare you will have to pack them a lunch.

You need to be frank with your kids. Being a vegan can be unhealthy especially if they don't get enough protien and calcium. They will have to be taught what is healthy and how to address the comments if they are indeed eating properly.

You have your children for a short amount of time to care for. When they get older they may not agree with your views and may take to not being vegan/or vegetarian. Then you, being the grandparent will have to be as understanding as you wish their grandparents to be and not criticize on the unhealthiness that you feel they are imposing on their children.

Answer 4

I personally have been a vegetarian for years, and I have beautiful 3 year old twins. I decided to go ahead and feed them meat (their father is also a big meat eater) until they are old enough to make their own decision. I also feed them lots of veggies and organic foods, they get a large variety of foods and I personally feel that is the healthiest for them at this point in their life. But I can also understand you wanting to raise your child to be vegan, but it will be very hard for you to control everything your child eats. espically when he/she goes to school and friends houses. You will need to find a doctor who is supportive of the way you intend to raise your child or every little health problem your child has will be blamed on the diet. Good Luck!

Answer 5

The best thing to do is just become really educated. I had problems with my family when I went vegan and I've found that having statistics and facts to quote really adds credibility to your argument. Go to: http://www.goveg.com/
They have a free booklet they'll send you that has information and expert advice which you could use to your advantage.

Answer 6

1) You tell the supervisor of the children they're not to eat animal products.
2) You tell them that just because you're lifestyle is different, doesn't make it wrong. Insist that diversity is beneficial and Go from there.