Why do parents allow their children to eat meat?

Question

A bunch of us were talking over on the vegan and vegetarian board, and we were wondering. With all the problems with child obesity today and the obvious cruelty of all forms of meat eating. Why would any responsible parent allow their child to eat meat?

VEGAN AND PROUD

Answer 1

This person is NOT a vegetarian/vegan. He has been over on the vegetarian and vegan board and harassing and trolling on there for weeks. If you look at past questions and answers you will see that this is just another attempt at trolling in a new way.

Do not take this person at thier word, as his trolling has now expanded beyond the vegetarian/vegan forum and onto other areas. The majority of vegans/vegetarians do not think this way, this person is just looking for attention

Answer 2

The problems with child obesity have less to do with meat than they do with people not knowing proper nutrition. Too many sugary snacks, fast food and junk, and not enough physical activity, are the reasons behind childhood obesity. People were created to eat meat; animals were put here for our use, including consumption. If you choose not to eat meat, that's fine-if I choose to eat meat, that's fine, too. My son likes meat more than other foods and he is nowhere near obese. Cruelty is a relative term-how is eating an unfertilized chicken egg cruel? No chick was killed. How is drinking cow's milk cruel? People need calcium to build strong bones and teeth-how are they to get it as adults? Hundreds of years ago there were no vitamins, no soy milk, and one can't breastfeed forever (if we could, where would mom get extra calcium?) I don't think it's your place to pass judgment on parents who allow their children to eat meat-being vegetarian or vegan should be a personal choice, and you can't make a wise decision if you're 2. If you want to be vegan, fine. If you want to teach your children to be, fine-but the ultimate decision should be theirs. Is is fair to make that decision for someone else? No. And if my child ever decides to become a vegetarian, that's his choice and I won't stop him.

Answer 3

Please, spare me the notion that eating meat is the worst thing on our planet. I don't care if you want to be a vegan or vegetarian, that's fine. Meat is not the sole contributor to the overwhelming rate of obese children in the world. Don't be so naive and completely biased. Most of the vegans and vegetarians I knew/know (i know many) are usually some of the most overweight and malnourished people I know. None of them even take the proper vitamins to keep in shape or at a healthy weight an spend all day staring at the back of labels trying to make sure that some poor animals bones weren't used to make their Ramen noodles or Lay's.

But please, spare me the irresponsible card just because your agenda is one-sided and devoid of backing. We all know that animals have to die for us to consume meat. That's like telling me that smoking causes cancer. No crap right? Humans have eaten meat for millions of years, and a few idiosyncratic do-gooders are not going to change that. Calling me a bad parent for exposing my child to meat is a much more close-minded approach than letting your kids make their own damn choice. If my daughter wants to be a vegetarian for all the right reasons, then by all means, I wish her the best and support that. But, by you proclaiming such rhetoric in such a self-righteous way, you turn people off and close people off entirely from what you think is true.

I ask you this question: Why would any RESPONSIBLE parent not allow their OWN children to make their OWN choice in the matter? Vegetarianism is perfectly acceptable diet, but when you point fingers at everyone else eating meat, you become just like the annoying hell, fire, and brimstone preachers out there with no concept of life outside of their own little box.

Answer 4

Hey... if you like being a vegan... that is great. That's your decision. However... some people are indeed carnivors and love meat. Chicke, Turkey, & Beef are very yummy. AND when eating with the right portions of this meat, you can lose weight and keep your protein intake as it should be. Just because you allow or serve your children meat doesn't make you a irresponsible parent.

Answer 5

There is nutritional value in eating meat. When it comes to child obesity it's the parents not making/allowing their children to run around outside, play sports, etc. and feeding them crap like McDonald's more than once a week, or giving them ice cream everyday, sending them to school with nothing but PB&J as well as candy to top it off and soda. That is the problem, not the meat.
I'm glad you are a Vegan, means more meat for us.

Answer 6

There is nothing wrong with eating meat. We were created to eat meat. But I think its fine to be a vegan. Its a personal choice. I have a friend that is a vegetarian and she has decided her baby will eat meat until she is old enough to decide if she doesn't want to.

Answer 7

Obesity is not because of meat. Obesity happens because of an unbalanced diet. [Too much meat or too much sweets, or too little vegetables.] Follow that up with a decrease in activity you have an obese child.

You have your beliefs. I have mine. I will respect yours. However, I know that humans are at the top of the food chain. Yes, there is some cruelty to animals today. I would be willing to participate in a protest for the animals but I will not stop eating meat entirely. Neither will my children.

In the world of parenting there are so many things that rank higher then eating meat such as drugs, sex, and violence that it honestly is not one of my concerns. If my child decides later in life that they wish to be a vegan or vegetarian I will respect that and provide them with meat less food. For now though they will eat a well balanced diet consisting of meat and have a lot of outdoor play!

Which would you rather have?

[a] Kids strapped with guns at school
[b]Kids having sex and getting pregnant at thirteen.
[c] Kids doing drugs getting behind the wheel of a car then killing a newborn child.
OR
[d] Kids eating meat.

Sorry, I'm going with kids eating meat!

Answer 8

Because there are many healthy children who eat meat. Childhood obesity is more a result of eating junk food than meat. And it is really really hard to make sure your child eats all four food groups, they need protein for their growth and it would be difficult to get that from beans and legumes. Remember, no nuts until a child is three.

Answer 9

Eating meat does not result in obesity. Incorrect diet results in obesity. I eat lean meat as a part of a healthy lifestyle, as I have since I was little, and I'm in great shape.

I think it's sad that certain "health" groups are so narrow-minded as to exclude an entire food group that has been eaten since the dawn of time by both humans and other mammals, as "unhealthy". I'd rather eat a balanced diet than subscribe to a dietary fad.

Answer 10

Not everybody has to be a vegan. There are meats where the cow, etc. is only fed healthy feed.
As long as the parents don't overfeed and listen to their childs "hunger cues" when they're young, the child(ren) learn to know when they're full and hungry correctly.