My family can't deal with me being a vegetarian... please help!?

Question

My close family (mom, dad, everyone on my dads side) totally supports me being veg. But the fam. on my moms side is super obnoxious now. I've been veg for around 5-6 months now, the doctor says I'm doing fine and that I'm just as healthy, if not more, than I was before. But everytime I see people on my moms side of the family (which is quite a lot every holiday and LOTS more) they make nasty little comments about me not eating meat, say I'm malnourished, or say 'its just a phase'. If we go out to eat, they say, 'oh, we better not go, there might not be VEGETARIAN options' and then laugh in my face.They call every few days, reminding me to get enough protein and making fun of me. They are the polar opposite of my dads side, who thinks veg is cool and try not to eat meat around me. Some of them are vegetarians too. I'm just sick of my moms side... I feel like I can't be around them anymore. I'm only 13 so I have to visit them if my mom says so, which is all the time. Please help me!!!!!!

Answer 1

Just ignore them because they sound arrogant along with very close minded. The thing you should know about people in general is that if you aren't like them, well, they just think you are automatically wrong. Alot of people are like this. Who cares what they say, ignore them, and do what you want it is your body and you will probably live alot longer eating so healthy at a young age.

Answer 2

I am a life long vegetarian. I have been teased as a kid about it. But I always just thought that the food they ate was SICKO.

The more you hang out with like minded people, the more you will be strong in your conviction.

They probably think they can break you down since you are young. They are taking advantage of your age.
You gatta be smart and firm. Turn the table on them and say the opposite to them, if they really start getting on your nerve.
I used to ignore people when they said ignorant remarks, unless they were going nuts about it. Tell em, "Hey look, some road kill! Maybe I should bring it over for ya, in case you're hungry!"
Whatever has strengthened your conviction, use to protect yourself.
You know that "Happy meal" ain't happy at all. It's the saddest meal ever, and it probably cried in fear before it was murdered.
You gatta be REAL STRONG. (vegetarians can be strong, just look at the Elephant, or previously the Brontosaurus.........)
My brother is 6 feet 4 and huge, and hes a vegetarian. There are a lot of vegetarian body builders too. When my dad was a young vegetarian, he used to box and win every match.

Just keep being strong girl and don't take their poking to heart.

And like I said before, The more you hang out with like minded people, the more you will be strong in your conviction.

Answer 3

Join the club. Thats the very same way my family reacted. You are better off, my whole family (ie maternal, paternal all of them) objected, took arms against me is the better term. But I kept it up. I am in my 4th year as a vegetarian and now they have learnt to accept it as a food habit rather than a deviation. Just 'cos most people arent used to a vegie only diet doesnt mean that it doesnt exist. Now even my family has started to look for more vegetarian options when we prepear a meal!
But male sure that you maintain a healthy vegetarian diet. Good luck!

Answer 4

Look up some vegetarian recipies. Cook dinner for them sometime and invite the whole disagreeing lot of them over. Make sure it is something you think they will all like. I think vegetarian lasagna with a side sald and garlic bread would be a good idea. Inviting them over and actually doing the cooking will show them that you are capable of making your own adult decisions, like the one when you made to become vegetarian. If they decide to laugh and make jokes through dinner, rather than thanking you and being respectfull toward you, then they are the idiots. You have made an adult decision, and if they want to laugh and poke fun like children, that is their problem, not yours.

Answer 5

Don't be mean, but confront them in an assertive mater and tell them how it annoys you when they make those remarks and tell them that it annoys you because they couldn't be more wrong about what they are saying and you think they should educate themselves more on the topic or just stop making comments about a lifestyle they don't completely know about. Then hand them a vegan book or some vegetarian/vegan lifestyle websites for them to visit. and be ready to always have a comback, and that deoesn't mean saying "whatever!!!!!! losers!!!" NOOOO, that is so wrong//what you have to do is give a smart-alecky yet a smart FACT to prove them wrong. like if they say "oh, we better not go, there might not be VEGETARIAN options" say polietely "Trust me, i know i can find something to eat. even in a stake house they sell the basic salads and pasta, beans and rice and i can eat all those foods plus more. so your wrong :)"
when they say "make sure you get enough protein" say "yes i get enough from beans, nuts, legumes, vegetables, oatmeal, cereals, soy milk, etc..but thanks. make sure YOU don't get too many heart attacks, fats, cholesterol and horomones from the dead animals you like to call dinner"

Answer 6

do your parents know this is going on? i think you should talk to them and tell them how this taunting makes you feel. maybe they can help them keep their criticism to themselves.

if that doesn't work, i'd take the high road. when they make disparaging remarks about your vegetarianism, just smile and respond with "thanks for your concern, but my diet is going well and i feel quite healthy". or the part about restaurant options: "most restaurants have vegetarian options now, it's really quite common".

it happened to me when i was younger. my step-father's family did about the same, always telling me that it was just a phase and that one day i'd cave and have a hamburger and how unhealthy i was. well, 12 years later i haven't had that hamburger and i'm pretty healthy.

don't let them get to you. they're nervous of things they don't know much about so they instantly reject it. just remind yourself that they know nothing about your situation or your diet when they make these comments. eventually they will quiet down.

Answer 7

Tell them Ignorance is bliss. Let it pass, they are obviously just a bunch of jerks. Actually go along with it. Tell them they are right that you shouldnt go, and then throw a fit and ruin everyones time. Tell them all the protien they eat is going straight to there ***. When they laugh in your face offer a breath mint, and do a fake almost puke because of the decomposing animal flesh in there mouth giving them bad breath. Tell them this 'Phase" will end in the year 2095. Good luck....

Answer 8

There will always be people like that. To be honest most people I meet today and tell, like my coworkers, etc, still bug me about eating meat. "Oh, we're gonna eat out, you want a steak?"
Some people just don't understand.
I made the choice when I was 13 too.

Answer 9

Sit down and talk to your mom about it. Maybe you two can set up a time with her side of the family to talk about how their snide remarks make you feel. Let them know they are hurting you and this is your decision. Stand up for yourself and ask them for their support in your decision!

Answer 10

i think that is kinda messed up family is supposed to support you no matter what even if they disagree with you tell them and your mom how their remarks are making you feel especially since you're around them all the time and let them know that they are hurting your feelings and that you feel like you can't be around them anymore hopefully they'll understand where you're coming from Good Luck!