Hello!
no Superfood today!!! I will be back with Superfood #6 next week! I am really busy since I will be moving next week and on top of that a family emergency happened... This is taking up some of my time...
Nonetheless I didn't want to let my vegan readers down.... and every Thursday I have to write on www.veganrestaurantfinder.com/blog
Therefore today I will refer you to that post for tips and tricks on how to organize a kids party where most likely your kid will be the only vegan one... and if you're anything like me, you won't tolerate meat in your home... but you do not want to have you kid feel left out and not be able to invite friends over! In that post I have a few non-vegan kids approve tricks for such events.... and they are so easy to do!
And for the non-vegan readers, they are also easy to make if you have a kid that has a vegan/vegetarian friend and never know what to serve them beside pasta with tomato sauce! :-) Or plain green salad! ;-)
In here, I would like to "discuss" what do you do with your kids.... as vegan parents... and as meat eaters with kids who want to be vegetarian/vegan...
1) Vegan parents and their kids
Now this may come as a chock but I do not believe in forcing your kids, or any one for that matter, to adopt your beliefs.... However, I do think that as parents you need to do what's best for your kids. And I do think that you should tell them the truth about where the food they eat come from and what it does to their body. After that it' up to them to make their own decision! (in the events of babies or small infants of course it's a completely different story)
For all the reason mentioned above there is not meat, fish, seafood, milk, eggs and cheese in my home. However, there are a few snacks that are not vegan that only my son eats (but less and less as I almost do everything from scratch)
For the same reason, my son knows where the "meat" comes from and how it comes to his plate when and if he decides to eat it... he is also aware of the role meat and other animal products have on his health and on mine with MS.
He knows that he cannot have it in my home and he is also aware that I prefer he does not have any anywhere but that I will still respect and love him if he does.
I know that when he has some he tells me... and he knows that I do not agree... but we have this agreement that we'd be honest... and respect each other.
In the long run, I hope this brings him to make the right decision. (i.e. be vegan)
In the short run, I know it minimize the animal products he eats and I also know, because he told me, that there are some he can't have anymore without feeling sick.
I chose this approach because if I had acted like the meat police, I'm afraid he would have stop listening and ate as much of it has he could when I am not there. THAT would break my hearth even more!
Now I also know that some other vegan parents may have different approach.... and/or tricks to have their kids adopt a vegan diet more easily.... if you are one of them, would you mind sharing for the rest of us??? Thanks!
2) Non vegan parents with vegetarian/vegan wanna be kids
Now I have never been on that side of parenting... but I have been on that side of childhood. As a kid I had episodes of wanting to become vegetarian. My parents reaction was always that I needed meat to be healthy and that I would eat what was served to me. I do not hold it against them. This is how they were raised and being vegetarian or vegan back in those years was really popular... In Canada anyway... However, if you have a stubborn kid like me, it's only a question of time before they become vegetarian and/or vegan. Now you know.
Now I'd like to think that as a parent in 2014, I would have the open mind to at least try and understand my child and seek out information... but maybe I wouldn't.... I'll never know.
One thing I know for sure is that I never force my kid to eat anything. He has to eat fruits and veggies and legumes and whole grain but I let him choose what he likes and he has to at least try anything new I make and who knows... sometimes it's a real success and he really likes it! Like kale chips and roasted broccoli for example. But if he doesn't, he has to look up the fridge and choose an alternative.
This is why I am asking you parents... are any of you in that situation??? How do you handle it???
Do you "force" you kid to eat what's on the table? Here again, thanks for sharing...
I find it interesting the dynamic between vegetarian - vegan - carnivore... I think that to many are prone to judge others... I find that the proper information is not easy to find and can seem conflicting. I also think that stand alone and objective medical studies on a diet are rare... and there are actually not that many hold over a long period of time and on a significant number of people to be scientifically viable. I actually know of only one: The China study
One might argue, if it was proven once, how many more studies do we really need? but still...
Is anyone else aware of any good, non-partial scientific studies on plant based diet?
I know a lot of people who healed themselves using a plant based diet... including me... and that to me is significant! However, my scientific side is always looking for more... I am a biochemist after all!
OK, well that is enough for today.... I have asked you guys a few questions... I would like your input... I really appreciate it!
thanks for reading!
and please share if you like this blog!!!
love&peace,
nath
xox
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