New member, mom of almost 3 yr old, and veteran teacher

[mckennasmom]

I am so excited to find these boards! I have read many of the posts and look forward to posting and reading more! I was saddened by many teachers reactions(saw this on several different boards) to your children's diets-that's insane. I am just beginning to learn about vegetarian and vegan diets, but always tried to eat fruits and vegetables at our daily snack times because my kids(kinder for the past few years and first grade before) eat the WORST food ever! I would've loved an informed parent to come talk-if even only just to me-I probably would've turned to this long ago!

My dilemma is that I am trying to balance my diet, which I hope to be almost completely vegan soon, with my husband who loves meat(does love veggies/fruits too so that's a plus) and pretty much thinks I'm nuts, but is supportive if that's what I want. I am unsure if I should tell my daughter that ribs, chicken, etc are dead animals since she's been eating them for a while now. I don't want to scare her, but I'd prefer she eat what I do and not what dad does. He thinks if she asks for his food we should give it to her and when she's old enough she can decide. Any input?

Thanks, Cathy

[Sylver]

Hi! Welcome to the boards! You'll love it here! :)
My fiance thought I was pretty nuts too, at first. It wasn't long though, before he got used to it, and I didn't seem so nutty to him anymore. He is not veggie (yet! :D) but he does like vegan food, and will even sometimes order a veggie burger at Lick's but he gets bacon on it. :rolleyes: Most people are shocked at first and think going vegan is such a drastic thing to do.
How old is your daughter? If you are unsure about what to tell her about meat, then you could start off by telling her that meat is not good for us, it's unhealthy etc. and that you don't want to eat unhealthy foods. If she asks what meat is, then I think you should tell her the truth. With my daughter (she turns 6 this month and is vegan along with me) when she was younger and we ate meat, I always had a hard time telling her what it was. She never asked, but I never wanted to inform her because I remember how I had felt as a kid, knowing that this 'food' on my plate was a dead [insert animal here]!
About her eating dad's food and letting her decide, I think it's hard at first to sort of convert things. I think that veganism is much healthier, and you'd probably want the best for your daughter. Show or talk to your husband about why it's a good idea for your daughter to grow up without saturated fats, cholesterol, etc. Wouldn't he want her to be healthy later on in life? Anybody would easily teach their kids that smoking is not good for the body, and all the reasons why not to. It makes sense then, to teach what you believe to be best for your family. Anyway, I don't know if I was of any help, but either way, welcome to the boards! Take care and good luck!

[Sylver]

LOL! I just noticed your subject line has your dd's age! Your dd may or may not understand what eating an animal is, and if she does, it just might scare her. I do think though, that this is a good time for her to learn being vegan. It will be harder as she gets older because of other influences. If she gets accustomed to eating and not eating certain foods now, at this early age, it will be easier later on, when she would go to school and wouldn't be eating the same things other kids are. Also when she is being targeted by commercials to drink milk, and eat Rotton Ronnie's (Mc Donalds). It will make those situations in her life much easier. Take care!

[mckennasmom]

Thank you for the quick reply! I know this is going to be a big task, but with this kind of support and ideas it will be much easier. I am hoping to just start by offering vegetarian foods first and cutting back on the amount of milk she drinks(she LOVES it and cheese, ice cream, etc etc-and so do I-looking hard for yummy alternatives!). Daycare is going to be our biggest hurdle. I am hoping to talk with her provider and see what meals are each day and see what I can bring that she can offer her instead. I am bummed because I start teaching again soon and so far our breakfast through late afternoon eating has been great since I began this adventure a few days ago. Then dinner arrives and daddy is here-but I want her to sense no "issue" between her parents and just offer her things I want her to eat. I know this will be a journey and a test of strength at times. I so look forward to being here with all of you!

Cathy :p

[sarahrose]

My husband, who was a die hard meat eater, went vegan about a year ago ( I have been for 17 years, so if you need good vegan recipes, product advice, ect... just ask!!! ) He really liked the taste of meat, but you would be surprised at all of the great alternatives that I found to satisfy his meat tasts. Most of them, he says taste exactly the same-I don't know because I was just a little older than you daughter when I made the change. His digestion problems, low energy levels, stomach aches, ect, are now gone. I have a three year old also, and really, really recommend honesty! As long as you leave out the really graphic details and horrors of factory farms, and explain it in an age appropriate way, it will be fine. My daughter knows the truth, and is not traumatised by it. She thinks it's sad, but also knows that she wants nothing to do with it. I am about to graduate ( major in Nutrition) and can tell you that Milk for a child her age is something you really want to get away from! It can contribute to diabetes (especially if she has the predisposition for it) . I use Soydream enriched. It is not thick, and does not have a soybean taste (yuck!). Good luck- you are doing the right thing!!!! If you need any health advice, or anything at all, don't hesitate to ask!