What is your biggest fear about raising your kids vegan?

[Erin Pavlina]

I'm curious, we're raising vegan children here right? What are your biggest worries, concerns, and fears regarding how to raise a vegan child in a non-vegan world?

[michelle]

Hi Erin,

I guess my biggest fear is that I'm not doing it right. I also panic if they get ill.
I have a 2 year old vegan (vegan for 1 month) and a 9 year old vegan daughter (vegan for 5 months).


They are both complaing of tummy aches and have dioreah, therefore I am feeling quilty and sometimes feel I am harming them.

I know I should not worry but I do.


Michelle:eek:

[momof3]

I guess I am kinda worried about the same. That if my kids get sick or when they do, everyone will blame the vegan diet. This day in age I feel that it doesn't matter what you do or what you don't do that someone's bound to find something wrong with you.

I mostly worry about wether they are eating enough or not. They hardly ever have big appetites.

That's my 2 major concerns :-)

Tabitha:D

[CarlaJ]

One of my biggest fears- they switch to a meat eating diet when they get older. That would be sad

[hedylamarr58]

My husband is not vegetarian and my biggest concern is that he will influence my son as he gets older. It is tough enough raising a vegetarian or vegan child in today's world without having your own family fight you.:(

[Cassie]

My fear is that my daughter might be teased when she starts school for being vegan.

[Katharina]

My biggest concern is the fact that we live in a non-vegan world and it might be difficult for him to always be different and "stand his ground".

I don't want to force my beliefs onto him when he is old enough to make his own decisions so I just hope that by then he is convinced of the virtue of veganism...

I don't worry about his health at all because it is my firm belief that a well-balanced vegan diet is as healthy as you can get...

I am more worried about the social implications of being vegan in a non-vegan world...

[Krystal323]

So many people tell me that I am inflicting my beliefs on my kids and that isn't right. I always counter with, "but you are also inflicting your beliefs on your child by feeding them meat--it's the same thing" Isn't it??? Isn't that a parent's JOB--to "inflict knowledge on" (teach) their children the best way they know how to live?? They always seem bewildered when I point this out to them.
AND, I figure once my kids are old enough to fully comprehend the impact of their dietary choices on their health, the suffering of innocent creatures and the environment, then I must let them eat as they see fit. My biggest fear is that they won't see it my way or they just won't care. I would hate to painstakingly plan out every bite they eat for the first 18 years or so only to have them turn around and not care. Consequently, I will applaud myself for a job well done if they raise THEIR children vegan someday.:)

[duckie1978]

My husband and I actually decided against having children since we are vegan (he's mostly vegetarian) mostly because I am afraid they will be taken away by the state because of our diets. My husband's family does not believe that you can raise children vegan and one of his cousins is actually the woman who comes and takes away your kids. I know that she would be over all the time (if she sees you even touch your child wrong, she legally can take him/her away *right* there and ship him/her off to foster care), and to be honest, I think that his family would encourage that.

On the topic of forcing beliefs on to children, parents and society do that everyday. My husband and his brother were raised Catholic even though they fought kicking and screaming the whole way. They *had* to go because his parents and whole family is Catholic and the children were forced into the religion as well. To this day his parents still insist that my husband is Catholic even though he tells them that he *hates* the religion and the beliefs associated with it. He is now an Agnostic but they still insist on buying us Christmas presents and expect us over for Easter.

We live in a predominantly Christian society (the USA) even though the country was founded partially on religious freedom and have no state religion. If we don't have a state religion, why is almost every business and government office closed on major Christian holidays (Christmas, Easter) but not for any other religion? Because the people who dictate our country are predominantly Christian and that is how it has "always" been. The same goes for eating meat, society's norm dictates a meat based diet, even though the majority of the world limit their meat consumption and most of the world is lactose intolerant.

(Sorry to soapbox)

[Krystal323]

That's so sad Duckie! You know the easiest way to make this a veg planet is to tell kids the truth from the get-go; but how will they know the truth if their parents aren't vegan? I remember vegnews had an essay on ths topic and I thought how sad that there are vegans out there who feel that the greater good is to contain their beliefs within themselves instead of spreading their compassion through their children. My greatest hope is that my kids will grow up to be catalysts for change. Of course they'll use up some natural resources while they're here on earth, but that's not as bad as if they were never born--y'know what I mean?? I get the drift that you don't get along well w/your in-laws huh?? It must be so stressful to have a cousin like that on alert all the time. Does SHE have any kids?? Who checks up on HER I wonder.....? Anyways, I am sorry your husband has had such an awful experience with the Catholic faith. Especailly in light of these scandals, I think it's obvious that all people need a healthy dose of common sense--preists or not, they're still people, and people are capable of horrendous cruelty... OK I'm getting off topic, but I feel so bad for you that you will never have children! I never wanted kids--as a matter of fact I disliked them so much that I threw up when I saw the pregnancy test come back positive. But five years later I am so remarkably blessed and happy to have children--and since I do, I want to make sure that they impact this planet for the better! Oh, and BTW I think your husband's parents were not so much teaching him about religion as they were coercing, manipulating and brow-beating him about religion--that's not a proper way to teach--and it doesn't even make sense--religion is supposed to be about LOVE. It's not loving to "do as I say OR ELSE!!!" Where's the love in what they "taught" him??? My point is of course I would lay off the religion-teaching if my kids were kicking and screaming, but I guess I'm doing something right because they like to go to church and learn about God.

[jewels]

My biggest fear is that my dd's grandparents will give her animal products. I live states away from my parents so I think it would be more likely that my dds fathers parents would give it to her, his mother already fed me pasta with eggs in it, so the trust with the is thin. It would be my biggest fear because I feel strongest about my vegan beliefs than anything and I would have to eliminate them from her life if this happened, no ifs ands or buts about it. That would be worse then them showing her an x rated movie, giving her drugs and telling her there is no god.

[bachlva]

Even raising our child as a non dairy, fish-eating "vegetarian," it's the other people I worry about, much like everyone else. I worry about birthday parties, school [unless we decide to homeschool], and so-called well-meaning relatives, still believing that a diet without meat and dairy is somehow deficient offering cheese or a hot dog. We will just have to trust that he will learn by our example, and through education, make intelligent decisions when he's old enough to do so. And we'll probably be making and bringing a lot of our own food to b-day parties! ;)

[Katharina]

I am not worried at all about the health aspect because I truly believe that a well-balanced organic vegan diet is as good as it gets ;) ...

I am more worried about the social implications of being vegan, especially since we are the only ones in the extended family and circle of friends who are vegan.

I am worried that other people will give him animal products behind my back out of ignorance or defiance, against my will.

I am worried that he might feel like an outsider amongst his peers, especially if we move to Spain as we plan to, because EVERYBODY there eats meat.

All I can do is hope that he will understand our lifestyle choices and want to support them.

[duckie1978]

I have a good relationship with my inlaws as long as we don't speak about things that they don't agree with: homosexuality, veganism, religion, their son's decision to leave engineering school to be a pharmacist, our decision not to have children, homeschooling if we were to have kids, adopting children, body piercings and tattoos, etc. They are wonderful people aside from the fact that they are narrow minded and bigots (I hate to call them that because it labels people but it is the best way to describe them).

Having children is not something that I have *ever* wanted (although my husband and I have discussed it extensively and it almost broke us up), and no, it has nothing to do with the pain factor. If that was the case I wouldn't have as many piercings and tattoos that I have. There are a lot of other factors aside from my diet that causes me to be very leery of bringing any children into the world. My friends think I am nuts because they all agree that I am very good with children, but I just don't believe that everyone was meant to have children. I am in a teaching program so I will be able to reach a lot more kids than just having a couple of my own. I can't wait to teach "The Jungle" by Upton Sinclair and use "Fast Food Nation" as a follow up! My sister uses it in her classroom and the kids are so grossed out!

As for my husband's cousin who works for Child Services, no she has no children is about 22-24 and lives at home with her mom. Her mom if anything should have gotten nailed for child abuse, all three of her children were and still are morbidly obese and never exercise. All of them have health problems as a result.

[vegma]

Hey duckie, I respect your decision not to have children. I was right with you ... until I changed my mind at age 40 :o

[go4green]

Biggest fear...

1. she'll eat meat when she's older, that she will be exposed to peer pressure to do so and the power of the peer pressure will be stronger than everything we give her.

2. that our daughter will receive unfair treatment or teasing because she's vegan, that she will be called a freak or she will be "left out"

Since you asked, but, I hope to raise Elle as and expose her to, healthy, happy, well adjusted, compassionate vegan children. I don't think these fears will be major issues. She could just as easily influence other kids to eat in a healthy way or be the cool kid with the best lunches. No way to predict it, so we focus on the positive. I feel most carnivores I know look at our diet as a pain, complicated or inconvenient. I don't worry about health aspects, she's super healthy, and I believe in the vegan lifestyle we have chosen. ~Jenna

[sarahrose]

Have you stolen my in-laws? They should meet up and start an 'anti everything' group together!
As for vegan fears, the only fear I have is that my daughter will feel the isolation, aleination, and self doubt that I felt growing up. But that is not too much of a worry, because I was a vegan in a non vegan houshold (and world) and she is not! No health fears, she never has been sick ( at age 4!) and her school peers are regularly sick, plus she just looks great, glowing skin, vibrant, sparkly eyes, shiny hair.....the list goes on!