Need a few ideas.....

[tricia]

I would like to know how some of you more experienced vegan momma's explain to your children the difference between eating cakes, cookies, etc that are vegan vs eating ones that arent.... ( i dont know if that made much sense)....so heres the backstory

On tuesday my daughter went on a school trip...i packed her pretzels and a drink seeing if they were offered something she would be prepared and not starve.... come to find out....where they went they got a cookie on their tour that contained milk.... and possibly eggs... since her pretzels were left at school because they werent allowed to take their backpacks she ate one because she was hungry and they looked jus like the ones she can eat at home.... and when one of the parents asked if there were any milk, eggs, or nuts in them she said she didnt know... ok so my daughter eats one....

i tell her teacher bout the incident after i find out.... she didnt know becuz my daughter wasnt in her group... ok fine... i go in this morning since its last day of school and they are having a communal snack.... i put more food in my daughters lunchbag and send a snack she can share.... her teacher told me i have to tell khaila what food she can and cannot have...but khaila jus turned 5 and she gets confused because mommy makes them at home and if no one knows what ingredients there are in them she might take them sometimes....

now i explained to her if she asked and no one knows not to eat any then she cant have any...she knows not to drink milk, eat eggs or meat... but its these hidden ingredients... and shes confused becuz she knows we eat all the same stuff everyone else does.... i thought about maybe printing letters out on the comp and giving it to the kids to give to their parents and let them know about khaila's diet....jus stating she has an allergy...

how do you teach your kids that not all cookies and cakes are vegan especially when you are not around to tell them they arent and everyone that is around them is confused..lol...

ok now im rambling...

[Erin Pavlina]

This is a great question!

First, I am overly paranoid. So although I hope for the best in these situations, I always plan for the worst. What I would do if my child was going on a field trip is:

1. Go with them if possible.
2. Double and triple check that the teachers would make sure my child brings her special meal on the trip.
3. Make sure I tell my child she must take her special meal on the trip and to remind the teachers if they forget.
4. Find out what else is going to be served on the trip and make sure I either approximate it or send something I KNOW she will love.

Barring that, if my child accidentally ate something non-vegan I would simply edcuate all involved so it wouldn't happen again (hopefully).

My daughter, nearly 4 years old, is very hip to the vegan thing. She always asks her teachers if something is vegan before she eats it. I've told her that if she eats foods with dead animals in them it might make her sick. All in all, she's pretty good about the whole thing, though we've had a few accidents.

And yeah, when your young children see cookies and they know mommy makes those same looking cookies, it's super hard for them to know if they are supposed to eat it or not. I've told Emily that some foods out there will look vegan but they aren't and that she should always ask someone before eating anything unless I or her father give it to her.

You can't be with them all the time, but you just do the best you can.

[5xblessed]

This can be really difficult when kids are young. I agree with all the tips Erin gave you. As they get older it's much easier, as they can ask and understand more things and have more control. I always send a snack and tell them to only eat that. Of course that hasn't always happened. And I just try to explain that not everyone is as careful as mommy and some people put stuff in their food they don't know is bad and you can't see it because it's hidden. Nothing fool proof unfortunately but you have to work with what you can.
Lisa

[tricia]

I think another issue is that we used to be omni..... and its only been a few mnths.... im not expecting for her to be perfect cuz ive bought things with hidden ingredients...i am in no position to throw stuff out or donate it cuz money is pretty tight...i jus added it to the never buy again list...lol.....

i was happy to hear that my daughter sat in front of the fruit platter and ate from that...no cookies nothing else so im excited....so maybe our talk right b4 worked...lol....

p.s. Erin im using your tip from your book... and gonna have a bag of vegan junk foodish stuff to have when others bring in non vegan items....