Just a little down.

[Beledi_Altair]

Hi all,

I'm the one who posted a long time ago that we had transitioned to a vegan diet because of health concerns with our son. The vegan diet has done the trick thus far. He is on medication, but a very mild one and at the lowest possible dosage. The doctor seems to think that he may come off of it in a few months. We shall see.

We have also developed a second reason to remain on the vegan side of life (other than the health benefits, compassion for other living creatures and the simple ickiness of what I had been feeding my kids before). Our daughter has horrendous allergies. We had been lacto-ovo for about a year and Little Bit's excema never got better, asthma remained unchanged, allergies were killing her. Even with all of the meds that her doctors had her on. So we became truly vegan recently. You wouldn't believe the change -- excema (sp?) better, asthma not giving us fits (even with the ozone days) and allergies much better. I had talked to our pediatrician and he had recommended that we become vegan. Our DD's allergies also include antibiotics...wonder where she could have gotten that one...the meat perhaps? (Duh!) I shudder to think what I have done to my children through lack of good information about what I have fed them. I really thought that I was being a good Mom. Hopefully now I am a better one.

As far as being a little down...well, the kids shot down a dinner that I worked really hard on. Risotto, fresh breadsticks, salad, white bean/sundried tomato spread. Apples and tahini/honey dip for dessert. All I heard was, eeeewwww, ick, I hate this. I'm going to throw up! (My children -- the drama team.) I know that dinner was good. I ate it myself and actually it was great. All fresh whole foods even with flax seed oil in them! So much for that. I know that it will get better. It's just that right now I am very thin skinned, I guess. My babies are both in school and the teachers look at them a bit oddly for being vegetarian -- they are both very supportive, though. Thank God for small favors. It just seems that right now Mommy can't do much right -- Mom, why can't I go to Dairy Queen/McDonalds/Sonic...name your favorite fast food greasy spoon. Peer pressure has been a pain.

Say a prayer for me, guys. I need it right now.

Thanks,
Missy.

P.S. I saw a wonderful quote the other day...
"You do not have a soul. You are a soul. You have a body."

[annie7]

Aww! Dont be so down on yourself. You're doing the right thing. Hang in there! Hang in there! Hang in there!!! It's going to be better, and worse, and horrible and wonderful! Just fasten your seatbelt and say to yourself "I'm doing the right thing for MY FAMILY and I am going to hang in there"!

[beth]

I know how you feel. My daughter shoots down so many meals I make for her. Don't be so hard on yourself for what you did in the past. You can't change that. It sounds like you're doing a great job now. It will just take some time for your kids to get use to the way things are now.

[Erin Pavlina]

It can take kids a while to get used to new things. Keep on truckin. YOu can cook for me anytime.

Great quote by the way. I love it!

[Ckflew]

Keep your head up! My mom still complains that when we were living at home, the only two meals she could make that wouldn't have any compalints were spaghetti and macaroni and cheese. Of course, now she can bribe me with "Beans from Brittany" and homemade bread to get me to come home for the weekend. It's amazing what 20 years will do to your tastebuds.

Colleen

(The Beans from Brittany recipe is in Nikki and David Goldbecks's American Wholefoods Cuisine.)

[alexis]

Don't worry, I think kids just enjoy complaining about any food that's on tha table. I know I did. Funnily enough, six years later, I'm trying to get recipes for food I've had as a kid. Of course, I'd veganize them first.

[dal]

Maybe if they helped out with deciding what to make (from a vegan cookbook) and preparing it they'd be less critical and more excited about eating new dishes? It sounds delicious to me!!!