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Vegan Children
A Vegetarian Daycare? How One Mom Made It Happen
by Kristen J. Gough
Alice Yang of Fort Worth, Texas, didn't start out to create a vegetarian
daycare, she just did what came naturally. After the birth of her daughter,
Yang decided not to go back to work. But as a single mother, Yang needed to
find a way to support herself and her daughter. A friend suggested that Yang
watch children in her home. From word of mouth, Yang built up a clientele
and now has a total of nine children, between the ages of seven months to
three years of age, in her care. Her two-and-a-half year old daughter is the
only vegetarian of the group. Yet, as Yang confides, she didn't intend her
daycare to be for vegetarians or about a vegetarian lifestyle, that's just
part of who she is and what the kids will experience in her home.
"Parents are grateful that their children are eating more veggies," says
Yang. "It's become a plus, rather than the focus [of her daycare]." Since
Yang watches the children from 7:30am to 6pm Monday through Friday, the
subject of food has definitely been a talking point for the children’s
parents. "A lot of parents are concerned about whether [the children] are
getting enough protein," explains Yang. "For me, questions like that open
the door for me to talk to them about vegetarian eating." To allay parents’
concerns, Yang points out that the ADA has approved vegetarian diets for
children. She also prints out a monthly menu for parents to review and goes
as far as to have her menu approved through the USDA food program.
Still, most children take some time getting used to the food choices offered
at Yang's daycare. "A lot of times the new child has a poor first week,"
says Yang. "I try to make something familiar to the child, maybe something
with peanut butter." Within a few days, however, the new children bow to the
positive peer pressure. "All kids want to compete," says Yang. Even if the
competition is about who will be first to try something new like broccoli or
bok choy. "I've been pretty lucky that the kids I've had have been very
open-minded." It doesn't hurt that Yang's parents own a restaurant so that
Yang knows how to turn out amazing tofu creations.
Many parents have commented that their food choices at home have changed as
a result of their children's experiences in Yang's care. "The children have
been asking for more vegetables at home." Along with vegetables, Yang has
introduced many of these children to their first veggie dog and veggie
chicken nuggets. One mother even switched to veggie sausage, at first at her
child's suggestion, but then found that she liked it better too.
When asked what advice Yang has for other vegetarians who are considering
running a daycare, she advises doing a lot of research into nutrition. The
USDA food program is a good starting point in her opinion. "You shouldn¹t
feel pressured to serve meat," says Yang. "Some kids are lactose intolerant.
Some have other food allergies. You should have what you want in your home.
It's your choice."
In the end, Yang has found her experience as a daycare provider both
rewarding and tiring. Yet as a single mother Yang is grateful that she's been able to provide for her and her daughter as well as positively influencing the lives of other children and their families.
Kristen J. Gough is a writer and the mother of three, active girls who love to eat broccoli and argue over the last green bean.
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