Discussing vegan parenting and the notion of “imposing your beliefs” on your children. How is vegan parenting different than any parenting?
Vegan Parenting Update: Since I first posted this, our eldest just moved for university!
I’ve been thinking a lot about being a mom lately. Partly because our eldest is turning eleven this week, and I cannot believe she is growing so quickly (don’t all moms say that? It’s true).
And, partly because this Pregnant Chicken piece brought me back to those ‘new mom’ emotions and experiences – again timely with our daughter’s birthday approaching.
And then this Should Kids Go Vegan? article was circulating. There is a quote in the article, which brings back that tired assumption about vegan diets:
“The main problem I have with this book is that children are impressionable, and this is too sensitive of a topic to have a child read this book,” Nicole German, a registered dietitian in Atlanta, writes on her blog. “It could easily scare a young child into eating vegan, and, without proper guidance, that child could become malnourished.”
Vegan Diet vs. “Normal” Diet
Yes, I suppose without proper guidance a child eating vegan could become malnourished. But so could a child on a meat and dairy-centric diet. Or, that “well-rounded” SAD approach to eating.
How much fibre are they getting on that diet? How much vitamin C? What about phytonutrients? And antioxidants?
Let’s flip that and talk about what most kids ARE getting a lot of on the standard diet…
Cholesterol. Saturated animal fats. Refined sugars. Refined flours. Empty calories. Probably trans fats and artificial colors and flavorings. Wait, you say, they can also get the sugars, white foods, and artificial junk on a vegan diet.
True. Except…
Most people eating vegan are very conscious about their food. We have to be, people are always asking us where we get calcium/protein/iron! 😉
Jokes aside, we tend to become attentive to the nutritional side of eating vegan. And even if they don’t personally, that typically changes with vegan parenting Because when you have a child, everything changes.
It’s not just about you anymore. All of a sudden, there is a small, innocent, vulnerable baby looking up at you. That baby is completely dependent on YOU for their survival and growth… to make choices in their best interest, for their health and well-being.
Vegan Parenting: Any different than ‘omnivore’ parenting?
Parenting is an awesome responsibility, and vegan parenting is one that I did not take lightly.
And, to move away from that one quote in the aforementioned article. I’ve often read, and heard people say: “Aren’t you imposing your beliefs on your children as a vegan?”
Yes. I am. Aren’t you imposing your beliefs as a meat-eater? Don’t we impose all our beliefs on our children, particularly in early, highly developmental years?
From how much tv they watch, which songs they listen to, what school they attend, which activities they are in, what manners they display around the home and in social situations, whether they go to McD’s or some other nutrient-empty fast food joint.
Don’t we all impose our beliefs as parents? At least in early years we do, until they gain more independence to make some of their own judgements and decisions. The only difference is which beliefs and values we are instilling, or imposing.
So, YES, in this role of vegan parenting, I want to impose my beliefs in eating a whole-foods vegan diet on my children. After all, I chose it for myself out of health, why wouldn’t I want my children to similarly benefit?
Of course, I researched the suitability of a vegan diet for children once I became pregnant. I was prudent in making healthy food choices for them.
Vegan Parenting: ah-ha moment!
And you know what? Our three girls value real food. They love our meals. I have even heard this at dinner:
“I am thankful mommy decided to eat vegan and feed us this healthy, yummy food“.
I am not kidding. And my kids are not angels. (I’ll save that for another post.) 🤣
But I am telling you, as a kid that grew up eating junk it took years to retrain my palate. Food habits – and preferences – start early.
I started with whole-foods plant-powered diet, and am optimistic that our girls will continue on this health- and compassion-promoting diet. So teach ’em wisely, teach ’em early, I say.
What about you – are you beginning or immersed in vegan parenting? Were you raised eating vegan or vegetarian foods? What is your take on this article and the notion of “imposing your vegan beliefs”?
Andrea says
I’ve been raising my 6 year old daughter vegan since conception. She is now wants to eat meat because she sees other people eating meat (including her father who has started eating meat again after 10 years of abstinence –his plant-based beliefs got shaken with a health crisis). I have told her where gelatine comes from so she can make her own choices on eating such candies when the occasion arises and will show her the difference between factory farmed meat and hunting and let her make her choices but will not allow her to partake in factory farmed animal industry. I am a heart broken though.
Stewart says
It actually annoys me a bit when you see newspaper articles of malnourished vegan children. The hugely underweight toddler that was only fed bread, half a banana and a bit of almond milk each day suffered because it didn’t get enough greens, berries, whole grains and beans (or just whole foods in general), not because it didn’t get enough meat.
Regarding imposing our beliefs at least vegan parents have no issues showing their kids where their food comes from. We’re not hiding anything. Most parents would willingly take their kids strawberry picking but very few would take them to a slaughterhouse.
And I don’t think any kid would complain about being served Dreena’s meals all the time. All the other kids, vegan or not, would be extremely envious!
Rebecca Cody says
For those of you who have concerns about this issue, or have seen contradictory information elsewhere, please look at the source of what you read. Is the newspaper or magazine packed with ads by Big Pharma and Big Food? If so, you can be certain the information they publish is done so as not to alienate their advertisers. I never take anything at face value if they advertise unhealthy food or drugs.
In addition to the sources for valid information that Dreena has cited here, you can find many science-based answers at http://www.nutritionfacts.org and drmcdougall.com. Dt. McDougall has a free or online book he calls his Color Picture Book, which explains very simply, for children and adults, what food is healthy and what food is unhealthy. He also has lots of testimonials from people who have turned their poor health around through whole vegetable foods only.
Elizabeth Wolf says
I raised 2 vegan babies to adulthood. Khadi @thevegandancergirl is 24 and a life vegan. My son Jarieus @forever.vegan269 is 21 and a life vegan. Both are alive and promote the vegan diet and lifestyle on social media and their YouTube channels.
They are both grateful that they were raised Vegan
Julie says
Thank you for this, Dreena! It really makes me sad when I see friends or other vegans feed their kids meat and dairy anyway, so they will be “well rounded.” I completely agree with you: it is up to us to impart our ideals on our little kids, our healthy, vegan ideals it has taken us a lifetime to come to, because if we leave a void there and do not stand up for what we believe in, someone else will impart their own values on our kids instead. I love your story about your kids thanking you at mealtime! 🙂 Precious!