Welcome, Guest
Username:
Password:

Please login to add/view friends online.


Quick Dog Breed Selector:
Quick Traffic Stats:
Visitors Online: 1,319
Today's Visits: 81,000
Yesterday's Visits: 109,030

Discussion Forums

Collapse Quick Menu

Message Central

Unread[0]
Inbox[0]
Trash[0]

Who's Online

amandaslabs06, bocomofarm, dlm1359, jvkusa, puppy love, rcbane69

OT Vegetarian

My 6 year old
12>
Found [32] Posts :: Page 1 of 2
<< Return to General Topics
Posted: 7:17:32 PM 1/22/2007
My 6 year old has decited to become a vegitarn. Does any have tips on getting her all the nutrian she needs?
The only animal thing she will eat is fish because she loves squid (i know odd for a 5 year old) she was ok with giving up cake cookies and all that when she herd there was eggs in it but squid she will not give up.

Posted: 7:25:40 PM 1/22/2007
Well if she ever stops meat competely she would need B-12 supliment. She should eat lots of nuts and things like that with high protien. I tried it with a meat family it wouldn't work for me LOL
Posted: 7:37:26 PM 1/22/2007
I applaud her for being able to eat squid!
Posted: 7:40:57 PM 1/22/2007
Have you discussed the reasons behind her decision? Is she doing it because *she* wants too, or because a child at her school is doing it and she wants to be like them? Seriously I can't imagine my child (who is 5) coming up to me and idly saying, "I never want to eat meat or eggs or anything (with the exeption of squid) again without encouragement from someone else or strong outside influence from someone else."

Personally I am not sure that this is a decision a child 6 years old is mature enough to make. It really is a life changing decision for your entire family... especially as I read it, your daughter doesn't just want to be a vegetarian (cutting out meats), but a vegan (cutting out ALL meat based products, milk, eggs, cheese, butter, and anything that uses these materials). Given the growing needs of a child's body I hope you and your child are prepared to dose up big time on vitamins and minerals that are required for normal growth. Are you prepared to completley change your purchasing and cooking habits to keep faithful to her dietary requirements/needs?
Posted: 7:43:58 PM 1/22/2007
I would never allow such a young child to become a vegetarian...


What are your child's reasons?
Posted: 8:36:00 PM 1/22/2007
When my son was little he would not eat any meat whatsoever (it was a texture thing)... but he would eat eggs. He couldn't drink cows milk because it upset his stomach so he drank soy milk. He ate lots of cheese and peanut butter and we made sure that he ate plenty of beans in order to get protein.

I agree with Min though - I would discuss with her WHY she wants to become a vegetarian... has she heard that meat is bad for her? Is it because she thinks it's "mean" to eat animals? Is it because of a friend? Once you know her reasoning - you can talk to her about it.
Posted: 11:49:43 PM 1/22/2007
After talking to her some more she decited eggs and milk were ok. its not a friend she talked to her friends about it today and they though she was nuts. She said she does not want to kill any animals. after telling her eggs were not baby chickens and that they dont have to hurt the cow to get mike she said she was fine with eating dariy and eggs. My brother told her he was going to have to eat more meat to make up for what shes not eating. She said she didnt care as long as animals were not dieing because of her.

I want to support her on this. I know its a big change and I will have to change how i shop and cook but i dont mind Im always open for new things.

i think it may be a phase and she will probly change her mind in a few weeks.
I talked to her about it we made a list of things she wants to eat and i told her she would have to eat more beans and other things thats shes not fond of so she can stay healthy. She hates bean but decited that was ok.

She may be little but she has big oppions and most of the time can come up with good reasons behind things she decides to do.

Does anyone know of any good veggie web pages I can check out?
Posted: 12:08:03 AM 1/23/2007
i decided to become a vegetarian when i was 8, i did it at the time cause of my sis and cause i didn't like the idea of eating flesh. i have been a vegetarian for 14 years now.

try making beans in all different kinds of ways, she may find she really likes them. one way that is a easy yummy way to eat beans is hummus. i am glad that she decided to eat milk and eggs, makes it a lot easier for you. lol

good luck with everything.
Posted: 12:13:14 AM 1/23/2007
Thanks for the tips.

I figure phase or not its best to support her. I think i decited the same thing when i was 4 or 5 because i didnt want to kill animals. i stil fee bad most of the time when i eat meat. the worst was when i bought baby ducks and made chicken that night for dinner. As i was eating the ducks started peeping and i couldnt eat anymore. i stoped eating chicken for months LOL.

she loves salad so i think i will be able to do alot of things with that. Im great with pasta so Ill have fun with that though Im sure alot of pasta is not very healthy.
Posted: 12:35:39 AM 1/23/2007
They make a ton of cookbooks for vegan and vegetarian diets. If you have a Trader Joes or other health food store, they make a lot of vegetarian things. Even regular grocery stores are starting to stock things like that. But to make sure she gets all the needed nutrients, I would ask your doctor about seeing a nutritionist. I had a friend that decided to be a vegetarian at 8 years old and another friend who has raised her son vegan, so I don't think your daughter is too young to start this. Good luck to both of you!
Posted: 1:18:15 AM 1/23/2007
heather.....does that mean i'm your friend? :)
Posted: 7:08:05 AM 1/23/2007
Yes definitely you need to consult a pediatritian nutritionist. A child's growing nutritional needs are much different from an adults.
Posted: 7:13:15 AM 1/23/2007
Actually... the dairy cow and egg hens suffer much much more than the ones killed for meat.
Posted: 9:12:47 AM 1/23/2007
If you start serving her more pasta, I would switch to Whole Grain or whole wheat pasta. It's healthier and actually taste better.
Perdi sure (I think) came out with fruit bars high in Nutrition. Also make sure she drinks plenty of milk and maybe yogurt for her calcuim. Also give her more fruit. Since she likes salad (which is great) see if you can sneak in some carrotts and broccoli in her salad. Give her ranch dressing as a veggie dip. My son isn't big on carrotts but he loves to dip and when there is a veggie tray he will dip anything to get some ranch dressing. He also loves to eat celery (cause of the Wonder Pets)
Good luck, its sounds like you are doing everything right. My cousin's kid doesn't eat any meat and he is 8 now, but he doesn't eat it cause of tecture and pickyness. The kid has mainly survived on buttered noodles and white pizza (he wont' eat the sauce)
Veggie Pizza is also another good dinner.


***Edited By: Dannitrimber on 1/23/2007 9:20:39 AM***
Reason: msp
Posted: 12:41:26 PM 1/23/2007
I'd find out why she wants to do this and then be sure to check with her doctor about this. Are you as her mother ok with this cause it is going to affect you as well with preparing her meals and all. Good luck!
Posted: 1:43:29 PM 1/23/2007
Okay Silky, I have TWO friends that became vegetarians when they were 8!
Posted: 1:44:54 PM 1/23/2007
I just wanted to let you know that my daughter, who is almost 5 also does not want to eat animals. She has told us that she does not think anyone should hurt animals. We completely support her in her decision and we will help her nutritionally in any way we need to. My husband loves his meat and just can't give it up and he does offer it to her but at the first no, he drops it. I only eat fish and chicken(can't eat red meat) and really do not eat that much chicken. My other daughter is just like her dad. But no one makes her feel bad for her choice and if it is a phase then so be it but if it is not then that is fine too. It is really pretty easy to give the extra nutrition in other ways. I personally am really proud of her and wish I could cut out chicken and fish all together, maybe someday. It is not a big deal to make her other meals if we are having a meat based meal and alot of the times, if we are at others places she will just pick out the meat and eat the rest. I would rather make her seperate meals every night rather then force meat on her. JMO
Posted: 3:53:33 PM 1/23/2007
Im %100 ok with her choice. I want to support all her choices. I love cooking so i think it will be fun.

I know they go through more then the animals we eat but almost everything has eggs and/or milk in it if she changes her mind later Ill talk to her agin and figure out what kinds of foods i can make.


kats i totaly agree. I think supporting kids on there choices at all ages is important. if she does not want to take part in killing a cow then thats her choice.

thinking about it there are all kinds of things that dont have meat.
she loves veggies. Salid is a biggie for her and she is always trying diffrent dressings. last night she had ginger dressing and loved it. I cant think of a veggie she does not like.

Both my girls are very open to try new things most of the time. My 6 year old can be picky from time to time but will usualy give just about anything a try. My little one will eat anything, i dont care how icky it looks she will try it if its on a plate. I could give her a plate of worms tonight and she would eat one with out thinking twice about it. she used to eat bug suckers with me. bugs are one thing i have never been able to get my 6 year old to try but who can blame her most people wouldnt want to try them.

i just wish she would ahve wated untill friday to tell us. We go shoping every friday and 90% of the meals we planned have meat in them. I can always pick hers out or something though.


Posted: 4:17:22 PM 1/23/2007
my oldest daughter when she was abiout 6-7 woudlnt eat any meat- she would only eat fake meat and thats what she called it. like chic nuggets and processed meats.
she must of heard some talking about this because she really didnt know anything about this life style-
when i would make dinner i would tell her it was fake meat and she wuold eat it lol of coarse it wasnt but we went threw this for a few years and she caught on that all this time shes been eating meat- and shes lived threw it-
she thank goodness isnt like this any more she is picky about what meats she will eat as i am to tho.
i dont eat any meat on a bone- i have to buy it with no bone on it or i dont eat it- werid i know-
i just dont like the yucky stuff by the bone and i have never eaten any meat with a bone on it- it grosses me out when i see hubby and kids knaw on chicken wings and ribs- even a tbone steak-
i eat boneless nystrip is the only meat i will eat as in beef.
and i will eat chicken- i dont like pork at all. to fatty.
but i do still cook it for my family- i dont make them go with out other meats because i dont like them and most times at dinner i dont even eat any meat.
Posted: 4:17:40 PM 1/23/2007
Riley, you got that right....

Dairy cows and laying hens suffer as much if not MORE than animals slaughtered for meat.

Plus, most dairy cows when they quit producing end up in the cull pens at auctions and are good for nothing more than your big mac at mcdonalds.....their bodies are exhausted.

http://www.goveg.com/factoryFarming_cows_dairy.asp

Laying hens are cramped, beaks clipped and stuffed into small cages until the days they die.

I do eat meat.....eggs, dairy, etc.....I try to always buy organic and free range when I can. I enjoy hunting as well....
<< Return to General Topics
 
12>
Found [32] Posts :: Page 1 of 2
FIDO
BoneHeartCircleHydrant
Order Pet Tag
© Copyright 2003-2013 TerrificPets.com (an OffLeashMedia Company)

Dogs
 
Horses Cats