parents raising vegetarians

i'm going back to school to become a dietician. i'm really interested in learning all about the healthy way to raise a veg/vegan child. would you guys, as parents, be interested in receiving guidance about this? what foods would best suit your little ones, etc.
i'm also interested in more 'typical' dietician practices, however, i think that working with families would be great.
i'm just curious about the need for something like this. i'm going to school out near seattle, where i believe there is a good amount of vegitarianism going on. do you think this career goal is one that appeals to the general veg public?

 

I would certainly be interested in any insite you have to offer. We are not currently raising our son vegatarian. But that was my intent before we brought him home. I would love for him to have a healthier diet than he has. He also has a great deal of allergies.

Have you checked out Vegatarian Baby? It's a great web site.

Good luck with school.

Kathi

 

hmm...nope, but i will...and jersey! good to hear from ya!
thanks. oh, and if you're interested in some good reggae music in the area, lemme know.

 

Where are you going to school? I used to live outside Seattle.

Kathi

 

i am finishing up the prerequ's required to get into bastyr university. my heart is set on this school, as it is the only whole foods based program i've found...out west, at least. i'm also currently going to seton hall university to finish my masters in art ed.
some call me a busy girl!

 

I've heard good things about bastyr. Hope you get in. I loved Seattle. I sometimes wish I had never left there. But you know how it is. I met this man and...........................

How much longer do you have at Setan Hall?

Kathi

 

I don't have any children yet although lately having a baby is all I can think about. When I do I plan on raising them Vegan and would absolutely love receiving guidance about this. I think it is very necessary to have more dieticians focus on vegetarian/vegan diets.

You go girl!

 

i've got about a year left...i go to school sporadically - the program is funded by americorps and the majority of my studies take place in the classroom...they stick us in the tough neighborhoods and expect most of the learning to exist there- believe me, it does!

 

Hmmm, I'm not so sure about raising a child to be vegetarian. I mean, it should be their own decision, shouldn't it? I think it's fine if you cook vegetarian at home, but if the kid wants to eat a sausage at a birthday party, then I would say, let them try it.
And about vegan diets for kids, I don't think much of that at all. But that's probably because i knew a little boy (I worked in a Nursery at the time) who was 3 years old and was brought up vegan, and he looked like two and was overall a really meek and quiet little boy. He just seemed really fragile. And i always felt so sorry for him when the other kids had their "normal" food and he nibbled on his tofu sandwiches, and he hardly ate anything at all. I don't think it's right not to let your child choose if it wants to eat meat, eggs or milk products.

 

I agree with you that eventually it should be their choice but most "normal" kids are not just told that it's okay to eat meat, but they're usually not given the whole truth (like those adorable little animals they're reading about in the picture books are the same ones showing up on the dinner plates. If they know the truth about where their meat comes from and how it got on their dinner plates and they still decide they want to eat meat then that's they're decision. I grew up in a meat eating family and kind of wish that I wasn't brainwashed into thinking eating meat was okay, but hey, that's just me. Also, there are other things for kids to eat besides tofu sandwiches. Heck, I didn't realize it at the time, but half the time I was bringing a vegan lunch to school because I ate alot of peanut butter and jelly sandwiches growing up as I'm sure you did. I also remember reading in a health book that out of all of children's normal lunch foods, a PB&J is the most nutritious (outside of the sugar). Anyway there are still way more things for vegans to eat, if you take a look at my picture in my gallery you'll see that I'm definitely not starving.

 

what the hell is wrong with you??!?!?!eating meat isnt bad!!!meat is good! you werent brainwashed into eating meat. that just what your parents liked and they wanted you to be healthy. YOU NEED GOD DAMN PROTEIN. MEAT IS PROTEIN. WHY DO YOU THINK PEOPLE LOSE WEIGHT WHEN THEY BECOME A VEGITARIAN?

 

Ummm, well Becknudefck, I think i now have to take lotusblossom's side, lol. I am not against eating meat, but i used to be a veggie too and I didn't loose any weight or was unhealthier for it. You just need to know where else to get yer protein from. And as i said, I am not against bringing your kids up with eating Vegetarian or Vegan ifg it's done properly and if they still have a choice. But some parents just don't do it right, that was my point when i told about this little boy.
And Lotusblossom, i am afraid i have to disappoint you about the PB&J sandwiches, lol but we don't eat them where I live, never tried one therefore. I think eating Vegetarian is fine, i just don't see the point in being Vegan. I try to buy eggs and milk products from "happy animals" and I think there's nothing wrong with that. I do eat meat now and then, but I never eat it at home, only when invited to someone's house or sometimes at work when there's no better alternative. This was not a rant against Vegans and Veggies, it's everyone's own choice, just sharing my opinion.

 

Thank you for sharing that insight luv. I do see where you're coming from, and I agree that alot of parents, both veggies and non, don't know how to feed their children correctly. I'm really into finding out about nutrition so I guess that's where I get really defensive because many people still think you can never be a healthy vegan. I also have more respect for people that take time to prepare their meals and provide a well rounded diet (even if it includes meat) instead of opting for the Big Mac and fries deal (and no, people, fries aren't a good source of vegetables). At least my parents saw the importance of making sure I got plenty of fruits and veggies in my diet. I'm not anti- meat eaters, I have friends that still are, I'm just so sick of hearing that meat is the only source of protein (this is more directed to uninformed people such as Becknudefck). I made the decision to be vegan even though most of my family still eats meat. They respect my decision and even have let me cook yummy vegan meals for them. Being vegan is important for my husband and I so when we have children we will raise them vegan but, as you stated, children will eventually make their own decisions, and I would never disown them for eating meat. However, you wil never catch one of my children making such ignorant statements such as Becknudefck did. P.S. I never said my parents brainwashed me, that usually comes from society at large.
By the way, I'm LotusButterfly, not Lotus Blossom. I believe there is a Lotus Blossom here in the forums, but it's not me.

 

oooooops sorry about the name, lol *is ashamed*

 

o lordy...children are too young to make educated decisions for themselves; that's why they have parents- to help them be successful in life choices...i know so many children round here who are veg/vegan and know none other; therefore, they are content eating the way they do. i know people my age who were raised veg who still don't eat meat. one must look into the proper ways to rear a child in this way, which is why they must be educated themselves. it is possible, probable, and, in my opinion, a wonderful thing to raise your kids veg.

concerning the rantings against raising ones child veg- well, uneducated sentiments are made from people who know no better.
so that's what i'm wondering...my job as a dietician would enable people who are nutritionally confused in one way or another to find some safe answers.

 

Yeah, I never said it's bad to bring up kids to be Vegetarian, I said it's not right to FORBID them to make the choice, like when they are somewhere else and want to try meat (or cheese or eggs...). That's what i mean by choice. NOT that you can't cook vegetarian at home. Duh!

 

luv, no need to be ashamed about the name. It happens.

Kayte, I agree with you that this is why we need more dieticians/nutritionists around that will educate. Even I tried going vegan before and wasn't getting the proper nurients, this time around I'm older (and hopefully a bit wiser) and only want to raise my kids veg if I'm doing it properly. Good luck to you, I know there are other people out there like myself that would really appreciate having more like you out there.

 

The vegan diet is healthy for every age and stage of life. Scientific research has proven that. Please click on the link to the ADA in my sig to learn more.

 

Any diet can be unhealthy if it isn't done right. I went vegan at 14 and went fruitarian a few months ago. My fiance and I will be raising our kids vegan. There is nothing unhealthy about it.

 

Wow...this is probably one of the most ignorant things I've ever seen written on here.