I got told today I shouldn't raise kids because I'd purposefully raise them in a vegan household, without animal products of any sort. I was told this would be dangerous and unfair to the kids.

It was a weirdly direct thing for this person to say to me (one of my coworkers). It's stuck in my head. I was told I should let my potential children choose what sort of morals they have, even though this person is raising their kids Catholic. Their advice to me was to allow my potential kids to choose every night between a meat-based meal and a vegan meal (???). And several other coworkers agreed. Where do they come up with this? No carnist raises their kids like this.

So is anyone raising vegan kids or does anyone know about what it's like? Or was anyone here raised in a vegan household?

  • axont [she/her, comrade/them]
    ·
    3 months ago

    thanks, this does kind of reassure me. My guess was that kids raised into vegan households would come to acclimate to it and understand the point of it. Kids aren't stupid and they can be taught things about the world.

    Like you said, kids can absolutely understand veganism. Probably better than most adults because kids haven't had decades of mental gymnastics established in their brains to justify being a carnist. Kids can be taught respect and consideration for the world and it's fine.

    Thanks for being kind to your kids and I hope your family stays healthy and happy

    • carpoftruth [any, any]
      ·
      3 months ago

      thank you! we're lucky to be in a community that is pretty accepting even if veganism is rare. we don't proselytize except having people over for meals and barring meat/dairy from our table. my partner and I are both decent cooks so that helps

      we've had a few funny experiences with other carnist kids. one insisted he never ate vegetables while eating a cupcake we made. after we told him it was made only with plants, he was pretty sheepish. still ate it though. one or two times other kids have tried to push our buttons but after years of posting on the internet, owning children with facts and logic is pretty straightforward. 'no, we just choose not to eat animals. we like animals better alive and happy.' kids will ruminate on that more often than adults, they're naturally more open to learn, less ready to be defensive.

      I wish you all the best if you choose to have kids. well also if you don't, but you know what I mean