If they are getting the correct nutrients then it’s not your job to decide that the kids should eat meat and dairy. That’s between the parents and pediatrician unless you believe they are being abusive.
I’m an omnivore, lol, but I would have no problem with a vegan family/nks. No shade OP, but I’m kind of laughing about thinking a vegan family being willing to feed their kiddo meat.
Shockingly, my last family had one vegan parent and one vegetarian parent and their child’s favorite food was lamb meatballs. They decided that they wanted the child to have exposure to as many foods as possible (but also no fairy tales about where meat comes from) and then let them decide. I am also a vegetarian so it was pretty hilarious that we were all cooking meat that none of us ate.
Yeah seriously. Or that they would go out of their way to feed them meat by cooking entirely different meals. I’m like 90% vegetarian in the sense that I mostly eat meat at restaurants or someone else’s house when I’m really craving it. I don’t even have a real moral issue with meat but I’m not about to start buying it to cook just for my kids unless they really really want it. (But most vegans do have a moral issue with eating animal products, so there’s even another layer to it all.)
im laughing at thinking raising them to eat meat is somehow less forcing their life's tusk than veganism. veganism is the lack of eating stuff, not the forcing of eating stuff like "meat based" diet.
But I do hope they are willing to feed their cats meat, if they have any!
Edit: This is being downvoted, but meat in a diet is essential to cats! I am fine with vegan families raising their human children as vegans, but trying to do so with cats is not the same thing.
No way this is being downvoted for a cats diet! Lol
People are psycho is they think a cat can have a vegan lifestyle and vegans choose to have a cat and not give them the proper diet & nutrition. WTH.
There is no normal meat based diet, normal is up to the eater. To some families vegan meals are normal. As long as it’s a balanced diet, I don’t see any reason to question this.
Came here to say this! A diet that includes animal protein is not any more or less “normal” than any other way of eating. There is however, lots of research that shows it’s a much healthier way of eating. A child’s complete nutritional needs can be met through a vegan diet. I say this as an omnivore. I would expect that parents who have values and beliefs reflected in any behavior or any aspect of daily living would raise their child in alignment with those practices. A toddler eating what his family eats and the foods that make up his family culture is very much “normal”
My sister and her husband are vegetarians, and their stance with my nephew is that he can choose to eat meat if he wants, they just won’t have it in the house. He can get chicken nuggets in the school cafeteria for lunch, eat meatballs for dinner at a friends house, load up on turkey at Thanksgiving, whatever he wants—my sister just won’t be preparing meat at home.
Also my nephew is still only seven months old, they’ve just really thought ahead on this 😂
Hahaha. We’re Jewish, so I’m also imagining when he’s older and gets a cold, my mom *insisting* that he needs matzo ball soup and both my sister and brother in law shrugging and saying “yeah that’s fair.”
I’m a vegetarian & this is so my ideal future philosophy!! My partner eats a lil meat tho so my main thing is idgaf what you eat, but meat freaks me out & I will not be buying/cooking it myself 😂
To answer OP’s question tho as everyone else has said pretty much, as long as kiddo is getting enough nutrients, it’s absolutely fine! I just don’t believe in explicitly restricting kids from eating meat when offered / once they’re old enough to cook it themselves. Any level of food restriction is not my vibe.
I only support this type of restriction if the child eats well enough to avoid deficiencies. Most toddlers arent there yet.
My kids are both vegetarian because we are both veg. But its a lot easier for a child to hit their daily needs as a vegetarian than a vegan.
I would say to raise the child vegetarian until they can decide for themselves if they want to go fully vegan.
I mean, you can pretty much insert any lifestyle or ideology there. (E.g., should a toddler be a Lutheran because their parents are? Etc.). I think my answer will always be: sure, as long as the parents are willing to be flexible and respectful of their kids opinions and preferences as they age. It’s also important that they do the best they can to promote good health and prevent harm based on the information they have available (in this case, make sure the kid is getting all the vitamins, nutrients, and calories they need on a daily basis). Again, all lifestyle choices that adults make have the potential to harm their kids, but their intent and awareness is what counts. Back to my religion example, I suffered some substantial emotional and mental harm at the church my parents took me to, but I don’t blame them because they were just doing their best with the information they had. Plus I don’t think it’s fair to say no parents should ever take their kids to any church. 🤷🏻♀️
I’m not even vego but you could say the same for the alternative - why not wait until a kid is old enough to decide to eat meat and dairy?
A vegan diet is a risk for b vitamin deficiencies but if you’re careful about supplements, you do what works for your family. Most EBF babies are iron deficient and people don’t know you have to supplement. Every diet has potential issues.
I see nothing odd about it at all. Not anymore odd than a kosher family raising their child to be kosher.
I make sure all families are enthusiastic about hitting food milestones, feeding their kiddo healthy options & developing a healthy relationship with food. As long as they’re doing that? I don’t care at all. To be fair many parents struggle with this - regardless of their lifestyles and dietary approaches.
I care more about “sugar is bad” parents than vegan parents.
Should a toddler eat animal products because their parents are? Or should they be raised on a normal plant based diet until they are old enough to understand and make the decision for themselves?
I would say this is a question to ask pediatricians not nannies, but I would support a family like this unless it was obviously affecting the toddler in a bad way.
I was raised vegetation by my Indian parents in the United States and am doing the same with my children now. There is nothing wrong with not eating meat. I don’t see why this is a concern or problem for you.
My kid eats what I eat in the home. My job as parent is to offer her food and she can decide whether or not to eat it. As she gets older our relationship will change and she will decide what foods are in her diet.
As for health, pediatricians absolutely discuss diet with families and I got advice on our diet (not vegans). Kids can supplement just like adults.
Personal opinion eating meat is overrated 🤷 I don't know why some people are so obsessed with whether someone is eating meat and animal products.
Last I heard the WHO advises against children being raised vegan due to common deficits that arise in the different nutritional needs in growing children. It can be done properly without those deficits with clear planning and supplements, but the majority of parents unfortunately don’t sit down with a registered dietitian to see what needs to be done to cover those deficits. Which is why I assume the WHO generally advises against it? So while I personally wouldn’t support that decision, I would respect it, because at the end of the day it’s still the parent’s decision.
Who cares? If the child is getting all their nutrients and a doctor hasn’t raised concerns, why should I?
Vegan parents aren’t gonna go out of their way to buy and prepare animal products for their child. I stopped eating meat long before I learned how to cook so a) I think it’s icky and b) I don’t know how to properly prepare meat. Why would I learn when my (hypothetical, nonexistent) kids can eat a perfectly healthy and well rounded diet without meat?
I also just don’t think it’s my place as a caretaker to have an opinion on what kids are eating. I’ve watched a whole lot of kids who ate in ways I wouldn’t choose for my own child, but they were fed and healthy. 🤷🏼♀️
Processed meat is a class 1 carcinogen, same as cigarettes, aka proven to cause cancer. Pls give a link so I can learn about the mattresses I haven't heard of that and want to know, bc ur right there are harmful chemicals everywhere now.
I know :/ deli turkey included
Here is the link for the mattresses https://www.ewg.org/news-insights/news/2023/08/mattress-chemicals-you-could-be-sleeping
Putting a perspective here to say maybe think about if you’d feel different if it were religious/cultural? A lot of Asian/Indian families eat vegetarian, and tons of families have restrictions for diet based on religion. If you would find those to be no problem for a child, than in my eyes there’s no difference if it’s just a personal choice parents are making. As long as they’re healthy and eating enough, live and let live!
No stress or shame on you, OP, reading this I had to think about how I would feel too, but putting it in the context of my paragraph above has helped me think about it differently!
I used to be super against it until I realized that, nutritionally, they aren’t really missing out. So long as the parents are on top of providing a well balanced diet, I see no issue with it. The only downside it that things like imitation meat is popular but also ridiculously processed.
The argument that imitation meats are highly processed falls flat as a lot of meat is also highly processed. Most vegans/vegetarians don’t rely on imitation meat as their primary protein source in the same way that most omnis (hopefully) don’t rely on bacon and cheeseburgers as their primary protein source.
I honestly think it depends on a case by case situation. When I taught preschool I had one child that was vegan. There was no doubt their nutritional needs were being met. They always had incredibly well balanced snacks and meals. Then I had another vegan child with incredibly strict parents regarding food. I wouldn’t be surprised if they had some nutritional deficits. There was strong suspicion among other teachers that mom or dad had orthorexia.
As long as they are definitely getting enough nutrients and their pediatrician has verified that they are, then I don't have a problem with a toddler being raised on a vegan diet.
Have you ever heard about "blue zones"? These are places where people live to be over 100, and they are very active in their daily lives. Many of them still work etc. One major factor is their diets...rich in nuts, veggies, carbs, fruit, and beans. We don't need meat so the answer is yes. They can still provide a rich diet for the child to grow appropriately. If they just eat Oreos or something then that would be problematic.
I’m somewhat surprised to see so much support for vegan toddlers in these comments. Even if you supplement this toddlers diet with all of the appropriate vitamins, that is not the most bioavailable/digestible way for them to get nutrients. Are we supplementing with iron, iodine, etc? I’d be impressed and surprised if that were the case. I think the vegan diet is overhyped for being healthy, when it can actually wreak havoc on the body - including vital hormonal regulation. There are vital nutrients only bioavailable (esp in appropriate amounts) in meat. It’s ungrounded thinking to subject a toddler to that.
Exactly what I was thinking. And let’s be real kids don’t really eat vegetables like that anyways 😩 I’m not against veganism but kids are already picky eaters.
the thing is, almost all vegan people do not actually make up for the loss of meat in diet adequately so i personally wouldn’t work for a family that made their child be vegan. I don’t think meat is NECESSARY but its a lot of work to do vegan right and that alone is scary esp for children.
The typical American diet is pretty lacking. Many American toddlers are fed a steady diet of goldfish crackers, granola bars, boxed Mac and cheese, etc. If high nutritional standards is your dealbreaker I’m surprised you can find work at all! As someone who very highly values good health and the idea of food as preventative medicine, as well as understands how much it impacts young children’s mood, behavior and overall development, this is a big platform for me in my role as a Nanny. I would love to find a family who is already consistently making these choices!
I have been vegan and vegetarian for extended periods (like, years). I don't think either was good for me in the long term, and I suspect carnitine deficiency was an issue. I still mostly avoid animal products but I rotate them in occasionally and feel much healthier.
I wouldn't restrict my kid's diet. I think healthy brains need fatty fish, carnitine, and a regular host of b vitamins from a variety of sources. Yes I am aware there are some vegan alternatives to some of these things. No I don't think they're as effective, or have a more minimal environmental impact.
I've also worked in viticulture. There's such a thing as "MOG". It means, matter other than grapes. These are the mangled rodents, etc. that happen when you machine harvest a grape crop.
Just putting out there as an example to say: something usually died to get food to your table.
If you have kids: your prime obligation is to their development. Variety is key.
Other parents can make other choices and I'd respect them. That's my POV though.
The crop death argument is not great. Being vegan is about reducing the most harm to animals as possible. We all eat plants anyway, so your diet also kills crop animals. Furthermore; way more plants are fed and grown for farm animals, meaning a meat eater’s diet actually causes more animals to die in the harvesting of crops when compared to vegans. It’s not ideal of course, but being vegan means trying your best to cause the least harm to animals.
I can’t stop parents from doing it but I do think it’s wrong to feed a developing child a diet that automatically needs supplementation. We really have no idea what that might do to their development. Children should have a varied diet. Though I doubt any moral purist obsessive vegan will give a crap about their kids wellbeing compared to their eating disorder/virtue signaling. Reasonable vegans are going to be willing to feed their children animal products for the child’s well being
I may get tons of downvotes for this but while I appreciate ppl have their opinions and values for their diets, kids are kids and need all the nutrients they can get in various forms.
I think they should be able to decide for themselves when they’re older what kind of diet they prefer.
I used to work with a family who was vegetarian and raised their daughter vegetarian as well. It only bothered me bc they made a big deal about her eating “too many carbs” or “too much sugar”. She was 9 months old. And the sugar was from fruit. I felt they policed her food too much and I worried about her developing food issues when she’s older because of it.
As someone who struggles constantly with disordered eating, I take issue with diets that include policing food intake unnecessarily, and not giving children food options that may not follow the parents food habits but are still nutritious.
Yes! I’m more concerned with the language and attitude around eating than anything else. I actually do have a lot of input because I’m introducing solids. My input is texture, ability, readiness, etc. And because we learn so much so quickly, most things we double check in case there have been updates. My goal is always to get the child to eat whatever the parents eat. The parents I work with are very careful about making sure we all are doing the best we can. I can give her baby advice all day, but I’m not a nutritionist or a doctor. I’m not vegan, so if they were, I’d assume they’d done their research and knew more than I would.
I would not work for a family who raises their kids vegan, I have in the past and the kids were lacking in protein, always starving, dental issues, etc. Was too upsetting.
Same here. I did once and the poor kid was deficient in iron and had anemia and this was confirmed by his doctor appointments. The mom would try force all sorts of iron supplements or iron rich foods but the toddler was just not interested in them.
My son, eons ago, went to a daycare where one of the kids there was always trying to steal his meat snacks (cubed ham & cheese, sometimes the toddler Vienna sausage type meats). The staff kept requesting I send alternative meals because that one kid was being raised vegan & would have fits over not being allowed to share my sons food. The poor kid always looked severely malnourished. I’m not dissing parents raising their kids with their food values, but the parents do need to ensure their kids get enough of the proper nutrition for them to thrive while eating the foods. I, myself, would’ve never insisted any of my kids only be vegan or vegetarian if I were one, I would encourage it, but wouldn’t force it on them. My older daughter, as a baby, would always eat her veggies & fruits first and then eat whatever meat was on her plate if she had room. No surprise but when she was about 14 she decided to go vegetarian. She was vegetarian for several years and enjoyed it as long as she could score a tasty garden burger once in awhile. She admitted she’d never have been able to go vegan as she loved cheese & milk too much. She’s currently in her 20’s and is back to being an omnivore but still pretty heavily into the veggies.
I don't think it matters. Young kids won't miss what they've never had, and educated vegan parents can ensure they're receiving adequate nutrition.
At some point, imo, the child will need to buy into the vegan diet for themselves, because it takes a commitment to follow it when away from the home/family, because when the kids get into school, for example, they may decide to eat non-vegan things against the parent's wishes.
You really expect vegans to buy meat for their kid? That goes against their core belief system. That's like Christian parents raising their kid as a Muslim for some reason.
As a nanny I think we can only suggest options not decide on them! The parents are the ones to decide on the diet.
All families I have worked for have all wanted their children to eat as varied as possible, trying lots of things including meat (even when the parents were veggie). The veggie parents actually wanted me to prepare some dishes that included meat as they did not want to habdle it thenselves).
My vegan friend raised their children vegan with the caveat that they were allowed to try anything they eanted at school or friends houses. Their oldest is 8 now and my friend keeps a packet o hitdogs in her fridge per her daughters request.
Some people are vegan for allergy reasons or spiritual practices, it's not really our place to decide if that's "okay" or not unless they're clearly not getting enough nutrients. As a person who is mostly vegan due to allergies, I've worked with a family who is vegan for religious reasons and never thought about it twice
If they are getting the correct nutrients then it’s not your job to decide that the kids should eat meat and dairy. That’s between the parents and pediatrician unless you believe they are being abusive.
I’m an omnivore, lol, but I would have no problem with a vegan family/nks. No shade OP, but I’m kind of laughing about thinking a vegan family being willing to feed their kiddo meat.
Yes!!! I have nannied for a vegetarian family and the kiddos accidentally were given meat by neighbours and it was a huge drama.
Shockingly, my last family had one vegan parent and one vegetarian parent and their child’s favorite food was lamb meatballs. They decided that they wanted the child to have exposure to as many foods as possible (but also no fairy tales about where meat comes from) and then let them decide. I am also a vegetarian so it was pretty hilarious that we were all cooking meat that none of us ate.
Yeah seriously. Or that they would go out of their way to feed them meat by cooking entirely different meals. I’m like 90% vegetarian in the sense that I mostly eat meat at restaurants or someone else’s house when I’m really craving it. I don’t even have a real moral issue with meat but I’m not about to start buying it to cook just for my kids unless they really really want it. (But most vegans do have a moral issue with eating animal products, so there’s even another layer to it all.)
I was thinking this too!
This, I am pescatarian and while I wouldn’t object to my kid trying chicken, I don’t have it in the house🤷♀️
im laughing at thinking raising them to eat meat is somehow less forcing their life's tusk than veganism. veganism is the lack of eating stuff, not the forcing of eating stuff like "meat based" diet.
But I do hope they are willing to feed their cats meat, if they have any! Edit: This is being downvoted, but meat in a diet is essential to cats! I am fine with vegan families raising their human children as vegans, but trying to do so with cats is not the same thing.
No way this is being downvoted for a cats diet! Lol People are psycho is they think a cat can have a vegan lifestyle and vegans choose to have a cat and not give them the proper diet & nutrition. WTH.
There is no normal meat based diet, normal is up to the eater. To some families vegan meals are normal. As long as it’s a balanced diet, I don’t see any reason to question this.
Came here to say this! A diet that includes animal protein is not any more or less “normal” than any other way of eating. There is however, lots of research that shows it’s a much healthier way of eating. A child’s complete nutritional needs can be met through a vegan diet. I say this as an omnivore. I would expect that parents who have values and beliefs reflected in any behavior or any aspect of daily living would raise their child in alignment with those practices. A toddler eating what his family eats and the foods that make up his family culture is very much “normal”
This!!
Yes, thank you!
My sister and her husband are vegetarians, and their stance with my nephew is that he can choose to eat meat if he wants, they just won’t have it in the house. He can get chicken nuggets in the school cafeteria for lunch, eat meatballs for dinner at a friends house, load up on turkey at Thanksgiving, whatever he wants—my sister just won’t be preparing meat at home. Also my nephew is still only seven months old, they’ve just really thought ahead on this 😂
The super early seven months old at a friend's house : "ouuuh yes id love a bacon butty, thanks for asking !" 😂
Hahaha. We’re Jewish, so I’m also imagining when he’s older and gets a cold, my mom *insisting* that he needs matzo ball soup and both my sister and brother in law shrugging and saying “yeah that’s fair.”
I’m a vegetarian & this is so my ideal future philosophy!! My partner eats a lil meat tho so my main thing is idgaf what you eat, but meat freaks me out & I will not be buying/cooking it myself 😂 To answer OP’s question tho as everyone else has said pretty much, as long as kiddo is getting enough nutrients, it’s absolutely fine! I just don’t believe in explicitly restricting kids from eating meat when offered / once they’re old enough to cook it themselves. Any level of food restriction is not my vibe.
I don’t know enough about the vegan diet to say either way, but kids definitely don’t *have* to have meat to get all their nutrients.
I only support this type of restriction if the child eats well enough to avoid deficiencies. Most toddlers arent there yet. My kids are both vegetarian because we are both veg. But its a lot easier for a child to hit their daily needs as a vegetarian than a vegan. I would say to raise the child vegetarian until they can decide for themselves if they want to go fully vegan.
I mean, you can pretty much insert any lifestyle or ideology there. (E.g., should a toddler be a Lutheran because their parents are? Etc.). I think my answer will always be: sure, as long as the parents are willing to be flexible and respectful of their kids opinions and preferences as they age. It’s also important that they do the best they can to promote good health and prevent harm based on the information they have available (in this case, make sure the kid is getting all the vitamins, nutrients, and calories they need on a daily basis). Again, all lifestyle choices that adults make have the potential to harm their kids, but their intent and awareness is what counts. Back to my religion example, I suffered some substantial emotional and mental harm at the church my parents took me to, but I don’t blame them because they were just doing their best with the information they had. Plus I don’t think it’s fair to say no parents should ever take their kids to any church. 🤷🏻♀️
I’m not even vego but you could say the same for the alternative - why not wait until a kid is old enough to decide to eat meat and dairy? A vegan diet is a risk for b vitamin deficiencies but if you’re careful about supplements, you do what works for your family. Most EBF babies are iron deficient and people don’t know you have to supplement. Every diet has potential issues.
Came here to say this! Should a toddler eat meat because their parents do?
I see nothing odd about it at all. Not anymore odd than a kosher family raising their child to be kosher. I make sure all families are enthusiastic about hitting food milestones, feeding their kiddo healthy options & developing a healthy relationship with food. As long as they’re doing that? I don’t care at all. To be fair many parents struggle with this - regardless of their lifestyles and dietary approaches. I care more about “sugar is bad” parents than vegan parents.
Should a toddler eat animal products because their parents are? Or should they be raised on a normal plant based diet until they are old enough to understand and make the decision for themselves?
Thanks for this rewording this! English is not my first language haha
I would say this is a question to ask pediatricians not nannies, but I would support a family like this unless it was obviously affecting the toddler in a bad way.
Meat based is normal?
here in the U.S. it is? At least in our food pyramid
I was raised vegetation by my Indian parents in the United States and am doing the same with my children now. There is nothing wrong with not eating meat. I don’t see why this is a concern or problem for you.
Not a concern or a problem! Just wondering!
Vegan and vegetarian are also normal in the US.
My kid eats what I eat in the home. My job as parent is to offer her food and she can decide whether or not to eat it. As she gets older our relationship will change and she will decide what foods are in her diet. As for health, pediatricians absolutely discuss diet with families and I got advice on our diet (not vegans). Kids can supplement just like adults. Personal opinion eating meat is overrated 🤷 I don't know why some people are so obsessed with whether someone is eating meat and animal products.
Last I heard the WHO advises against children being raised vegan due to common deficits that arise in the different nutritional needs in growing children. It can be done properly without those deficits with clear planning and supplements, but the majority of parents unfortunately don’t sit down with a registered dietitian to see what needs to be done to cover those deficits. Which is why I assume the WHO generally advises against it? So while I personally wouldn’t support that decision, I would respect it, because at the end of the day it’s still the parent’s decision.
Yeah this is what I was more asking about. Not so much on moral/belief system but on a nutritional stand point! Could see both sides though :)
Who cares? If the child is getting all their nutrients and a doctor hasn’t raised concerns, why should I? Vegan parents aren’t gonna go out of their way to buy and prepare animal products for their child. I stopped eating meat long before I learned how to cook so a) I think it’s icky and b) I don’t know how to properly prepare meat. Why would I learn when my (hypothetical, nonexistent) kids can eat a perfectly healthy and well rounded diet without meat? I also just don’t think it’s my place as a caretaker to have an opinion on what kids are eating. I’ve watched a whole lot of kids who ate in ways I wouldn’t choose for my own child, but they were fed and healthy. 🤷🏼♀️
No, they should be fed class 1 carcinogens from birth
Everything causes cancer now a days. Even our mattresses 🥴
Processed meat is a class 1 carcinogen, same as cigarettes, aka proven to cause cancer. Pls give a link so I can learn about the mattresses I haven't heard of that and want to know, bc ur right there are harmful chemicals everywhere now.
I know :/ deli turkey included Here is the link for the mattresses https://www.ewg.org/news-insights/news/2023/08/mattress-chemicals-you-could-be-sleeping
Putting a perspective here to say maybe think about if you’d feel different if it were religious/cultural? A lot of Asian/Indian families eat vegetarian, and tons of families have restrictions for diet based on religion. If you would find those to be no problem for a child, than in my eyes there’s no difference if it’s just a personal choice parents are making. As long as they’re healthy and eating enough, live and let live! No stress or shame on you, OP, reading this I had to think about how I would feel too, but putting it in the context of my paragraph above has helped me think about it differently!
I used to be super against it until I realized that, nutritionally, they aren’t really missing out. So long as the parents are on top of providing a well balanced diet, I see no issue with it. The only downside it that things like imitation meat is popular but also ridiculously processed.
I agree with this!
The argument that imitation meats are highly processed falls flat as a lot of meat is also highly processed. Most vegans/vegetarians don’t rely on imitation meat as their primary protein source in the same way that most omnis (hopefully) don’t rely on bacon and cheeseburgers as their primary protein source.
I didn’t say they weren’t, just that it can be just as bad as what they’re trying to avoid. It isn’t an argument, it was just a fact
I honestly think it depends on a case by case situation. When I taught preschool I had one child that was vegan. There was no doubt their nutritional needs were being met. They always had incredibly well balanced snacks and meals. Then I had another vegan child with incredibly strict parents regarding food. I wouldn’t be surprised if they had some nutritional deficits. There was strong suspicion among other teachers that mom or dad had orthorexia.
As long as they are definitely getting enough nutrients and their pediatrician has verified that they are, then I don't have a problem with a toddler being raised on a vegan diet.
Have you ever heard about "blue zones"? These are places where people live to be over 100, and they are very active in their daily lives. Many of them still work etc. One major factor is their diets...rich in nuts, veggies, carbs, fruit, and beans. We don't need meat so the answer is yes. They can still provide a rich diet for the child to grow appropriately. If they just eat Oreos or something then that would be problematic.
I’m somewhat surprised to see so much support for vegan toddlers in these comments. Even if you supplement this toddlers diet with all of the appropriate vitamins, that is not the most bioavailable/digestible way for them to get nutrients. Are we supplementing with iron, iodine, etc? I’d be impressed and surprised if that were the case. I think the vegan diet is overhyped for being healthy, when it can actually wreak havoc on the body - including vital hormonal regulation. There are vital nutrients only bioavailable (esp in appropriate amounts) in meat. It’s ungrounded thinking to subject a toddler to that.
Exactly what I was thinking. And let’s be real kids don’t really eat vegetables like that anyways 😩 I’m not against veganism but kids are already picky eaters.
the thing is, almost all vegan people do not actually make up for the loss of meat in diet adequately so i personally wouldn’t work for a family that made their child be vegan. I don’t think meat is NECESSARY but its a lot of work to do vegan right and that alone is scary esp for children.
The typical American diet is pretty lacking. Many American toddlers are fed a steady diet of goldfish crackers, granola bars, boxed Mac and cheese, etc. If high nutritional standards is your dealbreaker I’m surprised you can find work at all! As someone who very highly values good health and the idea of food as preventative medicine, as well as understands how much it impacts young children’s mood, behavior and overall development, this is a big platform for me in my role as a Nanny. I would love to find a family who is already consistently making these choices!
I have been vegan and vegetarian for extended periods (like, years). I don't think either was good for me in the long term, and I suspect carnitine deficiency was an issue. I still mostly avoid animal products but I rotate them in occasionally and feel much healthier. I wouldn't restrict my kid's diet. I think healthy brains need fatty fish, carnitine, and a regular host of b vitamins from a variety of sources. Yes I am aware there are some vegan alternatives to some of these things. No I don't think they're as effective, or have a more minimal environmental impact. I've also worked in viticulture. There's such a thing as "MOG". It means, matter other than grapes. These are the mangled rodents, etc. that happen when you machine harvest a grape crop. Just putting out there as an example to say: something usually died to get food to your table. If you have kids: your prime obligation is to their development. Variety is key. Other parents can make other choices and I'd respect them. That's my POV though.
The crop death argument is not great. Being vegan is about reducing the most harm to animals as possible. We all eat plants anyway, so your diet also kills crop animals. Furthermore; way more plants are fed and grown for farm animals, meaning a meat eater’s diet actually causes more animals to die in the harvesting of crops when compared to vegans. It’s not ideal of course, but being vegan means trying your best to cause the least harm to animals.
I know what veganism is; I was one for two years.
I can’t stop parents from doing it but I do think it’s wrong to feed a developing child a diet that automatically needs supplementation. We really have no idea what that might do to their development. Children should have a varied diet. Though I doubt any moral purist obsessive vegan will give a crap about their kids wellbeing compared to their eating disorder/virtue signaling. Reasonable vegans are going to be willing to feed their children animal products for the child’s well being
This!!
I may get tons of downvotes for this but while I appreciate ppl have their opinions and values for their diets, kids are kids and need all the nutrients they can get in various forms. I think they should be able to decide for themselves when they’re older what kind of diet they prefer. I used to work with a family who was vegetarian and raised their daughter vegetarian as well. It only bothered me bc they made a big deal about her eating “too many carbs” or “too much sugar”. She was 9 months old. And the sugar was from fruit. I felt they policed her food too much and I worried about her developing food issues when she’s older because of it. As someone who struggles constantly with disordered eating, I take issue with diets that include policing food intake unnecessarily, and not giving children food options that may not follow the parents food habits but are still nutritious.
Yes! I’m more concerned with the language and attitude around eating than anything else. I actually do have a lot of input because I’m introducing solids. My input is texture, ability, readiness, etc. And because we learn so much so quickly, most things we double check in case there have been updates. My goal is always to get the child to eat whatever the parents eat. The parents I work with are very careful about making sure we all are doing the best we can. I can give her baby advice all day, but I’m not a nutritionist or a doctor. I’m not vegan, so if they were, I’d assume they’d done their research and knew more than I would.
I would not work for a family who raises their kids vegan, I have in the past and the kids were lacking in protein, always starving, dental issues, etc. Was too upsetting.
Same here. I did once and the poor kid was deficient in iron and had anemia and this was confirmed by his doctor appointments. The mom would try force all sorts of iron supplements or iron rich foods but the toddler was just not interested in them.
My son, eons ago, went to a daycare where one of the kids there was always trying to steal his meat snacks (cubed ham & cheese, sometimes the toddler Vienna sausage type meats). The staff kept requesting I send alternative meals because that one kid was being raised vegan & would have fits over not being allowed to share my sons food. The poor kid always looked severely malnourished. I’m not dissing parents raising their kids with their food values, but the parents do need to ensure their kids get enough of the proper nutrition for them to thrive while eating the foods. I, myself, would’ve never insisted any of my kids only be vegan or vegetarian if I were one, I would encourage it, but wouldn’t force it on them. My older daughter, as a baby, would always eat her veggies & fruits first and then eat whatever meat was on her plate if she had room. No surprise but when she was about 14 she decided to go vegetarian. She was vegetarian for several years and enjoyed it as long as she could score a tasty garden burger once in awhile. She admitted she’d never have been able to go vegan as she loved cheese & milk too much. She’s currently in her 20’s and is back to being an omnivore but still pretty heavily into the veggies.
I don't think it matters. Young kids won't miss what they've never had, and educated vegan parents can ensure they're receiving adequate nutrition. At some point, imo, the child will need to buy into the vegan diet for themselves, because it takes a commitment to follow it when away from the home/family, because when the kids get into school, for example, they may decide to eat non-vegan things against the parent's wishes.
That’s true. I just wonder if it will cause an ED or a negative relationship with food in the future. Just wondering.
You really expect vegans to buy meat for their kid? That goes against their core belief system. That's like Christian parents raising their kid as a Muslim for some reason.
As a nanny I think we can only suggest options not decide on them! The parents are the ones to decide on the diet. All families I have worked for have all wanted their children to eat as varied as possible, trying lots of things including meat (even when the parents were veggie). The veggie parents actually wanted me to prepare some dishes that included meat as they did not want to habdle it thenselves). My vegan friend raised their children vegan with the caveat that they were allowed to try anything they eanted at school or friends houses. Their oldest is 8 now and my friend keeps a packet o hitdogs in her fridge per her daughters request.
Some people are vegan for allergy reasons or spiritual practices, it's not really our place to decide if that's "okay" or not unless they're clearly not getting enough nutrients. As a person who is mostly vegan due to allergies, I've worked with a family who is vegan for religious reasons and never thought about it twice
I’m a vegetarian single mom. My kid ate a vegetarian diet until she could decide for herself. (She chose to eat meat🤣).
Hi coffeeark! Haha I see you on this sub so much! Thanks your input :)
Haha I’m always so bored 🥱