Kids and respect for animals ?

June 24, 2007

Hi

I just wantet to ask some of you experienced vegan parents, when is

the right age to introduce children to the horror of what we put

animals throug ? When do they start to understand ?

I have been going around for a while now thinking what would be the

bedst way to explain to my daughter how to be around animals, how to

respect them and to be more consious about ex. how farm animals live

and are treatet.

The other day my daughter told me (4 going to be 5 in 2 month) that

when she was out playing she discoverd a earthworm.... Well it ended

up that she tried to pull it apart, she couldent so she handed it

over to one of the older kids who did it :-( I was shocked and

appaled, but tried as calmed and objective I could to explain to her

that it was a wrong thing to do, that animals have the same right to

life and happines as we do, that it had been painfull to the

earthworm a.s.o.

I have since my early teens sworn a life of Ahimsa (non wiolence),

and I cant even hurt an moscito or a fly (at least not

intentionaly). So my kid going out doing this is just choking. I

have been trying to remember if I did somting like that at her age

but I just cant remember. I know kids go throug different faces, and

are just discovering the world around them and creating experiences

from that, but still......

She has learned from an early age that when she is around our bunny,

she has to be calm and gentle, any wild or hurtful behaviour and the

bunny is oflimit. And the same counts around other animals.

It is like she dont understand, or she do, but somtimes choos to

experiment(you know what I mean). We once talked about how comercial

animals are treatet and she said that she would never eat meat

again, but somtimes she forget and eat ex. a hotdog when out, seeing

other kids eating them.

I know she is still really young and maby it is to early for her to

be introduced to the horror of what humans can do to other living

things ? Children that age is still really focused on their own

litte world and is not yet ready to embrace to outside world (the

society). When did you talked with your kids about it ? how did you

do it ? do you know any good books for kids about this subject ?

Thanks :-)

Kristine

June 25, 2007

I also have a four year old daughter and I know what you mean about

experimenting with not being nice.

We've been teaching her since she was very young that meat hurts animals and

just more recently she understands that meat IS dead animals. No one could

convince her to eat meat under any circumstances.

On occasion though it seems that she either doesn't understand some things or

wants to test the idea of hurting others. For example, for a while she want to

step on ants because she saw other kids doing it and ruining ant houses, but

after a few times of explaining to her that we don't want to hurt anyone or

anything she seems to understand.

And then the next day I turn around to find her laying on one of our cats -

constantly. In that case I honestly don't think she understand the

difference between her body mass and theirs and she loves them maybe too much.

Then again, we also have a 7-year old daughter and I don't remember her EVER

doing any of these things.

It's amazing how different they each are. I do think that four is a difficult

age in that they begin to question EVERYTHING.

Good Luck!

Jill

blomster_fe <shanti wrote:

Hi

I just wantet to ask some of you experienced vegan parents, when is

the right age to introduce children to the horror of what we put

animals throug ? When do they start to understand ?

I have been going around for a while now thinking what would be the

bedst way to explain to my daughter how to be around animals, how to

respect them and to be more consious about ex. how farm animals live

and are treatet.

The other day my daughter told me (4 going to be 5 in 2 month) that

when she was out playing she discoverd a earthworm.... Well it ended

up that she tried to pull it apart, she couldent so she handed it

over to one of the older kids who did it :-( I was shocked and

appaled, but tried as calmed and objective I could to explain to her

that it was a wrong thing to do, that animals have the same right to

life and happines as we do, that it had been painfull to the

earthworm a.s.o.

I have since my early teens sworn a life of Ahimsa (non wiolence),

and I cant even hurt an moscito or a fly (at least not

intentionaly). So my kid going out doing this is just choking. I

have been trying to remember if I did somting like that at her age

but I just cant remember. I know kids go throug different faces, and

are just discovering the world around them and creating experiences

from that, but still......

She has learned from an early age that when she is around our bunny,

she has to be calm and gentle, any wild or hurtful behaviour and the

bunny is oflimit. And the same counts around other animals.

It is like she dont understand, or she do, but somtimes choos to

experiment(you know what I mean). We once talked about how comercial

animals are treatet and she said that she would never eat meat

again, but somtimes she forget and eat ex. a hotdog when out, seeing

other kids eating them.

I know she is still really young and maby it is to early for her to

be introduced to the horror of what humans can do to other living

things ? Children that age is still really focused on their own

litte world and is not yet ready to embrace to outside world (the

society). When did you talked with your kids about it ? how did you

do it ? do you know any good books for kids about this subject ?

Thanks :-)

Kristine

June 25, 2007

I overheard my daughter playing in the sandpit one day (about age 3

ish) and she was talking about making meat pies (out of sand). I

went out and sat nearby and she offered me a meat pie. I said, " No

thanks, I don't eat meat pies, I'm a vegetarian " and she said, " They

are vegetarian meat pies Mumma! " This then started a discussion

between us about what she thought the word meat meant and the word

vegetarian. It was a good chat, just simple explanations and she

seemed happy. She is almost 8 now and very firm in her choice not to

eat animals.

On a funny note, when the Olimpic or commonwealth games were on when

she was around the same age, she was watching the gymnastics with her

Granma (Gran shared this story with me). During an add break a

Qantas commercial came on where they use a song that ends " I am, You

are, we are Australian " and Grandma sang along to the last bit. Ruby

piped up and said, " I am not Autralian, Gran, I'm Vegetarian! "

Becky

www.spiralgarden.com.au

Spiral Garden ~ Play, Nature's Way

On 25/06/2007, at 10:43 AM, ben wenzel wrote:

> I also have a four year old daughter and I know what you mean about

> experimenting with not being nice.

> We've been teaching her since she was very young that meat hurts

> animals and just more recently she understands that meat IS dead

> animals. No one could convince her to eat meat under any

> circumstances.

> On occasion though it seems that she either doesn't understand some

> things or wants to test the idea of hurting others. For example,

> for a while she want to step on ants because she saw other kids

> doing it and ruining ant houses, but after a few times of

> explaining to her that we don't want to hurt anyone or anything she

> seems to understand.

> And then the next day I turn around to find her laying on one of

> our cats - constantly. In that case I honestly don't think she

> understand the difference between her body mass and theirs and she

> loves them maybe too much.

> Then again, we also have a 7-year old daughter and I don't remember

> her EVER doing any of these things.

> It's amazing how different they each are. I do think that four is a

> difficult age in that they begin to question EVERYTHING.

> Good Luck!

>

> Jill

>

> blomster_fe <shanti wrote:

> Hi

>

> I just wantet to ask some of you experienced vegan parents, when is

> the right age to introduce children to the horror of what we put

> animals throug ? When do they start to understand ?

>

> I have been going around for a while now thinking what would be the

> bedst way to explain to my daughter how to be around animals, how to

> respect them and to be more consious about ex. how farm animals live

> and are treatet.

> The other day my daughter told me (4 going to be 5 in 2 month) that

> when she was out playing she discoverd a earthworm.... Well it ended

> up that she tried to pull it apart, she couldent so she handed it

> over to one of the older kids who did it :-( I was shocked and

> appaled, but tried as calmed and objective I could to explain to her

> that it was a wrong thing to do, that animals have the same right to

> life and happines as we do, that it had been painfull to the

> earthworm a.s.o.

> I have since my early teens sworn a life of Ahimsa (non wiolence),

> and I cant even hurt an moscito or a fly (at least not

> intentionaly). So my kid going out doing this is just choking. I

> have been trying to remember if I did somting like that at her age

> but I just cant remember. I know kids go throug different faces, and

> are just discovering the world around them and creating experiences

> from that, but still......

> She has learned from an early age that when she is around our bunny,

> she has to be calm and gentle, any wild or hurtful behaviour and the

> bunny is oflimit. And the same counts around other animals.

> It is like she dont understand, or she do, but somtimes choos to

> experiment(you know what I mean). We once talked about how comercial

> animals are treatet and she said that she would never eat meat

> again, but somtimes she forget and eat ex. a hotdog when out, seeing

> other kids eating them.

> I know she is still really young and maby it is to early for her to

> be introduced to the horror of what humans can do to other living

> things ? Children that age is still really focused on their own

> litte world and is not yet ready to embrace to outside world (the

> society). When did you talked with your kids about it ? how did you

> do it ? do you know any good books for kids about this subject ?

>

> Thanks :-)

> Kristine

>

June 25, 2007

When my boys were about 3ish, we were watching a nature show. A lion

killed a gazelle. One of my boys said " That's mean! " I wasn't sure

what to say, so I asked why. He replied, " Because it has a face! " I

thought that was just extremely insightful. So in my son's mind, the

definition of " personhood " was if it has a face.

When my kids want to do something that is mean to an insect, my

approach is to say that would make its mommy and daddy sad. That is

something they can understand.

Yesterday, they found a worm (one of them is probably going to be an

entymologist!). They are very very gentle, it's amazing to me the

kids of bugs they can catch, hold and look at, and then let go with

no harm done. So they examined the worm for awhile and then let it

go. At dinner one of them (the same one who made the face comment

before) said " Did you let it go where the birds won't eat it? " The

other one said, " No, I let it go in the grass, but the birds can get

to the grass. " I was worried the other one would be sad, but he said

" That's ok, the birds need to eat. "

I guess they've come to terms with those things.

On Jun 25, 2007, at 12:10 AM, Becky wrote:

> I overheard my daughter playing in the sandpit one day (about age 3

> ish) and she was talking about making meat pies (out of sand). I

> went out and sat nearby and she offered me a meat pie. I said, " No

> thanks, I don't eat meat pies, I'm a vegetarian " and she said, " They

> are vegetarian meat pies Mumma! " This then started a discussion

> between us about what she thought the word meat meant and the word

> vegetarian. It was a good chat, just simple explanations and she

> seemed happy. She is almost 8 now and very firm in her choice not to

> eat animals.

> On a funny note, when the Olimpic or commonwealth games were on when

> she was around the same age, she was watching the gymnastics with her

> Granma (Gran shared this story with me). During an add break a

> Qantas commercial came on where they use a song that ends " I am, You

> are, we are Australian " and Grandma sang along to the last bit. Ruby

> piped up and said, " I am not Autralian, Gran, I'm Vegetarian! "

>

> Becky

>

> www.spiralgarden.com.au

> Spiral Garden ~ Play, Nature's Way

>

> On 25/06/2007, at 10:43 AM, ben wenzel wrote:

>

> > I also have a four year old daughter and I know what you mean about

> > experimenting with not being nice.

> > We've been teaching her since she was very young that meat hurts

> > animals and just more recently she understands that meat IS dead

> > animals. No one could convince her to eat meat under any

> > circumstances.

> > On occasion though it seems that she either doesn't understand some

> > things or wants to test the idea of hurting others. For example,

> > for a while she want to step on ants because she saw other kids

> > doing it and ruining ant houses, but after a few times of

> > explaining to her that we don't want to hurt anyone or anything she

> > seems to understand.

> > And then the next day I turn around to find her laying on one of

> > our cats - constantly. In that case I honestly don't think she

> > understand the difference between her body mass and theirs and she

> > loves them maybe too much.

> > Then again, we also have a 7-year old daughter and I don't remember

> > her EVER doing any of these things.

> > It's amazing how different they each are. I do think that four is a

> > difficult age in that they begin to question EVERYTHING.

> > Good Luck!

> >

> > Jill

> >

> > blomster_fe <shanti wrote:

> > Hi

> >

> > I just wantet to ask some of you experienced vegan parents, when is

> > the right age to introduce children to the horror of what we put

> > animals throug ? When do they start to understand ?

> >

> > I have been going around for a while now thinking what would be the

> > bedst way to explain to my daughter how to be around animals, how to

> > respect them and to be more consious about ex. how farm animals live

> > and are treatet.

> > The other day my daughter told me (4 going to be 5 in 2 month) that

> > when she was out playing she discoverd a earthworm.... Well it ended

> > up that she tried to pull it apart, she couldent so she handed it

> > over to one of the older kids who did it :-( I was shocked and

> > appaled, but tried as calmed and objective I could to explain to her

> > that it was a wrong thing to do, that animals have the same right to

> > life and happines as we do, that it had been painfull to the

> > earthworm a.s.o.

> > I have since my early teens sworn a life of Ahimsa (non wiolence),

> > and I cant even hurt an moscito or a fly (at least not

> > intentionaly). So my kid going out doing this is just choking. I

> > have been trying to remember if I did somting like that at her age

> > but I just cant remember. I know kids go throug different faces, and

> > are just discovering the world around them and creating experiences

> > from that, but still......

> > She has learned from an early age that when she is around our bunny,

> > she has to be calm and gentle, any wild or hurtful behaviour and the

> > bunny is oflimit. And the same counts around other animals.

> > It is like she dont understand, or she do, but somtimes choos to

> > experiment(you know what I mean). We once talked about how comercial

> > animals are treatet and she said that she would never eat meat

> > again, but somtimes she forget and eat ex. a hotdog when out, seeing

> > other kids eating them.

> > I know she is still really young and maby it is to early for her to

> > be introduced to the horror of what humans can do to other living

> > things ? Children that age is still really focused on their own

> > litte world and is not yet ready to embrace to outside world (the

> > society). When did you talked with your kids about it ? how did you

> > do it ? do you know any good books for kids about this subject ?

> >

> > Thanks :-)

> > Kristine

> >

June 26, 2007

Hi guys

I was reading the replies from different parents on kids and respects for

animals

Well we have a 3 going on 4 yr old son and we have been telling him that we are

vegetarian even before started talking.

At first our intention was so that he gets familiar with the word and at least

lets people around him know that he was vegetarian and that he doesn't eat meat.

but some time last year we started telling him that being vegetarian means not

eating meat. which means not eating animals etc.

He does understand some and tells us if u eat meat then the animal will get and

awvee etc.

But then he comes and tells me well my friend at school eats meat how come its

OK for her to eat and not me. will the animal not get hurt when my friend eat

meat etc.

and also i sense that he gets this peer pressure (yeah at his age!!!), an urge

to fit in with his friend . and so he keeps saying i want to eat Burger and hot

dogs etc...and so last week at his day care we had a BBQ and he got himself a

veg dog to eat and i could see he didn't like it but he insisted on eating it..

and 1/2 way thru he slipped it down the plate.

so that peer pressure thing does concern me a lot.. but we are trying our best

ot keep reminding him that it hurts animals and we don't want to do that etc.

While we are on this topic.. one day at his daycare a parent volunteered to make

pizza with the kids and the kids made their pizza (with the parents help) and

when the kids started putting cheese and pepperoni on their pizza

my son didn't and the parent asked my son " Akshur, why aren't you putting any

pepperoni, do yo need help with it " .. and it seems my little fellow looked down

and said.. " no i don't eat meat.. i am vegetariam " and ofcourse the teacher

told him that was great and he didn't need it.. and he was happy again.