Yesterday's tale of Kaos Vegetarianism was my past. I thought it appropriate to share with you because of today's post. I have to say I expected this to happen at some point, just not so soon.
K, at the tender age of 5, has decided not to eat meat.
Not because she is picky.
Not because she doesn't like it.
Not to drive us crazy.
Because it used to be alive.
We had a conversation that went a little like this
K: Mama, what eats birds
CK: Why?
K: Cats eat birds right?
CK: And people do too.
K: Well I don't.
CK: Chickens are birds, Turkeys are birds.
K: But I'm not eating them anymore mama.
It's true, for about a week now the only kind of meat she has eaten is bacon, because bacon is pretty much irresistible to anyone sharing my genes.
CK: Why not sweetie?
K: Because chickens used to be alive, I'm not going to eat any animals anymore. When will all the killing stop?
So you see my dilemma?
My problem isn't whether or not to force feed her meat because that is not going to happen. I applaud her moral stance, I just don't choose to follow it myself. We aren't even big meat eaters. We have red meat once a month at the most fish or poultry a couple of times a week.
No, my issue is more a logistical one. Do I point out at every turn what foods once had a face? I'll be bulking up her other protein sources and if she continues on her vegetarian quest I will talk with her doc about any supplements that may be necessary (K is only 5 after all and I oh so often hear people who think they are being funny comment "Oh sweetie, don't your parents ever feed you??" cause that is really funny right? Cause we need to give her a weight complex at this age right?).
Really though what do I do? For instance, her favorite meal of all time is talapia loins cooked in olive oil with rice and broccoli. Do I point out to her that the fish once lived and breathed in their own underwater gill having sort of way or do I just go ahead and put the fish on her plate and see what she does?
Last night hours after we had our "stop the killing" talk I was serving dinner. We decided on turkey burgers earlier in the day so I offered her a bun with melted cheese and pickles.
K: No thanks mama, I want a burger.
CK: You know that it's a turkey burger right?
K: Yeah, I want a burger, but not those potatoes they look nasty.
MK: I thought you were a vegetarian now, don't vegetarians like potatoes?
K: Yeah, they mostly do, but I am only half vegetarian, so I don't eat potatoes.
Mr. Kaos and I had to cover our mouths with napkins to keep from laughing at the absurdity of the situation.
5 comments:
That half-vegetarian comment cracked me up! K is hilarious!
I have a skinny kid, too. She is already very picky, so I'm a little worried about how that will manifest itself in the future.
It's hard to know how to approach this one. You don't want to create any eating/body image issues, but you want to make sure she's getting what she needs.
Too true, just as Julie says. At the same time my brother [when he was little] declared that hence forward.....and he's o.k. and my older daughter did much the same thing.
Makes dinner a challenge in the catering department sometimes though.
Best wishes
I say, you cna explain to her what being a vegetarian means, but at the same time, tell her, "You know, you really like bacon, and you couldn't eat that anymore...". Same with whatever else meat foods she likes to eat. I would say it very matter of factly, but keep it real casual. She's a little young to be making a complete life change, and obviously, since she still ate the turkey burger, doesn't quite "get" it. I myself, likes me some meat. Mmmm.. turkey burger... :)
we had a nice chat on the matter, she doesn't think she can give up bacon, and now I am really not joking. She says shae cares about the pigs and all but it isn't fair that they just taste do darn good...
She is so funny. I would not know how to deal with that one. It is clear she has a moral conscience but she doesn't quite get the implications of being a vegeterian.. she is so damn cute and funny though!
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