"I want to be a vegetarian!"
How to react if your child wants to experiment with vegetarianism
Cheryl Drewniak’s nine-year-old daughter, Hailey, never did like meat much. “My husband and I were constantly pleading with her to ‘take one more bite.’ This past spring, Hailey announced to us that she wanted to become vegetarian. Naturally, we were worried. We are not vegetarians and we were concerned about how she would get all her nutritional requirements.”
This is often the age when kids become aware of the vegetarian option and want to try it, says Montreal dietitian Louise Lambert-Lagacé.
Find out what’s prompting the change
How should parents react? It’s important to find out what’s prompting the change. Some kids, like Hailey, find the taste or texture of meat unpalatable. Others may be concerned about animal welfare or the environment. But the choice may also be hiding an eating disorder. “I see this over and over again in my practice,” says Lambert-Lagacé. “Girls especially may want to lose weight, and declaring themselves vegetarian is one way to avoid eating what the family is eating.” If an eating disorder is suspected, Lambert-Lagacé recommends regular visits with a nutritionist to make sure the diet is well balanced and not an excuse to lose weight.
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