Babysitter: "I’ll starve the child because I can’t be bothered to feed him healthy fruits and vegetables."

July 27, 2008 | 2 Comments

I think the most difficult things about veganism and vegetarianism is when the vegan or vegetarian can’t prepare his or her own foods and must rely on omnivores, some of whom are not at all accommodating. For example, when the veg*n is a child, hospital patient, or prison inmate and the care-giver or guardian is an omnivore who doesn’t understand or doesn’t respect vegetarianism or veganism.

Having been a vegetarian child and also a vegetarian “hospital” patient I know first-hand about some of these difficulties: having to constantly defend your habits, and having to ask for or demand fair treatment. Now that I’m vegan, some of these things are even more difficult, though luckily for me, I’m no longer a child or patient. But now I’m also seeing veg*n life from another angle: my vegetarian sister and her vegetarian son experience some of the frustration.

Today, my nephew’s babysitter complained that she didn’t want to watch him because he “doesn’t eat anything.” She complained that he doesn’t eat chicken and so she couldn’t feed him.

Ugh, I just wish it were easier for people like my nephew. And I hope experiences like this don’t mean he’ll grow to share my resentment of omnivores.

Posted by Elaine Vigneault | Filed Under -Kids, children, nephew, omnivores, vegan, vegetarian, vegetarian kids 
2 Comments to "Babysitter: "I’ll starve the child because I can’t be bothered to feed him healthy fruits and vegetables.""