How do you talk to young children about Meat? - Page 4

[mammastar2]

I told her the reason we don't eat it (the pic in the grocery flyer) is because it is eating critters, and that would hurt them. She also figured it looked yucky. Unfortunately, next time she didn't want to try a lima bean, she explained to me that she didn't want to eat a 'bean-critter.'

[Linda KS]

We are omni and we have always been honest with our kids. When they were little and asked what something was, I would say something like "it's pork, it comes from a pig." And then, since my DH never really grew up, he would make oink oink noises.

Originally Posted by Elphaba

She knows that some animals eat only plants, and some animals eat plants AND other animals and other animals just eat other animals.

Same here. As they've gotten older they've been able to build on this. Right now they are really into the kind of teeth different animals have and how that relates to what they eat, and which of our teeth are like which animals.

I find the notion that they don't understand they are eating animals absurd. We drive by feed lots (part of the joy of living in central Kansas) and we talk about what they are for. I'm sure there are some kids who don't know this because their parents aren't upfront, but my kids know.

They also know that different families do things differently and some families don't eat meat. They know that that is a healthy option and that we treat other people's choices with respect.

[Linda KS]

[QUOTE=IdentityCrisisMama]Talking to my DC about animals, it’s clear to me that she doesn’t even understand what makes something an animal. She’ll ask me things like “Do only things with faces have bones?” [QUOTE]

What makes something an animal is a more complex concept than hamburger is ground up cow. Butterflies are animals, but would you consider their "face" a "face"? Coral are animals, so are clams; neither have faces and they have their bones on the outside. Actual, your DD's question is a really good one and could easily lead to a conversation about different kinds of living things, and external rather than internal skeletons. Just dividing animals into ones with faces and ones without is an interesting idea.

I don't think it is hard for a child to learn the simple correspondences between the foods their family eats most often and the sources.

[rainbowmoon]

Originally Posted by Linda KS

I find the notion that they don't understand they are eating animals absurd. We drive by feed lots (part of the joy of living in central Kansas) and we talk about what they are for. I'm sure there are some kids who don't know this because their parents aren't upfront, but my kids know.

but what about the suffering involved in those feed lots? I'm sure most young children don't grasp that concept because they aren't taught about it,yk?

[Linda KS]

Originally Posted by rainbowmoon

but what about the suffering involved in those feed lots? I'm sure most young children don't grasp that concept because they aren't taught about it,yk?

They are cows. They stand around and eat and poop.

Why are we debating the suffering of the poor wild bovines? If this thread were just for vegetarians, I never would have posted. The OP asked for responses from people who eat meat and people who don't.

[lula]

We eat meat, not often and we are fairly picky about the type we eat, free range etc etc. (though there is the occasional nugget....)

DD understands what meat is and where it comes from. I think the distinction between types of dinasours and what they ate made it VERY clear for her.

She knows that an animal has died for her to eat chicken. She also knows the difference between a fertilzed egg and non-fertilized. I do not have a problem eating meat or animal products if the animal was raised in a "healthy" environment.

I actually broached the subject with her because when we eat meat we say thanks to the Creator for the animal. I also work with her on respect for food ie food equals energy, labor, resources,etc and the fact that some food is an animal follows from this concept. When she asks about meat etc I answer honestly, I tell her about the animal, that it was raised to be food, that the animal was killed and that we are know eating the animal. I also tell her that some animals are raised in unhealthy environments and that is not respectful to life or a way to have good food products.

[IdentityCrisisMama]

Originally Posted by Linda KS

I find the notion that they don't understand they are eating animals absurd.

Thanks.

Originally Posted by Linda KS

Why are we debating the suffering of the poor wild bovines?

Suffering was part of the question.

[luv my 2 sweeties]

Actual, your DD's question is a really good one and could easily lead to a conversation about different kinds of living things, and external rather than internal skeletons. Just dividing animals into ones with faces and ones without is an interesting idea.

:LOL Linda, you're giving yourself away as a homeschooler! (I'd probably do the same thing!)

[dharmamama]

Originally Posted by Linda KS

Why are we debating the suffering of the poor wild bovines? If this thread were just for vegetarians, I never would have posted.

This thread isn't just for vegetarians, but the fact that animals do suffer when they are raised and slaughtered for human consumption is important to those of us who are vegetarians. And it is a fact that animals suffer when they are raised and slaughtered for human consumption, and some people think that it is important that their kids make that connection.

Namaste!

[rainbowmoon]

Not trying to start a debate Linda..sorry for using your post as an example.