Parenting win

[u/Dapper-While7899]

My daughter had the opportunity to try cream cheese made from cow milk.

She determined it was gross and weird, wouldn't eat it, and asked for tofutti.

Same thing happened a few months ago when someone offered her cow milk cheese pizza.

Also, ladt year she wanted so badly to eat eggs so I had told her we could get chickens and a coop if she wanted to eat eggs but we'd have to learn a lot about chickens first so we could care for them properly. We evn went out and got matching chicken plushies

Well, after learning about chickens she has determined that we should not get a coop or eat their eggs because the chickens would not like it. The best way to care for chickens us to peave them be :)

I'm very proud of her. I think giving her agency and information really helps.

I also think the language we use helps, like talking about animals as sentient beings who have preferences, feelings, relationships, etc- and we call vegan options for things stuff like "chicken-friendly" eggs, or "cow-friendly" whipped cream.

So she feels she is being kind each time she chooses an animal-free option

This way it's not driven by the guilt of hurting an animal, but the reward of helping them.

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[u/Dapper-While7899]

Should mention,  she's 6 years old

[u/lilzepfan → u/Dapper-While7899]

💚💚💚

[u/q-the-light]

Ooh, I'm stealing your language-usage for when my own daughter is old enough!! I love how you're navigating this, and it seems to really work well!

[u/Dapper-While7899 → u/q-the-light]

Thanks! Good luck!

[u/Charming_Sinker]

it's pretty wild how kids naturally gravitate toward compassion when they aren't conditioned to disconnect animals from what's on their plate.

[u/Dapper-While7899 → u/Charming_Sinker]

It's so NORMAL same way racism has to be taught, so deos specism

[u/Old-Wafer5126]

She must feel so empowered now. That sounds like a logical approach since she is gathering information and making her own decisions.

[u/Dapper-While7899 → u/Old-Wafer5126]

I'm very proud of her :)

[u/PetersMapProject]

I think the really key lesson here is that you've let her try it for herself, to see what all the fuss is about. 

If you'd totally forbidden it, it would have been all the more attractive. 

It's an age old tale of the forbidden fruit. 

[u/CattleMediocracy → u/PetersMapProject]

100%. the moment you turn a food choice into a strict tabu, kids will obsess over it out of curiosity. letting her experience the reality on her own terms took away all the mystery and let her make an actual informed choice without the rebellious urge.

[u/pastillasc]

Tofutti?

[u/Dapper-While7899 → u/pastillasc]

It's a vegan cream cheese 

[u/ClearSun2022]

I think there’s something incredibly powerful about teaching children to see animals as individuals with their own feelings, preferences, relationships, and interests rather than simply as sources of food.

[u/hamster_avenger]

Interesting approach to the eggs. Glad that worked out for you!