A 25-year-old woman became vegan at the start of the year after seeing Dominion, a documentary that showed animal mistreatment. Since then, she started cooking her own food, such as stews, curries, and chili and has not saved any meat in her house.
OP Told a 6-Year-Old They Kill Animals
One day, her friend and her 6-year-old child visited her house, and when the child asked for a ham sandwich, OP explained that she did not keep the meat in the house and did not eat it because it required killing animals.
The Child Got Upset
The child started crying and asked his mother why she fed him dead animals, and OP’s friend got upset with her for telling the child where food comes from.
Her Friend Sent Nasty Text Messages
Later, the friend sent a text message to OP, calling her names and accusing her of imposing her extremist views on her child.
She Just Gave an Honest Answer
OP did not go into graphic detail about animal cruelty and did not try to convert the child to veganism. She only answered a question honestly and quickly without thinking about who she was talking to. She believes that children have a right to know and understand what they are eating.
It is a Difficult Dilemma
Understanding where meat comes from can be a very difficult subject to discuss with young children:
“I’m mixed on this. This feels like a ‘you should go ask your mom’ question. Just like if a kid asked where babies come from or who is god. I don’t feel like you were in the wrong but I feel like you were in the wrong, lol. Your choices are not wrong but kids are so impressionable.”
She Should Have Spoken to the Mom First
It is not a clear-cut issue for one particular online user. They are suggesting that there may have been a need to discuss revealing this information with the child’s mother. Young children learn the realities of life slowly as they find this complex world difficult to comprehend. Therefore, it is not unreasonable to suggest that the OP could have spoken to her friend before revealing the details.
She Should Have Taken Some Due Care
Ultimately, OP did not lie to the child who is significant. In that sense, the OP is justified in pointing out realities. However, some due care should have been taken as a means to ensure their friend was informed of what their child was learning and when. This would most likely have been the case when asking where babies come from, so it should have been the same in this situation.
Online User Has a Brilliant Solution
Here is a relevant illustration made by an online user in the thread:
“As a 25-year vegetarian, I have been in this position. If a kid asks, I don’t go into detail. Usually, ‘What foods do you not like? Broccoli? That’s how I feel about meat, I just don’t like it.’”
It’s Not My Place to Tell Where the Sausage Is Made
“Not my place to tell how the sausage is made, that is a discussion with parents when they are young and can’t grasp the realities of factory farming. When they are older and more mature, able to make decisions about their diet, then it is more appropriate.”
Blurry Truth vs Real Truth
This is an excellent example of what could have happened. The writer makes a clear distinction between telling a child the blurry truth and the real truth.
It’s the Parent’s Responsibility
They highlight the significance of allowing parents to have the responsibility to raise their own children. Moreover, they suggest that only when someone is an adult can they form their own opinions and choose their own lifestyle. It appears to be a far more reasonable approach which is appreciated by many other commenters.
Other Users Disagree
There is a large cohort in the thread that has indicated that OP was right in saying what she said.
“I disagree; it’s important to know where food comes from.”
The Child Would Have Found Out Eventually
Many are in agreement. OP has her views, and she has the right to be truthful to those who ask. Ultimately, it is not unknown information, the child was going to find out about the source of meat eventually.
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