I can't remember exactly how the conversation started, but Addie began inquiring where certain foods come from. We got through the plant group fairly smoothly, but once we went onto the meats that's when the bomb shell hit.
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"You mean hamburgers are made from cows?" She actually got a little teary eyed at this point. "Mom, I can't eat cows. I like cows. They're so nice"
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So the inquiry continued as she learned many of her favorite foods were also animals she would like to keep as a pet someday. Ham, hot dogs, turkey, chicken nuggets. She actually wavered slightly on chicken nuggets that night as I made them. As the irresistible aroma of crispy nuggets filled the air she decidedly declared, "Mom, I don't really like chickens that much. Plus, chickens are put on the earth so we can eat them." She enjoyed chicken that night. However, the next night she stuck up her nose at the cheesy chicken pasta I made. I told her just to pick out the chicken and not eat it. Then she demanded to know where pasta and cheese come from along with the broccoli that was on her plate. I'm happy to say she was okay eating the broccoli, bread and pasta.
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Despite my efforts to explain that the animals we eat are raised so we can eat them (I don't want to hear anything from any animal activist about how inhumanely these animals are raised) and how Heavenly Father said it's okay for us to eat meat sometimes, she was and is determined that she will take no part of ingesting animals. Part of me thinks, "What a bright and compassionate daughter I have whose conscience and deep love for animals won't allow her contradict those feelings by eating her meaty friends." The other part of me thinks, "Who has ever heard of a 6 year old vegetarian with meat eating parents?"
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My plan is to make as little deal of this as possible and see what happens. I'll let you know in a couple weeks...
2 comments:
Well it's nice to know she can think for herself. I remember a news story about a daughter who learned about abortion and came home telling her mom what a terrible thing she thought that was. Turns out the mother was a huge femenist/pro-abortion activist. Long story short, they're not on speaking terms.
I guess this is a mild difference of opinion in comparison
Oh, A. Your kids sound too adorable. This made me giggle out loud. Too funny. And amazing!!
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