How did you have the "where does meat come from?" conversation with your DC?

[Momit]

I should preface this by saying that I am a vegetarian but no one else in my family is. DS, age 3.5, is offered meat but often tries it and says he doesn't like it. I never try to make him eat it, I just ask him to taste it before he decides.

He has recently started asking a lot of questions like Is he a meat eater or a plant eater? Why do sharks eat meat? Are meat eaters mean? People don't eat turkeys that are birds, do they? What do they say when you eat them? Where does ham come from? Etc.

I have been answering factually but somewhat vaguely - some animals have bodies that only work if they eat meat, meat eaters aren't mean it's just how they are, etc. but questions like what do they say when you eat them? etc. are a little trickier. DH thinks if we tell him where meat comes from he will never eat it again. If DS chooses to be a vegetarian that would be fine with me but I don't want to answer his questions in a way that seems like I'm pushing him to not eat meat.

[maestramommy]

We've always been matter of fact about it. Chicken is chicken, beef comes from cows, lamb is well, lamb! Some animals eat meat. So on finding nemo the mommy fish and all those eggs got eaten by the big fish. Spiders eat bugs and so do frogs. I dunno. It's never been an issue. My kids (well Dora anyway) have never asked questions ascribing value or judgement to eating meat. They love meat! Although Dora doesn't like chicken and Laurel isn't fond of some forms of steak.

ps. I've read (here but elsewhere also) that it's not unusual for little kids not to like meat.

[jren]

I'm not a vegetarian, and my kids ask where certain meat comes from all the time. I just tell them, ham comes from pigs, burgers come from cows, etc. They haven't asked any of the harder questions your DS is wanting to know. My DD is actually fascinated with sharks right now BECAUSE they attack people, so not really squeamish about meat eaters. But I would be honest in your situation. I think it's great that he's thinking about where his food comes from!

[lmwbasye]

We always answer factually on that.

[MamaMolly]

Welllll, our experience was a little grim. Living overseas we had a butcher show up with half a freshly slaughtered pig. And a hatchet and a hammer. Lula and I watched the rest of buchering process, and I was very matter of fact about it. Our kitchen was a bloody gory mess afterwards, but what can you do? If we wanted meat this was the way we had to do it.

We also had a pet chicken, so she knows where eggs come from. And she asked if we could eat her pet chicken when it died. :eek:

[maestramommy]

LOL, what is it with sharks? Is it because of finding nemo? We've told our kids sharks eat a lot of animals, and sometimes people. But that's because they've seen nemo and were asking about it. They've not really seen sharks in another show or context.

[wellyes]

I'm a vegetarian. DD eats some meat (certified humane) and we are very matter of fact about where it came from. To my surprise she is completely unfazed. Kind of like how she likes to stare at, and ask about, the dead mice our cats brings to the front door.

[Momit]

My poor DS cried last night and said "I don't want people to eat a goose!" He was asking about the Christmas song ...the goose is getting fat... Today he was telling his stuffed animals "the goose gets fat and then people eat it!" I guess he's just trying to work through it in his mind. Perhaps I'm oversensitive because people are afraid I am going to brainwash him into becoming a vegetarian!

[wellyes]

My poor DS cried last night and said "I don't want people to eat a goose!" He was asking about the Christmas song ...the goose is getting fat... Today he was telling his stuffed animals "the goose gets fat and then people eat it!" I guess he's just trying to work through it in his mind. Perhaps I'm oversensitive because people are afraid I am going to brainwash him into becoming a vegetarian!
As a vegetarian I say, that's not brainwashing, that's logic! :rotflmao:

[JElaineB]

We have never been vague. We are very matter of fact about it. DS knows that the meat he eats used to be a live animal. For example, pork, ham, bacon = pig. In fact he was around when DH slaughtered some of our chickens last year, though I am not sure how much he saw. The chickens are still in the freezer and he keeps asking when we are going to eat them (I honestly feel guilty that we haven't yet - I need to make soup or something with them). I personally have also seen cows slaughtered. I think it is important for meat eaters, even children, to have an understanding where the meat comes from, and an appreciation for the life that was given/taken so we can eat meat.

ETA: and if your DS understands where meat comes from, and doesn't want to eat it, I think that is perfectly fine, especially since you are already vegetarian.

[carolinamama]

We have always just told the truth in an age-appropriate way. Food chain, survival kind of way. Meat eaters vs plant eaters was an easy explanation with DS1 because it started with him learning about dinosaurs at a science program he has been in since age 3. Meat eaters have a digestive tract designed to eat meat and plant eaters are designed to get their nutrients via plants. Sharks go back that far, so maybe you can use it too.

As for people, just like lots of topics - different people eat different things and believe different things. I don't see a problem at all with you telling your DS why you eat vegetarian. It is a fact of life that there are more ways to do things than one. It sounds like you want him to make his own choice about eating veg or not and telling him your reasons is just giving him that side of the equation imo, not brainwashing.

[Momit]

I guess when I say vague, I mean I don't get into detail abot slaughtering, etc. He's only 3. But we absolutely say steak comes from a cow, bacon comes from a pig or whatever. But it seems like until recently he didn't really "get" that and he though it was some other type of cow rather than he ones we pass in a field. Not sure. But as I type this he is promising all his stuffed animals that he will never cook them and eat them.

[AnnieW625]

We aren't vegetarians but have always said chicken comes from chicken, beef comes from cows, pork comes from pigs, etc.. DD1 recently asked me if I eat rabbit and I said no, but she said some people do, and I told her she was right. The only meat item that kind of gets to her is pig. She has never eaten bacon as she has never liked it, but has eaten pork and occaisionally ham. DD1 doesn't eat a lot of meat though.

[buddyleebaby]

Honestly, I can't remember. I just answer questions, when they come, as factually as I can. They know meat comes from animals and they know which animal the meat they are eating came from, and they know they eat meat (among other things) to get protein.

My DH slaughtered a pig to feed him extended family at their farm, and they saw the pig being prepared and understood that that food everyone was eating for the next two days came in some part from that pig.

They also know that some people choose not to eat meat and get protein other ways. Their friend "I" is a vegetarian and they make sure to remind me *every* time we have a playdate.