His son ‘felt lonely and excluded being vegan around his friends’
Food and lifestyle choices can often cause conflict and arguments with your family, particularly when it comes to making sure what your child is eating.
One dad has recently opened up about his dilemma involving his child’s diet, and how this lead to a conflict with his wife.
Taking to Reddit, the 32-year-old explained that about six years ago his wife decided to become vegan, when their child was around six years old.
So, he agreed to also eat a plant-based diet when in the house, although he’d eat meat and animal produce when out.
And after some “long conversations” and a visit to a dietician, the couple decided they would raise their son on a vegan diet.
However, the dad revealed that he recently found non-vegan sweets and hamburger wrappers in his son’s bag which the 12-year-old had bought with his pocket money.
Deciding that his son shouldn’t be eating anything secretly, the dad started to buy him non-vegan food, even though his wife thinks eating meat and dairy is “revolting.”
Telling his story, the man wrote: “I had a conversation with my son and he confessed he felt lonely and excluded eating vegan around his friends and that they always had much better candy than he did and it wasn’t fair.
“I decided I didn’t want him spending his pocket money on snacks and throwing out the vegan snacks we actually brought him instead of buying games etc. It made no sense, but I also know the way my wife feels about non-vegan products.
“So, I began buying my son what he wanted on our way to football practice instead.”
When his wife found out, she “flipped out”, called him an “animal abuse enabler,” and accused him of “corrupting our son.”
The dad added that his wife was not not speaking to him, and asked Redditors whether he was in the wrong.
Whilst most seemed to agree that the man had done the right thing, many suggested that he speak to his wife and son so that he can decide for himself what he wants to eat.
One person wrote: “Your wife doesn’t get to decide that the whole family has to be vegan.
“Your son is going to just keep hiding things from you both if you don’t stand up for him now.”
A second Redditor added: “You did the right thing by accepting his choice but maybe you should have talked to your wife about it. It’s never a good idea to do things behind your partner’s back.”
Meanwhile, other vegans offered their advice, including one who said: “I’m old enough to have made that choice and I’m happy – your son shouldn’t have it ‘forced’ upon him at such a young age when building bonds is so important.”
Related links:
Football team in Cheddar agrees sponsorship deal with vegan cheese alternative
Vegan Chloe Bailey left in tears after accidentally eating meat
Vegan mum refuses to kill lice in daughter’s hair over cruelty concerns
