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Family Not Supportive?
Started
by jeni cecil
on July 8, 2011
Hello! I am about halfway through the Kinddiet book, and it is amazing! I have decided to go thirty days with no meat or dairy to see if I notice changes in my body, energy and skin., and this is my second day. I'm not ready to go full vegan yet...baby steps for me. I was talking with my mom earlier about what I had read on dairy cows and the cruelty to baby chicks, which really grosses me out. She told me"stop! you're sounding like a vegetarian!".(Like it was a bad thing) I wasn't quite sure what to say! I was raised and have been a meat eater my whole life, and I know that my family would make fun of my decision and hassle me about it- they think it's weird. My husband is not on board with the whole meatless thing, which is fine with me, but he is supportive of my decision to try this. I'm afraid to tell my other family that I want to change my ways, but I am not sure their negativity about the subject will help me. Does any one else have this problem and what do you say to them? Thanks:)
Maybe you could just do it and not say anything. Just show them. Just begin eating vegan. They'll ask, then you can tell them. It will be like you are already in the game. I think "grand commencment annoucements" sometimes make things more stressful, both for the person making them and the person that receives them, particularly if you know the people receiving the message are not going to be receptive.
Thanks! I appreciate the advice!
Hello,
I completely agree with Dennis. When I became vegetarian 11 years ago, that is what I did, I just kept it subtle and made changes. I even avoided the word vegetarian, just said I didn't care for meat. Over time you get more confident and start making choices that work for you. I also avoid confrontations and debates with people completely. I feel that it is really hard to get through to people so I just refuse to debate with them. If they can't argue with you then they run out of steam.
The reality is being vegetarian and vegan is controversial for people, unfortunately. Take small steps and be proud that you are brave enough to live how you want to live and do what is right.
I agree with the person who said just do it. I didn't tell my family that I was changing not just my but all of our diets. My son is deathly allergic to cows' milk so it's not something that we eat around here anyway. It was a good two weeks before my kids noticed they hadn't been served any meat or dairy (my 3 girls aren't allergic so they sometimes will have cheese, etc). My 9 year old has suddenly decided that she loves lentil soup and chicken nuggets are gross (the ex-husband wasn't happy when they refused to eat burgers on the 4th!). My 16 and 14 year olds have noticed a change in their complexions and just how they generally feel and said they never want to go back to eating dead things! Had I told anyone what I was doing, I would have been met with "resistance" to say the least but by easing them into it and then just doing away with all the bad stuff, they didn't even notice until they noticed how good they felt.
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