Raising Veg Kids
FOLLOW US!
  • Blog
  • Veg Pregnancy
    • Veg Baby Shower
  • Veg Babies
  • Veg Kids
    • Fun Activities/Products
  • Animal-Friendly Vacations
    • Animal Sanctuaries
  • Holidays
  • Contact Us

Raising Vegan Kids Presentation at The Seed Event in NYC

7/3/2012

6 Comments

 
I recently spoke on the Raising Vegan Kids panel at The Seed: A Vegan Experience in NYC. It was exciting to be part of such an important event-- and to be able to connect with other parents raising vegan kids. If you missed the panel, here are a few highlights from my presentation...
Picture


I was very excited to be asked to be part of the ‘Raising Vegan Kids’ panel along with Nora Kramer, Michelle Schwegmann, and Chloe Jo Davis at The Seed: A Vegan Experience in NYC. I’ve gone to many vegan and animal rights conferences and events, but there is hardly ever a mention on the topic of raising vegan kids. And now that I have my very own vegan kid, it's relevant to me. I think because more and more adults are becoming vegan, and those adults are having kids, it makes complete sense that the subject of raising veg kids is also becoming more popular, and worthy of discussion. Thank you to The Seed for hosting a whole panel dedicated to the subject of raising vegan kids... definitely a big step in the right direction towards a better world for animals (and the health of our kids, and planet too).

   
Here are a few topics I discussed in my presentation: 

Embracing veganism is the most effective step a family can take to fight animal suffering. If you have a vegan family, be proud that while you are not necessarily taking the easy road, you most definitely are taking the high road. Encourage your family to be proud and courageous in your family’s decision. We obviously know that  a vegan diet is the best decision you can make for the well-being of animals, and  according to many studies, (including by the United Nations) it's also the best decision you can make for the environment. It's also the best decision you can make for the health of your child. Despite countless messages being drilled into our heads about how we need meat and dairy to survive and thrive, there is now overwhelming evidence by many top physicians and organizations that say the contrary. In fact, countless studies show that if we leave meat and dairy off our plates, we have a better chance of avoiding many types of cancers, heart disease, obesity, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, diabetes  other debilitating and fatal diseases and illnesses. So when it comes to the animals' well-being, the environment, and our children's health, the facts and science are overwhelmingly on our side. So be confident in your decision to raise compassionate, healthy vegan kids.

Picture
Nora Kramer, Michelle Schwegmann, Chloe Jo Davis, Robyn Moore

Laying the Foundation Early to Raise a Compassionate, Healthy Child:


Health 
Research shows that what a woman eats during pregnancy may shape food preferences later in life. In the womb, the baby gulps down several ounces of amniotic fluid a day and this fluid is flavored by the foods and beverages the mother has eaten (things like vanilla, carrot, garlic, anise, mint, etc.). So researchers tested this by giving women garlic capsules or sugar capsules and then took a sample of their amniotic fluid and asked volunteers to smell the samples. The people could easily pick out the samples from the women who ate garlic. This shows that babies in the womb can also taste it since taste is primarily based on smell. So what you eat in pregnancy can result in preferences for certain foods for a lifetime. In other words, if you eat broccoli while you're pregnant, there's a much better chance your baby will like broccoli. 

Research also shows that the foods our children eat in the first 10 years of their lives has a critical and profound effect on their lifelong health, so it’s important to introduce as many different foods as possible. Be consistent- it can take up to 15 times exposure to a food before a child accepts/likes a food. Don't give up!

Here are a few tips to help develop healthy eating patterns in children:

Be a good role model- you can’t snack on Oreos and potato chips and expect your child to eat carrots and celery. Let your child see you eating healthy foods.

Cook and bake with your kids- kids are more apt to try something that they’ve helped make You can start at a young age. My daughter helps me by mixing and pouring ingredients, mashing up tofu in her hands for tofu scramble, ripping kale, and adding fruits to the blender for green smoothies.

Bring kids grocery shopping- let them pick out foods that they already like and also challenge them to find new foods that they want to try. Adults should do this too!

Grow vegetables in your backyard or windowsill, or  go to a farm to see vegetables growing in the ground or go to a farm where you can pick-your-own fruits and veggies in season.

Remove the competition- just as you remove meat and dairy from your households, also remove the junk and processed foods. If kids are hungry and there isn't any junk food around, they'll be forced to grab something healthy to eat.

Order a Today I Ate A Rainbow Kit!- which encourages kids to eat at least 5 servings of fruits/veggies a day, including one from each color of the rainbow. They can track it on a refrigerator chart with magnets. It's fun and interactive.


Social Side:
Kids don't want to feel left out or different; they want to fit in with their peers. So it's our job as parents to help them with this. There are also ways for kids to gain a better understanding and appreciation for why their family is choosing a vegan diet. Here are a few suggestions: 

Visit a farm sanctuary- so kids can get up close and personal with rescued animals. These sanctuaries are very successful in creating a powerful, long-lasting connection to animals. Kids are less likely to want to eat animals after meeting them! Since most vegans don’t visit zoos, this can be a good replacement for that.

Make holidays and events extra special- you can come up with new  family traditions, but try to also include some classic traditions that other kids will also be doing- just do it with a vegan twist. Nowadays almost everything can be "veganized." For example, you can make a vegan gingerbread house, color wooden or paper mache eggs instead of dying real eggs, snack on vegan jelly beans, and make vegan candy corn for Halloween.

Read kids books that affirm vegan values- where animals are respected and shown in a positive light, rather than being used by humans in exploitative situations such as in zoos, circuses, and horse-drawn carriages. Try to skip the books that show kids eating hot dogs, drinking milk, eating ice cream, fishing, etc. VEGBOOKS is the best online resource for finding veg-friendly books. Also, besides kids books, read books about brave people throughout history who were once viewed as being different and in the minority such as those who worked for the abolition of slavery, women’s suffrage, and civil rights but were later viewed as heroes, who despite challenges, spoke up for what was right.

Find a vegetarian/vegan parenting group in your community, and if there isn’t one, start your own. It’s really important for kids to be around other veg kids, and it’s also a great resource for veg parents to get together with other like-minded parents to exchange advice, ideas/tips, recipes, etc. If you live in the NYC area, please join the NYC Vegetarian and Vegan Families Meetup.

Show your kids the power of activism. If they feel strongly about a specific animal or issue, encourage them to join a protest, write a letter to a newspaper, have a vegan bake sale, hand out literature, or create an art project. They’ll most likely have fun doing this, and it will teach them to be a voice for the voiceless.

Remember there are opportunities for teaching kindness and empathy all around us- here in NYC every time I step outside I come across pigeons, squirrels, and bugs such as spiders, ants and flies. Teach them to respect these not so cute and cuddly creatures as well. Encourage your kids to stop and watch their behaviors. Instill curiosity and reverence. Model kindness by teaching them to never intentionally step on creatures/animals, chase them, or hit them.
Picture

Dealing with Playdates, Sleepovers and School Functions


The first thing you want to do is make sure that your relative or child’s friend’s parents
know that your child is VEGAN. Next, make sure they know what a VEGAN is, and exactly what foods they can’t eat. Nowadays, many kids are allergic to specific foods (e.g. dairy, peanuts), and there are more and more vegetarians and vegans so different diets shouldn’t be unfamiliar to them.

For events such as sleepovers, birthday parties, school functions, pizza parties, and cookouts, the number one most important thing you can do is find out
 ahead of time what they’ll be serving and supply your child with a vegan substitute, if possible. This will require a little more time and effort on your part, but it’s worth it to make your child feel part of the group.

Create a LIST- for grandparents, aunts/uncles, friends, babysitters, daycares. This is actually something that my Mom recommended. This can be especially helpful for grandparents who have other grandkids too-- so that they can buy snacks that all the kids can eat, because it’s inevitable that kids will want to share or have what the other one is having. On the list you can also include some non-obvious vegan ingredients to look out for when shopping that people may not know- such as whey, casein, honey, gelatin, etc. Click here for list.  



Recommended Resources for Raising Vegan Kids

Despite living in a society permeated by mac & cheese, chicken nuggets, hot dogs and milk... it's getting easier and easier to raise vegan kids because there are so many resources available, online and in books. You can google almost any subject about vegan parenting and you'll get back tons of answers. 

Take advantage of social media to create a virtual support community. Ask questions, get advice and share some of your own tips and ideas with other vegetarian/vegan parents. Follow on Twitter & Pinterest and LIKE on Facebook any and all pages related to vegan kids/vegan parenting. You will be exposed to wonderful articles, recipes, ideas, and inspiration.


FAVORITE BOOKS
Raising Vegan Children in a Non-Vegan World by Erin Pavlina of Vegfamily.com
Above All, Be Kind: Raising a Humane Child in Challenging Times by Zoe Weil (makes a great baby shower gift!)
50 Awesome Ways Kids Can Help Animals by Ingrid Newkirk of PETA
Vegan Lunch Box: 130 Amazing, Animal-Free Lunches Kids and Grown-Ups Will Love! by Jennifer McCann  
Vegan Cupcakes Take Over The World by Isa Chandra Moskowitz and Terry Hope Romero.
Healthy Eating for Life for Children by Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine
The Complete Idiot's Guide to Vegan Eating for Kids by M.S.J. Dana Villamagna and M.D., M.Sc. Andrew Villamagna
Vegan Pregnancy Survival Guide by Sayward Rebhal
Skinny Bitch Bun in the Oven by Rory Freedman and Kim Barnouin
Happy, Healthy, Vegan Kids by Tracie DeMotte
That’s Why We Don’t eat Animals and Vegan is Love by Ruby Roth
 
 

 


FAVORITE WEBSITES/BLOGS
RaisingVegKids (my own of course)
VegFamily
GirlieGirlArmy
Vegbooks
TheKindLife (Alicia Silverstone’s website)
TheVeganWoman
GrowingUpVeg
Vegkitchen
Vegandad






FAVORITE ORGANIZATIONS
Institute for Humane Education (IHE) 
HEART (Humane Education Advocates Reaching Teachers)
Farm Sanctuary and Catskill Animal Sanctuary
PCRM: Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine (nutrition)
Vegetarian Resource Group (nutrition)
FINAL THOUGHTS:
My message to vegan parents:
Your decision to raise vegan kids means that you will often be challenging the status quo and swimming against the current, but don't let that deter you. Never apologize for choosing a lifestyle based on compassion and integrity. Deep in your heart you know you're doing the right thing for the animals, the planet and your children, so be proud and confident in your decision. Feel empowed. Live with a clean conscience knowing that you and your family are living according to your deepest values. Make veganism fun! Make vegan pancakes on the weekend, have vegan pizza parties, and make vegan ice cream sundaes! 
6 Comments
Event displays link
7/12/2012 08:00:56 pm

The outdoor Displays will attract attention to your business, event or promotion in areas where high traffic or crowded visuals demand superior impact.

Reply
childrens play centre link
9/26/2012 07:40:47 pm

All the efforts you put in the blog post is appreciable. Entire blog is informative. Looking forward to read more blogs and contents from you. Wish you luck!

Reply
www.whatcausesnoring.com link
8/15/2013 05:02:33 pm

I was there at the Raising Vegan kids presentation at the seed event in NYC. It was a wonderful experience to be a part of the event. Feel so good to be able to connect with other parents raising vegan kids.

Reply
defense thesis link
9/30/2013 02:49:59 pm

The most important single ingredient in the formula of success is knowing how to get along with people.

Reply
https://www.collegessaywriter.com/dissertation link
3/6/2019 04:38:27 am

A carpet is one of the basic requirements of the household usage. Technology is there to provide beautiful and stylish carpets in the cheapest prices as possible. It is due to the technology that the problem of carpet cleaning solved now.

Reply
Japanese Girls Pennsylvania link
11/26/2022 04:25:29 pm

Interestinng thoughts

Reply



Leave a Reply.

    Picture

    About Me

    Robyn Moore is a mom to two kids, whom she and her husband are raising vegan. She has a master's degree in elementary education. She has a certificate in Plant-Based Nutrition from Cornell University and a certificate in Humane Education from the Institute for Humane Education. She has organized the kids area at the NYC Vegetarian Food Festival since 2013, and is the organizer of NYC Vegetarian & Vegan Families Meetup, a book reviewer for VegBooks, and has taught English in Nepal, volunteered helping animals in South Africa, and lived abroad in Switzerland.

    Picture

    Archives

    November 2015
    November 2014
    September 2014
    March 2014
    December 2013
    August 2013
    April 2013
    March 2013
    January 2013
    December 2012
    October 2012
    September 2012
    August 2012
    July 2012
    June 2012
    May 2012
    April 2012
    March 2012
    February 2012
    January 2012
    December 2011
    November 2011

    Categories

    All
    100% Pure Kids
    21 Day Vegan Kickstart
    50 Awesome Ways Kids Can Help Animals
    Alicia Silverstone
    Alternatives To Coloring Eggs
    Alvin Ailey School
    Animal Friendly Vacations
    Animal Rights Coalition
    Animal Sanctuary
    April Dechagas
    Babe
    Battery Cage Hens
    Blackfish
    Blinders
    Books
    Books About Animals
    Bunnies
    Camp Kindness
    Catskill Animal Sanctuary
    Celeste Hill
    Chicks
    Chloe
    Chloe Coscarelli
    Chloe Jo Davis
    Christina Burke
    Christine Dorchak
    Christmas
    Coconut Whipped Cream
    Colin Campbell
    Coloring Easter Eggs
    Compassionate Kids
    Cow
    Crazy Rumors Lip Balm
    Cruelty Free Easter
    Cynthia King
    Cynthia King Dance Studio
    Dairy
    Dairy Cruelty
    Daisy’s Greyt Escape
    Dallas Rising
    Dog Racing
    Donny Moss
    Ducklings
    Easter
    Eco Birthday Party
    Eco Kids
    Egg Industry
    Eggnots
    Elephants
    Elizabeth Forel
    Ellie Aaron
    Empathy In Children
    Environmental Camp
    Equine Advocate
    Eric Hopf
    Factory Farming
    Factory Farms
    Friendship Soup
    Fruits
    Fruit Turkey Centerpiece
    Fur
    Fur And Feathers
    Fur & Feathers
    Garlic- Onion- Beet- Spinach- Mango- Carrot- Grapefruit Juice
    Gentle Living
    Gingerbread House
    Green Birthday Party
    Gretchen Primack
    Grey2k Usa
    Greyhound Racing
    Greyhounds
    Halloween
    Happy
    Healthy
    Healthy Eating
    Healthy Eating Kids
    Heart
    Heidi Rogers Mystic
    Help Animals
    Hillary Feerick
    Horse Collapse In Nyc
    Horse Cruelty
    Horton Hears A Who
    Hospcotch Nail Polish
    Hsus
    Humane Books
    Humane Education
    Humane Educators
    Humane Kids
    Humane Society Of The United States
    Ihe
    Ingrid E. Newkirk
    Ingrid Newkirk
    Institute For Humane Education
    Isa Chandra Moscowitz
    Isa Chandra Moskowitz
    Jeff Hillenbrand
    Jeff Repanich
    Jennifer Medley
    Jenniffer Gannett
    Jessica Almy
    Jill Fehrenbacher
    Joel Fuhram
    Josh Latham
    Kate Skwire
    Kathy Stevens
    Kc Theisen
    Kia Robertson
    Kidlicous
    Kids
    Kids And Animals
    Kids Book
    Kids Books
    Kids Gone Raw
    Kids Helping Animals
    Kim Korona
    Kind Kids
    Kindness
    Liz Longacre
    Lottie Hanson
    Lush Bath Bombs
    Maddie Sobel
    Marsha Rakestraw
    Meatless Monday
    Meet Your Meat
    Michelle Carr
    Michelle Schwegmann
    Milk Cruelty
    Mitch Spinach
    MOGO
    Moon Cake
    Nathalie Vanbalen
    New Year
    Nora Kramer
    Nyc Horse
    Nyc Vegetarian Food Festival
    Owen Ford
    Pcrm
    Pele
    Peta
    Peta Kids
    Rainbow Food
    Rainbow Kit
    Raising A Vegan
    Raising A Vegetarian
    Raising Compassionate Kids
    Raising Vegan Kids
    Raising Veg Kids
    Robyn Moore
    Rory Freedman
    Ruby Roth
    Sarah Gross
    Seaworld
    Skinny Bitch Bun In The Oven
    Social Justice Kids
    Star Cupcakes
    Storytime
    Susty Party
    Switch Witch
    T. Colin Campbell
    Teaching Kids About Animals
    Teachkind
    Terry Hope Romero
    Thanksgiving Kids Crafts
    That
    The Coaltion To Ban Horse Drawn Carriages
    The Rainbow Bunch
    The Rescue Princesses
    The Secret Life Of Mitch Spinach
    The Seed A Vegan Experience
    These Little Piggies Have Tofu
    Tilikum
    Today I Ate A Rainbow
    Tumeric Dye
    Turkey
    Vegan African Safari
    Vegan Babies
    Vegan Bake Sale
    Vegan Baking
    Vegan Ballet Slippers
    Vegan Birthday Party
    Vegan Camp
    Vegan Candy
    Vegan Christmas
    Vegan Christmas Cookies
    Vegan Classroom
    Vegan Conference
    Vegan Cookies
    Vegan Cooking With Kids
    Vegan Crafts
    Vegan Cupcakes
    Vegan Cupcakes Take Over The World
    Vegan Dance
    Vegan Dye
    Vegan Easter
    Vegan Easter Cookies
    Vegan Easter Eggs
    Vegan Eggs
    Vegan Families
    Vegan Family
    Vegan Food
    Vegan Food Coloring
    Vegan Gift
    Vegan Gift Basket
    Vegan Gingerbread House
    Vegan Girl
    Vegan Goodie Bags
    Vegan Halloween
    Vegan Household Cleaners
    Vegan Icing
    Vegan Is Love
    Vegan Kid
    Vegan Kid Necklace
    Vegan Kids
    Vegan Kids Books
    Vegan Kids Crafts
    Vegan Kids Gifts
    Vegan Mac And Cheese
    Vegan Macaroni And Cheese
    Vegan Parent
    Vegan Parenting
    Vegan Party Decorations
    Vegan Party Favors
    Vegan Personal Care
    Vegan Pregnancy
    Vegan Present
    Vegan Product Guide
    Vegan Products
    Vegan Pumpkin Cupcakes
    Vegan Recipe
    Vegan Safari Vegan Kids
    Vegan Soup
    Vegan Sprinkles
    Vegan Teacher
    Vegan Teen
    Vegan Teenager
    Vegan Thanksgiving
    Vegan Treats
    Veg Babies
    Vegbooks
    Vegetables
    Vegetable Soup
    Vegetarian Babies
    Vegetarian Camp
    Vegetarian Easter
    Vegetarian Family
    Vegetarian Kid
    Vegetarian Kids
    Vegetarian Safari
    Vegfamily
    Veg Family
    Veggies
    Veg Kid
    Vegkids
    Veg Kids
    Vegkins
    Veg Parent
    Whales
    Whole Foods
    Wooden Eggs
    Yea Camp
    Your Time Travels
    Youth Empowered Action Camp
    Zebra
    Zoe Weil

    RSS Feed

    Picture
Proudly powered by Weebly
Photo used under Creative Commons from dcysurfer / Dave Young