My nine-year-old son Garrett is serious about no longer eating meat. I knew this day would come, because he gets really upset when we walk by the meat counter at the supermarket. He has been asking a lot of questions about what he can eat. I have put no pressure on him at all, and told him that it's completely his choice what he wants to eat. I will not be angry with him if he chooses to eat meat. But I will support him and teach him how to transition. I remember when I stopped eating meat a few years ago, at first I wasn't sure what to do. I just replaced the meat in my diet with fake meats or tofu. My diet was a work in progress, and it still is. I didn't get rid of everything all at once.
Yesterday I was watching a segment of Ellen (love her!) in which Jonathon Safron Foer (love him!) was talking about his new book, Eating Animals:
I called Garrett into the room to watch it with me. I want to educate him, but not pressure him. I want him to know that animals in factory farms are not treated well, but I don't want to traumatize him with visions of pigs being slaughtered. He really, really wants me to buy this book so we can both read it.
I'm so excited I just want to squeal!
I have also been telling him some of the health reasons that I do not eat animal products, and what a meat-filled diet can do to your heart and body.
While we were watching this interview on TV, Garrett said something that really struck me. He said, "It's gross that we are meat, and we eat meat."
Gross is right. We don't need it. I need to buy that book now.
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