RAISING VEGAN CHILDREN IN A NON-VEGAN WORLD – A COMPLETE GUIDE FOR PARENTS
Erin Pavlina interviewed by Claudette Vaughan

Founder of VegFamily.com and author, Erin Pavlina wrote an indispensable guide to raising vegan children. In it she provides her readers with advise on how to make an easy transition to veganism for children of any age. There’s advise on how to raise vegan children if your spouse is not vegan and how to ensure that teachers and caregivers respect your vegan lifestyle. Michael Klaper said of the book “How to Raise Vegan Children in a Non-Vegan World” that “to raise a child as a vegan in this very non vegan world is an act of courage, principle and compassion. It takes a writer with those qualities, like Erin Pavlina, to create the ultimate guide to this extremely challenging task … and I recommend this book most highly”.

Abolitionist: Erin, how does one raise vegan children in a non-vegan world?

Erin Pavlina: Initially it involves some planning. You want to make sure your kids are getting proper vegan nutrition. But once you've learned that, you can then tackle the social and emotional challenges involved in raising vegan children in a non-vegan world. My book covers all those areas, and includes tips from real parents raising vegan children.

Abolitionist: What age can a child drink soy milk and derive benefit from it or is every child different requiring different needs?

EP: I would hold off on giving a child soy milk until they are at least 1 year of age.

If allergies are an issue in your family, wait until the child is 2. There are other milks besides soy milk, such as almond, oat, or rice milk that are wonderful substitutes for cow’s milk. Also, water is best for your child. Many vegans get B12, calcium and vitamin D from fortified non-dairy beverages. So that's a plus.

Abolitionist: Is 'Raising Vegan Children...' born from out of your own experience?

EP: Definitely. But since my first child was young when I wrote the book, I made sure to interview dozens of other vegan families with older vegan children to make sure I was getting information from people who had been there and done that.

Abolitionist: What special situations occur with young children being vegan?

EP: There are many social issues that come up with young vegan children. School situations, possible teasing, being different, food choices, parties, field trips, fundraisers, clubs, and health issues are all covered in the book.

Abolitionist: What about pre-teens and young teens?

EP: Once a vegan child becomes a pre-teen or teenager, they do face different challenges. But at least they are old enough to understand why they are vegan. That can help considerably to deal with peer pressure. I've known many vegan teens who are full of confidence and conviction for their vegan beliefs and serve as a compassionate example to other teens.

Abolitionist: What about teenagers and junk food?

EP: If junk food is the only problem a teenager is dealing with, consider yourself lucky. But seriously, teach your child to make healthy food choices. Bringing a healthy lunch from home is preferable to what they will likely be offered in school. Limit the junk food but don't totally restrict it or they may start sneaking it into their repertoires.

Abolitionist: How have you dealt with parties, potlucks and picnics in a non-vegan world?

EP: I find out in advance what the host is planning to serve and then I send my child to the party with a vegan version (i.e. veggie dogs or veggie burgers or vegan pizza). I always send extra cupcakes, ice cream, or cake so the other kids can try what my child is eating. For situations like potlucks, I just bring 2 or 3 dishes instead of 1 to ensure me and my family will always have enough to eat. And of course, always bring extra for sharing.

Abolitionist: How have you dealt with day care centres and teachers and principles on the topic of your child being vegan?

EP: I bring in a one-page list of foods my child can and cannot eat and the teacher will tape it to a cupboard for easy reference. I include my contact phone numbers on that page so they can reach me at any time of the day if they have a question. So far, every one of my kids' teachers have been very respectful. Accidents have happened, but 99% of the time, they know exactly what do to. I also send a bag of non-perishable vegan goodies to school so that when other parents bring in cupcakes or something, my children will have a treat from their stash. Make it easy on the teacher and she is more likely to go along with your request.

Abolitionist: Are vegan children treated any differently because they think, live and eat differently from their peers?

EP: So far we have not encountered any teasing because of our veganism. In fact, most of the classmates are curious and intrigued by my children's diets. I see it as a wonderful opportunity to live by example. I teach my kids never to judge others who are not vegan, and not to preach about begin vegan, but simply to let people see what being vegan is like. Many of the parents have come up to me to find out how to get their children to eat as healthily as mine do. That tells me I'm on the right track.