Help! My Child Stopped Eating Meat!: An A-Z Guide to Surviving a Conflict of Diets

by Carol J. Adams, Virginia Messina

This original, insightful, and compassionate book empowers parents to respond with understanding and support to the surprising challenges, the worry, and changes that occur when their young person becomes a vegetarian or vegan. Although how to rear a vegetarian child is not news, addressing the conflicts parents face is. Through five chapters, the topics are arranged alphabetically for easy access. Chapter 4 is by a leading vegetarian nutritionist. A concluding chapter 6 consists of dozens of mouth-watering recipes that are easy to prepare, along with a metric-conversion table.

176 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2004

About the author

Carol J. Adams is a feminist-vegetarian theorist and author of books on eco-feminism and the links between species oppression and gender oppression.

Reviews

[Peacegal · Rating 4 out of 5]

I purchased this book for my library not because I have a child who stopped eating meat, but rather because I was a child who stopped eating meat, and I wish my family members would have had a resource like this.

Carol J. Adams has an uncanny sense for writing books that the vegetarian community desperately needs. Prior to this one, she penned the excellent Living Among Meat Eaters: The Vegetarian's Survival Handbook. Now, we have a resource for that increasingly common situation, the young vegetarian living with omnivorous parents. Adams gracefully tackles concerns ranging from “Am I supposed to cook two different meals?” to “What about Thanksgiving?” to “Will s/he get proper nutrition?”

One thing I especially appreciated about this book was that Adams encourages parents to take their teenager’s decision seriously, and not dismiss it as “just a phase.” Yes, vegetarianism is indeed temporary for some. However, the author explains that it’s a choice that needs to be respected and supported—even if it doesn’t last forever. An interest in social consciousness and/or health is a positive thing.

And hey, that’s a fantastic cover illustration.

[aaaasssiia · Rating 2 out of 5]

The ratings feature does not work with the browser I'm on, but I'd give it two stars for the informative nature of Help! My Child Stopped Eating Meat!.
The "Dr. Phil vibe" I got from the book is not exactly my thing, but if a parent is at all concerned with or disapproving of their child's decision to cut meat from their life, they should by all means pick this up.

[Linda · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great recipes to keep you and your family healthy.