We were having some meat for dinner last night. As I was preparing it, my 4 year old daughter asked if we were going to be eating "cow or sheep" for dinner...
How many 4-year olds ask that kind of question? hmmmmm
When my daughters were little, oh so many years ago, we were up in the Adirondaks at my aunt and uncle's. Nearly every morning I went fishing briefly, and usually pulled in a trout or two. Often, the girls would fish with me. One day, we're sitting in the cabin eating, when N. says "Abba, I wonder what part of the fish this is." Without considering much about what motivated the question or the effect of an answer, I proceeded to tell her about the muscles along the side of the fish, etc. After a few moments she pushed her plate away and said "I don't feel much like eating anymore." I hadn't considered what a little child might be thinking or how she might react behind that question. Maybe she hadn't, either, until I offered an answer.
BTW, she does still fish occasionally, so I guess she got over it. Her sister, OTOH, became a vegan...
When I first started this all, I was goign to shecht in my backyard and my wife was very nervous about the kids being traumatized. I said to get them used to it young and early. We were careful with the younger ones in the beginning, but over time they also got excited by it... so none of our kids became vegetarians or vegans from it...
That reminds me of a story...
ReplyDeleteWhen my daughters were little, oh so many years ago, we were up in the Adirondaks at my aunt and uncle's. Nearly every morning I went fishing briefly, and usually pulled in a trout or two. Often, the girls would fish with me. One day, we're sitting in the cabin eating, when N. says "Abba, I wonder what part of the fish this is." Without considering much about what motivated the question or the effect of an answer, I proceeded to tell her about the muscles along the side of the fish, etc. After a few moments she pushed her plate away and said "I don't feel much like eating anymore." I hadn't considered what a little child might be thinking or how she might react behind that question. Maybe she hadn't, either, until I offered an answer.
BTW, she does still fish occasionally, so I guess she got over it. Her sister, OTOH, became a vegan...
funny, opposite attitude from my 5 year old..always asking what part of the chicken or cow he's eating...my wife doesn't let him do that though...
ReplyDeleteyou never know how the kids will react.
ReplyDeleteWhen I first started this all, I was goign to shecht in my backyard and my wife was very nervous about the kids being traumatized. I said to get them used to it young and early. We were careful with the younger ones in the beginning, but over time they also got excited by it... so none of our kids became vegetarians or vegans from it...