People make all kinds of dietary choices for all kinds of different reasons – whether they’re because of ethics, concern over the environment, or health, it’s really no one’s business but their own.
That becomes more debatable, though, when their choices start to affect those around them. We’ve seen stories where people trying to put their pets on vegan diets, and of course, all parents make diet choices for their children.
When this mom on TikTok said she would be feeding her baby a 100% vegan diet, though, other moms had quite a few questions.
https://www.tiktok.com/@tasjrose/video/7064577152930499846?is_copy_url=1&is_from_webapp=v1
Natasha Callahan (@tasjrose on TikTok) is a 25-year-old first time mom with a fairly popular social media platform. She and her 7-month-old daughter Oak are followed and loved by many other TikTok moms.
The video that caused a stir, though, was one in which she shared that Oak would also be vegan, meaning her diet would not contain any animal byproducts at all.
Comments ranged from calling her “cruel” for depriving her kid of cow’s milk to threatening to call “child services please,” and women certain that “one day when they grow up older they will start eating meat.”
Other moms and commenters came to Natasha’s defense, though, like popular user Emma Hutton.
https://www.tiktok.com/@tasjrose/video/7061573479425953029?is_copy_url=1&is_from_webapp=v1
“Babies certainly can sustain themselves on a vegan diet, as a vegan family I would assume they know the food groups well enough to give the child.”
For her part, Natasha has responded that though this is her personal choice, she has no problem if her daughter wants to try out non-vegan diets when she grows up – much like the meat-eating parents of kids who decide to go the opposite direction.
There’s nothing inherently unhealthy about a vegan diet, so as long as the parents are aware of dietary requirements, their kids’ needs will be met.
Like Natasha said, her child is “well cared for, happy, and healthy. And that’s all that matters.”
https://www.tiktok.com/@tasjrose/video/7052282532850699525?referer_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.distractify.com%2F&referer_video_id=7052282532850699525&refer=embed
Let’s save our outrage for the things that really matter, and worry about protecting kids who really need it, eh?
Just a thought. We should at least give it a try!
