CHILDREN AND VEGETARIANISM
DR. BARBARA LATTO

The easiest way to produce more vegetarian children is to produce more vegetarian parents! The last I.V.U. Congress in Germany resulted in 12 marriages and subsequent babies. We look forward to hearing the results of the Spanish Congress in this direction!

A vegetarian diet is so excellent for children because it is: -
Easy: the only difficulties are fear and prejudice.
Attractive: to the senses (seeing, smelling, tasting).
Natural: foods are whole and fresh.
Scientific: from the physiological viewpoint and obeys the laws of compassion and love.

Let us study the subject carefully from all angles, and having made up our minds that a vegetarian regime answers all the questions satisfactorily, let us adhere to it happily and confidently-and our children will thrive on it!

We are all agreed that breast feeding is the best possible start for any infant. And we even hope that the baby may imbibe the vegetarian ideal from a vegetarian mother with the breast milk! Be that as it may-the easist phase of vegetarian feeding is in infancy, when our children are wholly under our control and influence.
Our problems begin when the youngsters start to mix with meat- and sweet-eating playmates. Though children are natural vegetarians they do not like to be too different from other children.

Fortunately we as mothers can help a great deal by providing a really varied and attractive vegetarian diet. Children like to bring their friends home, and we want to make them proud of our meals. This can easily be done by providing good fruit and fruit dishes, interesting salads including whole carrots, pieces of cauli-flower, etc., which children often prefer to grated vegetables, and which are necessary for the development of sound teeth. To this we add milk, crusty wholemeal bread and rolls (home-made if possible), and a variety of cheeses. There is also an infinite variety of savouries (for additional sources of protein), and soups to delight the young palates. All these can be prepared from really wholesome ingredients which encourage optimal growth and health.

Children love animals and feel close to them. Few children like meat to start with, many have to be forced to eat it. Which child would like to kill a chicken or a lamb or any other animal? Which child would like to eat meat after a visit to a slaughterhouse? Vegetarianism provides the answer!

We know that sound habits formed in early childhood remain a powerful influence in adult life. A child brought up on a liberal vegetarian regime is more likely to adhere to vegetarianism in later life if the associations with home feeding are pleasant ones.

We must remember that a normal, healthy child is not interested in diet reform as such-but abhors cruelty, specially if its parents do the same. And a vital factor is the parent's example. If we as parents can succeed in instilling the positive and pleasant aspects of vegetarianism into our children we shall do a lot for the future of the movement, and the youngsters are more Likely to follow our example if we use loving persuasion and sensible arguments with the older children.

Let us therefore lay sound foundations and build our house on the rock of love and compassion for all life and not on the sands of changing fashions, of diet systems - one day separating these another day those foods. Let us make sure that meal-time atmospheres are pleasant and free from hurtful criticism.

And let us remember above all things that "Man does not like by bread alone" and that even the most perfect physical diet is sadly lacking in "spiritual vitamins" without the sure background of parental love and affection.

Let us bring up our children to love " All things bright and beautiful, All creatures great and small . . ."

I have been deeply impressed by the example of our Spanish friends. They seem to have a close bond of affection with their children, a warm hearted relationship full of gaiety and much laughter. They have much to teach us in this respect.

I am fortunate in standing here before you with my dear husband the father of our five children. Parentage has taught us humility. As dieticians we long for our children to eat wholesome foods, to avoid the widespread deficiency foods. As ethical vegetarians we long for our children to adhere to the principles of humaneness in diet. It's a challenge to parents and children alike-a challenge in which we must avoid the pitfalls of fanaticism on the one hand, and of indulgence and "laissez faire" on the other hand.

Let us do the best we can in co-operation with the younger generation on whom rests the future of Vegetarianism as a way of life-a way out of cruelty - " Why kill for Food ?"