Okay I have been flirting for a couple years. I have a three year old that will not eat meat.  She seems to make the connection between animals and dinner she says thats yucky! Just curious what people think. If you were not pretty much forced to eat meat as a child would you like it as an adult? As a child we ate what was served us. I love the taste, but really am trying to give it up.

It's funny I have a 7 year old niece that really does not like eating meat.  Her Dad is a huge meat eater, so I'm not sure that she is making a connection between living animals and what's on her plate but I believe she simply doesn't like the taste.  Her Mom really isn't good about veggies and fruits, she is huge pasta eater but I'm hoping my niece will be able to kick the all the carbs to side one day and really start enjoying veggies and eating a more balanced meal.  My Bother-in-Law is really starting to work on incorporating better eating habits for the family, so I hoping that sticks.  

My cousin became vegetarian when she was 7 years old and her parents stood behind her and let her do what she wanted. I think when children are old enough to understand death they do initially make that connection. It's through the way we are raised that we learn what is "ok" and what is "not".

I look at it like this: Hinduism considers cows sacred and in China they think nothing about eating dogs. In China I'm sure they look at Americans and the way we treat our dogs and think we are ridiculous (sweaters, organic dog food, etc.) and we clearly don't treat cows as sacred beings.

Point being: If I was born in China I would think nothing of eating dog and if I was raised according to the Hindu religion I wouldn't eat beef. I don't think that the "chance" of where I just so happened to be born changes what is "right or wrong" to me. I just try to look at anything I question objectively and not from the way I was raised or based on my American culture.

I'm a relatively new vegan and my husband still eats meat so I'm in no way saying someone has to change. I think in any situation the best thing to do is explore how you feel OBJECTIVELY and be open to whatever direction it takes you. :) Good luck!

I didn't like meat as a child either, ground up like a hamburger or something was fine but a steak just wasn't my thing. Luckily I grew up on a produce farm so there were plenty of salad and potatoes to eat. I did however get the guilt trips from my family about not finishing my dinner and wasting the meat. When I finally decided to become a vegetarian (didn't know it existed when I was a kid) I felt so relived. I no longer had to cut through flesh or look at the gross bones of another animal on my plate. It just goes to show that maybe we're not meant to eat meat at all.

Oh I agree Sofia, I too didn't really care for the meat growing up.  Growing up my Mom always made meat, a veggie and potato or rice but I always went straight for the veggies and potato and only ate very little meat.  I still remember times when my Mom got home from store and was all excited about making steak for dinner, She always thought I was a bit strange because I was never excited and was more worried about veggie she would be making.  LOL  :)It was truly wonderful becoming an adult and making my own decisions on what would go on my plate.  
Angel Jimenez, I think it's wonderful that your niece was able to become a vegetarian at age 7.  Wonderful that her parents were understanding. For my niece it's not possible, I fully believe meat will always be in her home, but am thankful she barely touches it.

I hated meat when I was a kid too! I loved all veggies but would spit out meat if my mom tried to feed it to me even as a baby! She used to try to chop it up and disguise it in spinach or other leafy greens that I loved just to get me to eat it. When I was 5 she told me we went out to a restaurant and they ordered chicken wings or something, and I sat there and stared at the chicken leg on my plate, and then held it upright and asked "Mom, Is this a leg??" She said yes, it's from a chicken. I said "How did it die?" She responded that we killed it to eat. I said "You killed the chicken??" She said "No, someone else did." Apparently then I made a face, pushed my plate away and refused to eat it anymore. Eventually I started eating meat because everyone tells you it's healthy and you need it and whatnot. Now I am so happy because I finally know I can be healthy without eating meat or dairy and I am feeling better than ever!