My name is S*. I've thinking about turning vegan. However, I have tried to tell my parents that I want to go vegan since there is barely anything vegan in the kitchen except the oranges, but it's hard. My dad wouldn't understand what being vegetarian means and I don't know how to explain it to him in his language. My mom, she is always cooking and eating meat or chicken so I think she would disagree and she doesn't understand. I need help, I don't want to carry on hurting animals, they don't deserve it. Please help. Thanks.
Sam
Hi S*,
Becoming a vegan is a big change to your diet as you will no longer eat any food that comes from animals, like meat, eggs and dairy products.
It sounds like you have given this a lot of thought and I know youre worried about telling your parents. Perhaps you could pick a time when they are relaxed and not busy so they have time to listen to what you are saying. You could explain your reasons for wanting to become a vegan and ask that they support you.
Youve said you would like to be able to tell your dad in his language. You could show him some information from the NHS to help him and your mum understand more about what being a vegan involves. Having some information about the types of food you will be eating will show your mum and dad that this is a healthy diet and you will still be getting all the nutrients you need.
It would make things easier for you if your mum and dad are involved as they could help by making sure there is vegan food at home. If you find that your mum and dad are not helpful, you could speak to another trusted adult could help as they might be able to speak to your parents for you.
ChildLine counsellors are also here to help if you would like to talk about this a bit more. You can contact them through 1-2-1 chat or by calling 0800 1111. You could also put up a post on the message boards to get ideas from other young people who have become vegan.
Take care, Sam
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