Parents Won't Let You Be Vegan?

Hi everyone! I'm very lucky to have a mom who really supports me in this journey. I wanted to give you some tips to explain to your parents that you want to be vegan and how to deal with any misconceptions or confusion.

Tip #1: Be INFORMED - Make sure before you tell your parents that you would like to try out a vegan lifestyle, you know just how many calories you'll need in a day, where to get your nutrients, and have lots of knowledge about the cruelty of the factory farming industry. If you know your stuff and are educated on all things vegan, your parents will see that and trust you.
Note: Make sure you are aware of vitamins and nutrients that are difficult to obtain from this diet such as vitamin B12. Ask your parents to accompany you to the doctor as you learn about how to properly nourish your body on this lifestyle.

Tip #2: Take responsibility - When you become vegan, you'll be doing a lot more things that the rest of your family doesn't have to do. Tell your parents you will be responsible for making your own meals, buying extra fruit (you'll be eating a lot of it), packing a bag full of fruits and vegan snacks whenever you go somewhere, having an app on your phone to find vegan-friendly restaurants, etc. Your parents will find it easier to accept your new diet if you take more responsibility for yourself.

Tip #3: Be gentle and gracious - Approach your parents gently and avoid the drama. This information will likely be new to them! Most parents don't really know the truth about what goes on behind the slaughterhouse walls, so don't force it. Communicate well, stay calm and positive about your feelings and your decision.

Tip #4: Don't judge - Be very clear that you are choosing this lifestyle for YOU and the movement while trying not to make your parents feel like bad people or make any judgments toward family members who are not making the same choices as you.

I hope this post was helpful for any of you new to the vegan "world". Don't get discouraged if your parents don't totally accept the new ideas you'll be presenting, and keep being a positive example for your family.

More information for your research:

Documentaries: "Earthlings" "Forks Over Knives" "Cowspiracy"
Speeches: "Gary Yourofsky's Best Speech You'll Ever Hear"
Books: "Skinny Bitch" "The Starch Solution" "80/10/10"