Massachusetts Vegetarian Kid

Here's Elias (on left) being discovered by the media.

When the holidays approach and you have a vegetarian family member, you have choices for Thanksgiving dinner that meat-eating families don't have to decide. In one family in Cambridge, Massachusetts, one son, Elias has been a vegetarian since he was four years old, while his younger brother, Theo, age 5, is just as determined to continue his meat-eating ways.

But this story is about Elias, age 8, who is on a mission to change the world into a more vegetarian one. So, like anyone with a passion, Elias, with the help of his mom, Rachel, has taken to the internet to express his views. In pictures and in words, Elias proudly announces his belief that animals should stay alive and he backs his words with connections to other vegetarians and even donates money to causes that provide better treatment for animals.

In reality, though, this situation left the parents with a dilemma regarding what will be on the family menu. When you hear the SEGMENT which aired on NPR, you might think that they relinquished control of their diets to an 8-year-old child. But they may actually be providing some important life lessons to their two sons by encouraging dialogue and consideration of each others' feelings, while demonstrating that each child is significant and important.



Meanwhile, check out Elias' posts on his own blog, ELIAS SAYS DON'T EAT MEAT. Thanks to this article about Elias: http://thepollinationproject.org/grants-awarded/rachel-elias-gunther-elias-vs-the-world/ for introducing Elias and his views.

By the way, for a short time when I was growing up, one of my brothers had decided he wanted to be vegetarian. My family had a different solution, since his views were prompted by a wish to eat healthier. My parents also had three of us who liked meat, so we ended up eating more vegetables and more meals with chicken and fish, rather than a complete switch. Remember, each family is different and comes up with different solutions. Certainly, Rachel and her husband love both of their children and are brilliantly utilizing this family negotiation to teach some great life lessons.

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