I've decided to be vegan, purely for health reasons, but my mom and dad keep saying things like, 'Are you just following a trend?' They constantly put pastries and meat in front of me, and when I don't eat them, they get upset. What should I do? Should I give up on my intentions, or is there a way to convince them? Is there anyone who has experienced the same situation? How did you cope?
I told my family that I'm going to be vegan, and they kept teasing me, saying, 'How are you going to do that when you love meat so much?' At first, they don’t understand at all, but after I make and serve a couple of nice meals, their opinions soften. Give it some time, but also show your determination.
Changing someone's diet is often met with resistance from those around them. The way to get acceptance within the family is to effectively communicate the health benefits and the reasoning behind it. However, I would recommend not making any changes without consulting a dietitian to avoid digestive issues or deficiencies; balanced vegan eating is not easy.
I thought about it a bit more after you, and it seems like I've been personalizing the situation too much and getting worked up. Today, I made a salad for my mom and had a plate with her; we had a bit more opportunity to talk. She hasn't fully gotten used to it, but it went a bit more calmly. It seems like the issue isn’t just about the food.
Do you think it's right to take such a strict stance just saying you're vegan for health? Maybe you could find a more flexible solution. What if you didn't completely give up on foods but added alternative options instead? That way, there wouldn't be so much tension either.
I think their saying things like "are you into fashion?" is not about health issues. It might hurt your mother that you're acting like you don't like her cooking. I mean, mothers usually take pride in their work in the kitchen, so I believe that your rejecting it might have touched a nerve.
I can understand family dramas, but you know, the home environments that turn into battles over food really stress me out. When I was in the dorm, vegan friends were so chill; they chose what to eat themselves, and no one questioned them. I wish they would leave you a bit of space too.
Perhaps rather than trying to make your family understand you as a priority, you could start by trying to understand them. For them, this change might feel like more than just a change in eating habits; it could feel like losing you. Have you tried openly discussing what this new decision means to them?
