811 Blog

My daughter, who is 5 years old, is not a raw vegan (and neither is her mom). My approach as a parent with a fairly strict diet is to be a good example.

I eat my raw foods in front of her (and her mom), demonstrate the ease of preparing food, and how I handle eating in public and at restaurants.

I do not to criticize or talk negatively about what she is eating, for example, "oh that's high fat and filled with salt, bad, bad, bad". Instead I make an effort to talk positively about what we are eating in general, specifically using words and phrases like "nutrient dense food" and "fresh ripe whole foods". 

I also try to steer my daughter silently and subtly to healthier choices, for example, a smoothie instead of a milkshake. My re-directions only work say 20% of the time, and I accept that sometimes she will drink the milkshake.

Basically, I am positive role model who occasionally gives weak re-directions. At the grocery store when we are together we hang out almost exclusively in the produce section, and I ask that she identify and choose her favorite fruits and vegetables. This does not guarantee that she eats what she has chosen, but I think it raises the probability that she eats produce.

This is my method, and I accept that it may not make sense to everyone. I live in a household where only I am on this unique diet.