One might assume, that when they tell someone else — especially a loved one — they have restrictions with food, that there would be enough respect for the boundaries. Unfortunately, that doesn't seem to be the case for a grandmother towards her vegetarian granddaughter.
In a post on Reddit's JUSTNOMIL thread, a mother asked for advice after learning that her mother-in-law had duped her nine-year-old vegetarian daughter into eating meat.
"My nine-year-old daughter became a vegetarian about eight months ago (thanks to her friend’s older sister’s influence) and takes it surprisingly seriously, given her age," the user explained. "For some bizarre reason, my mother-in-law [MIL] has a serious problem with it and hates that my husband and I allow it."
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The mother wrote, that she, her husband and MIL started a "small confrontation" about the situation but ultimately decided to let it go when the parents both stressed they were no longer "interested in her input."
However, things reached boiling point when the family attended a dinner, hosted by her MIL.
"She served spaghetti," the poster said. "It was a meat sauce for the rest of us, but when she gave my daughter her bowl, she said all sweetly, 'And a special veggie sauce just for you.' Halfway through her bowl, my daughter started to panic."
Top Comments
I'm not being fussy or picky - for me it's always been about animal cruelty in the food industries - I just didn't want to be part of it.
This 9 year old sounds very bright and mature for her age and seems to have a carefully considered ethical compass in place.
I've encountered many meat-eaters like this MIL - and she/they lack respect.
Don't force your kids to eat anything she's prepared because you can't risk them being victims of her ignorance.