There are so many great reasons to be vegan. Not only are you saving nearly 200 animals a year, youâre also helping the environmentâand it can be a huge benefit to your health. Sometimes, however, being vegan may make your little one feel as though they stand out from their classmatesâand thatâs not always a good feeling for kids. Maybe theyâre the only one in their class who eats vegan, or perhaps they have to deal with classroom dissection or field trips to places that exploit animals. Itâs important that they know their parent or guardian has their back and that you can help set them up for success when theyâre away from home. Follow these tips on advocating for your vegan kid at school.
Speak Up for Them Often
Tell the teacher that your child is vegan, and explain what that means. You may even want to provide the teacher with a few resources so they can better understand what being vegan entails. Ask them to give you a heads-up about upcoming parties or snacks so you can bring vegan treats for your little oneâor maybe the whole class. And be preparedâyou may find out about things like these at the last minute, and itâs important to try to provide a vegan version of whatever the rest of the class is having so that your kid doesnât feel left out. You could also send in some treats to be kept in the classroom for when the teacher offers treats to everyone.
Frequent conversations with your childâs teacher should be a priority. This way, you can continue to be aware of not only whatâs going on in the classroom but also how you can best support your kid and their learning experience.
Get Involved
Speaking with the teacher isnât the end of advocating for your child at schoolâitâs just the beginning. Find out whether there are opportunities for you to get involved at school. Perhaps you could volunteer in the classroom, work in the lunchroom, or make delicious vegan treats for the school bake sale. The more involved you are in your childâs school life, the more influence youâll have when it comes to advocating for your little one. Plus, it puts you in a good position to speak up about any practices at the school that harm animals.
Another great way to get involved is by joining the parent-teacher organization. The more you support the schoolâs events, meetings, and teachers, the more changes you want to make will be supported. In addition, this will help you better support your child and understand the school and how it operates.
Encourage Your Child to Speak Up, Too
Looking out for your child is super-important, as theyâre reliant on you! But thereâs no better time than the present to encourage your kid to start advocating for themselves at school. (As the adult, be sure to follow up and make sure your child is being heard.) Some good ideas are teaching them to check for certain ingredients on food labels, to ask their teacher if an item is vegan, or to politely opt out of animal dissection or cruel field trips.
Whatever your child wants or needs to avoid or advocate for, itâs important that they be able to speak up. This will be a great developmental tool that they can use for the rest of their lives!
Grow a Community
There are probably other parents in your childâs school who care about the same issues you and your family care about. Maybe your childâs classroom is talking about participating in chick hatching or the school wants to put on a âdonkey basketballâ fundraiser. Itâs vital to grow a community of parents, teachers, and school administrators who can rally to address important matters.
It can also be helpful to have relationships with a few parents in your kidâs class so that thereâs likely to be an extra pair of eyes on your child if you arenât around to speak up for them. Maybe a parent you know is helping out during a class party you canât attendâyou can lean on them to make sure your little one gets a vegan cupcake. No matter what the issue is, itâs good to have other adults around to help you speak up for your child at school.
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Have other suggestions for ways parents can help speak up for their vegan kid at school? Weâd love to hear them! Please e-mail us at [email protected].
Source: Petakids.com