vegetarian or sock eating?

One day last week Sophia came to me and said "mom I wanna become a vegetarian"...I laughed  gave her my blessing and told her good luck with that because vegetarians eat exactly that VEGETABLES!!  I didn't think much of it really.

Now please don't think I am a mean mom, that is how I joke with the kids. 

The next day when she came from school she told me "mom I wanna eat my sock!" Why I asked her surprised??  Because I can't eat meat she replied in a frustrating tone of voice she was also upset because she had to give up ham and bacon and hamburgers, oh yeah I had forgotten about the vegetarian stuff.  Darn it! I thought she is for reals, when did she get a mind of her own?  where does she gets all these ideas?  Of course I am kidding with the mind thing, she is and has always been very smart what I mean is why do kids want to do things their own way?  Maybe because they won't stay kids forever?  Maybe they won't always do what mom says or wants?

Anyways, she wants to avoid red meat which is a good thing.  Her like myself is a meat lover and that does not mean that we eat meat everyday it only means that if you give us a choice of a steak, chicken or fish we will surely go for the meat (she does not eat fish at all so she has less choices).  I guess she got the meat lover thing from me besides the gap in her front teeth and the curls.

Well a whole week passed and she was fine and I didn't do it on purpose but it so happened that I didn't cook meat at all during the week.  She kept saying the phrase "Ever since I became a vegetarian..."  Well I thought the test will come for her sooner or later and it did.  The neighbors had a birthday party and we were invited guess what they had? carne asada tacos (grilled meat tacos).  She said she didn't want any but later I realized she didn't want to eat the meat so I offered her some bean tacos and she agreed.

Later I had a small talk with her and told her how I feel about the situation.  It really scares me!  It scares me that I don't know how to help her with that big change. I don't know much about vegetarians, I know there are all different kinds and they do it for all different reasons.  I have been trying hard to introduce different vegetables in all different kind of ways.  I have been steering away from meats and cold cuts at the house, getting rid of refined sugars and grains and flours and all that. I am afraid that she won't get the nutrients from the other food groups or a proper diet (she is very picky you should know that too).  

I am so proud oh her trying to make changes to her diet, she is really eating more veggies.  All I  told her if she wants to skip meat is all right and if she wants to eat it once in a while it's all right too I know she can get her protein from all different sources. Eating a balanced diet is very important specially during her growing years.  Exercising is important also she is know for not liking exercise or sports.  She smiled at me and seemed quiet and peaceful I guess she liked the idea of eating meat once in a while instead of her socks.

Just for illustration purposes this is Sophia's socks drawer.  She likes colors and is known for wearing all kinds of colorful socks or stockings ...she says she gets a lot of compliments at school.  I guess if she decided to eat socks she would have a great variety! lol!!  

Wish me luck with my self proclaimed vegetarian tween.

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