Woop it up Wednesday

Tomorrow is my eldest child’s birthday.  And she chose a chocolate mud cake to celebrate.

Nothing particularly unusual in that. Incidentally, there were many years when I made the birthday cakes for the family, in all sorts of elaborate forms and shapes, but the novelty currently has worn off.  I may become inspired again, one day…This beauty came from Coles patisserie in Balgowlah, Sydney, Australia.  (Just in case, there is someone from Abu Dhabi or other interested parties looking in at some point).

No, the unusual thing is that it is her farewell to dairy products and becoming a vegan.

At seven years old, having watched a Dr Dolittle film (original and best) she asked the normal sort of questions little children ask.  “Mummy, where does this come from?”  referring to the lamb cutlet on her plate.

Where do we go with this one? Is it a Santa type question, where a little white lie, could mean adding years of innocent pleasure for your children – or creating a minor moral dilemma about ’telling the truth’ always…or something else?

I told her the truth, the lamb was a baby sheep “yes” just like the ones in the fields behind Grandma’s house.  Thinking this would be a passing moment, as it is for most of us.

In my mind, I put into the category of the ‘dummy’.  I should have known better with H.  When she was little, and first born, I of course received a mass of unsolicited advice about ‘what to do’ on child raising.  To give them a pacifier? or not to?

In desperation, after weeks of sleepless nights, and sore boobs, but let’s not go there.  I gave in to the ‘dummy’.

On the whole, the advice of those that said it was ‘ok’ and she would grow out of it, was correct.  By the time she went to her lovely little Sunflower Montessori pre-school, she in fact, did NOT have a dummy hanging out of her mouth.  So the ‘yes’ brigade, were right in that instance.

She has, however, been a total vegetarian, since she was seven.  So expecting, that particular interest not to work out went by the boards.

It takes a lot of strength as a child to turn down lollies because they have gelatine in them, and she always checked and asked.

I embrace her view that animals should be treated well and with respect. I think quite often that I turn the other cheek looking at pre-packaged food from the supermarket (although I do that minimalist thing of at least buying food that says it is free-range, or reared humanely).

Would I eat it if I had to kill it? Probably not.  But I do think there are farmers out there who look after their stock very well, and until we find an alternative as a civilisation then I can’t be too hypocritical.  I’m not ready to start eating bugs yet.

And here we are, on the verge of a new commitment for H, which I have no doubt, if she whole-heartedly embraces will be a lengthy, if not, life-long one.

Happy birthday darling and always follow your heart.

What would you give up to solve a moral dilemma in your life?