Going Cold Turkey: Vegetarianism (Part III - My Children)

It's a long way off at the moment, barring a life shattering accident, but if/ when I have children, is it right that I would bring them up vegetarian? 

Since turning, it dawned on me I will probably have the responsibility of feeding tiny humans of my own one day who can't fend for themselves, so it would make sense that I try to pass on the veg baton, right? 

My choice to not eat meat would stand for even less in the grand scheme of things if I can't at least influence my offspring to make the same choice, so while I'm in charge of their morals in the early years, I would definitely make our collective living a meat free zone. 

This may seem oppressive on my part, but isn't all parenting? and of course they will be allowed to make their own mind up when the time comes, and sneak off to confirm the fables they've heard about beef burgers should they so desire. However, hopefully by then I'll have conditioned them so that they throw up or feel a sharp pain in their spine anytime they see meat.

I wouldn't make it so black and white and poison their minds with "look, you either kill innocent animals for no reason, or you don't", but I would pass on what I have learnt and what it means to me, because I trust that what I know, and what I will come to know is of worth to them.

Whilst this may want them to rebel and eat meat as if it were the forbidden fruit, I'll have done my bit. Though it's probably incredibly naive and ignorant of me to say as a non-parent, but ideally I think I would be happy for my future progeny to ignore my lessons on life if they come to not truly believe them. Even though they are just kids and, what do they know!?   

I can see the poor things now, sitting at school with chickpea sandwiches; everyone else is finishing off their mum's leftovers of last nights roast and sneering at how weird it is to never have eaten a chicken wing. 

But fuck those kids, my children of the future! Use shock and awe, threaten to put their cat on a spit and chew at its deep-fried legs, how would they feel about it then!?

I quite like these invented children of mine, I've grown so close to them over this post, they've got guts. Maybe i'll try to speed up their existence and set up a test tube experiment in my room.