The Carnivore Granny
My wife and children are all vegetarians – something which my mother studiously chooses to ignore whenever we go to stay. How can I politely ask her to accommodate their diet choice? Or is it a lost cause?
Dr Pat Spungin replies:
Your question implies that your mother is making her own personal views known by cooking non-vegetarian food for vegetarians. I assume you have tried to tell her that your wife and children don’t eat meat and she has simply ignored it. Personally, I wouldn’t make a fuss. All you can do is just to tell her not to serve your wife and children with whatever meat/fish is included in the meal. Don’t comment beyond that. If she does try and persuade your children to accept the meat or fish, just say very firmly; ‘They’re vegetarian – they don’t eat meat’ or, if the children are old enough, they can tell her themselves.
Probably the person it’s hardest on is your wife – your mother’s behaviour is a tacit comment on the lifestyle she and her children are following. If she can take the moral high ground and stay calm for the sake of family harmony, the best thing to do here is let it pass.
