Man Tells His Daughter That If She Wants To Be Vegan, She'll Need To Get A Job To Pay For Her Own Groceries
Some argue he should provide food regardless of expense, while others see it as a chance for his daughter to learn responsibility.
Pormezz / Shutterstock A man’s teenage daughter recently informed him that she would be making some significant dietary changes, meaning she would not be consuming the same meals as her family. While he wanted to support her, the additional expenses made it difficult for him to do so.
After the man’s teenage daughter decided to go vegan, he told her that she would have to get a part-time job to pay for her groceries.
In a since-deleted Reddit post, the father revealed that his 15-year-old daughter has been a vegetarian for about a year now — a transition that went well, as their family already didn't eat much meat.
Recently, however, his daughter decided that she wanted to make the move from vegetarian to vegan. When her dad made a trip to the grocery store, she asked him to pick up some vegan food items and ingredients.
“Overall, it almost doubles the price of our grocery bill,” the man wrote, adding that he does not like the taste of the vegan alternatives.
The man decided to have a discussion with his daughter about her dietary decisions.
“I told her if she goes vegan, she will have to get her own job and pay for her groceries and that we can not afford to double the grocery bill,” he wrote. “I am not going to replace things with alternatives that the family doesn’t like.”
The man and his daughter ended up getting into an argument in which she called him a “jerk.” The man’s ex-wife is siding with their daughter.
Now, the man cannot help but wonder if his request for his daughter is unreasonable and if he truly is acting like a jerk.
People were divided in the comments of the man's post.
Some argued that as the girl's father, the man is obligated to cover the expenses of her diet, no matter what.
Photo: Ground Picture / Shutterstock
“You need to feed your kid. Saying you can’t afford stable foods is [BS],” one Redditor commented.
“Your post reads as someone who has a bias against veganism and thinks that this is her problem. If she had allergies, you'd put more effort into it,” another user suggested.
However, others believed it was a perfect opportunity to teach the teenager about the consequences of her choices.
“This is where a child learns personal and responsibility in life. A fancy, expensive vegan lifestyle is a choice. Not a necessity,” one user wrote.
“Unless your daughter is vegan for dietary issues (which OP hasn't said anything about that, this seems like a personal choice), then she can certainly buy the food she prefers if what the rest of the family is eating isn't up to her standards," a fourth user commented. "But the parent isn't obligated to buy expensive food just because the child wants it.”
The man followed up with his original post, stating that he made a compromise with his daughter.
“I will give her 20 bucks, and she can buy her stuff,” he shared. “I will get my own staples, and she can figure out her own vegan meals from there.”
Some people even saw an opportunity for the man and his daughter to spend more time together and explore veganism. They pointed out that the pair could educate themselves about affordable vegan options that won’t break the bank.
Some examples include avocado toast on vegan bread, a variety of salads, and brown rice and lentils.
While parents should be supportive of their children wanting to make positive changes to their lifestyle, it is also important for them to understand the gravity of their choices. They may need to take up responsibilities, including a part-time job, to support a particular life choice.
Megan Quinn is a writer at YourTango who covers entertainment and news, self, love, and relationships.