Vegetarian wife forbids oldest son from eating meat, despite wanting to, his stepdad encourages him, causing marital crisis: 'Oh, your lifestyle is morally correct and mine isn't?'

Author image for Briana Viser
Briana Viser • Writer and Editor
Sep 11, 2025 12:00 PM EDT

Vegetarianism has gone in and out of style for decades now. It's always had its fair share of stereotypes regarding the types of people who choose not to eat meat. Maybe you're on your animal rights high horse going to rally's, holding signs about animal lives. Maybe you just don't like the idea of eating something that used to be alive. Regardless of your reason, it can be a point of contention for some people. 

Take the couple in this story as an example. The narrator is the husband, and he married his wife when they both had children from previous marriages. She was always vegetarian, and she raised her children to be vegetarian. After blending the households, one of his son's decides he also wants to be vegetarian. But over time, her oldest son decides that he doesn't want to be vegetarian anymore. He's encouraging, but she says under no circumstances is he going to eat meat. Read the full story below. 

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  • 01

    WIBTA if I insist my stepson be allowed to eat meat?

    Cheezburger Image 10551691008
    via Timur Weber from Pexels / Canva

    Image is representative only and does not depict the actual subjects of the story.

  • 02
    Here's the thing. My wife and I were both single parents when we got married. She is a vegetarian and was raising her
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  • 03
    kids as vegetarians. My oldest, shortly after the wedding decided he also wanted to be a vegetarian. Fine. The vegetarian
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  • 04
    food is already being bought and prepared, so if that's what he wants to do it's no skin off my nose.
    via u/Own-Breadfruit-2335
  • 05
    Well a few days ago my wife's oldest son decides that he is sick of being a vegetarian. He wants to eat meat. My wife did not have
    via u/Own-Breadfruit-2335
  • 06
    the same laid back reaction I did when my son stopped eating meat. She categorically forbade
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  • 07
    him to eat meat. She said after all these years his body won't be able to handle it anyway. I said.
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  • 08
    we could start him out on chicken stock and see how he reacts to that and she was P ED.
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  • 09
    We ended up arguing and she told me under no circumstances are her kids eating meat and to stay out of it. I said why was it
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  • 10
    okay for my son to stop eating meat but not okay for her son to start. She said that's different. I said "oh, because your lifestyle is
    via u/Own-Breadfruit-2335
  • 11
    morally correct and mine isn't?" She said I was being an a
    via u/Own-Breadfruit-2335
  • 12
    My stepson still really wants to eat meat. The smart part of me wants to be quiet and the
    via u/Own-Breadfruit-2335
  • 13
    stubborn part wants to support him. Would I be an a if I refused to drop this?
    via u/Own-Breadfruit-2335
  • 14
    SomeCommonSe... • 22h ago lol I can guarantee that kid. has been smashing the Big Macs for a while now. He's
    via u/SomeCommonSensePlse
  • 15
    just finally worked up the courage to bring it up with his Mum. No need to start with chicken stock my friend.
    via u/SomeCommonSensePlse
  • 16
    Dafi30537 22h ago • How old is your son? As soon as I started middle school the regular hangout
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  • 17
    spot for after school was a McDonald's or local fries shop (yes those are a thing in the Netherlands). I cant
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  • 18
    Vegetarian meal
    via Heather Brock from Pexels / Canva

    Image is representative only and does not depict the actual subjects of the story.

  • 19
    count how many burgers and meat snacks we have consumed but I am sure we have put some children of the restaurant owner through college.
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  • 20
    At some point your stepson is gonna have his own friend group and hangout spots. He is not gonna ask mommy
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  • 21
    to make his lunch anymore. If he wants to eat meat he will as soon as he gets this kind of independence.
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  • 22
    I am a bit torn about your part. On one side she is his parent and should decide how she wants to raise him.
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  • 23
    On the other side she is most likely doing more harm then good in her relationship with her kid.
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  • 24
    I would at least advise not to do anything behind her back. It will kill your relationship if she finds out
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  • 25
    you help him with something she is morally against. But I would be vocal about how your stepson should be able to make his
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  • 26
    Meat
    via TR Davis from Pexels / Canva

    Image is representative only and does not depict the actual subjects of the story.

  • 27
    own life choices, just like she made hers when she became vegan. Maybe have a private heart-to-heart with
    via u/Dafi30537
  • 28
    her how she will not be able to control his diet his entire life. And that forbidding to
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  • I dabbled in vegetarianism for a couple years in my teens. It's really not the diet for me. Truthfully, I love meat. I love meat and cheese, and animal products in general. I will never understand how people can fully assuage themselves without eating meat ever.

  • 29
    make his own choices might push him away when he gets older.
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  • 30
    Instead she can slowly guide him towards relatively good choices. Like more free range types of meat, or from
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  • 31
    local farmers instead of big corporate companies. And make him aware why she decided to become vegan.
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  • 32
    Maybe after he starts with meat he will be more conscious about it or maybe not even like it that much.
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  • 33
    But if she gives him no room to explore he will only push back more when he gets older.
    via u/Dafi30537

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