So, let me start with the usual disclaimers. I eat meat, my wife and I are not vegetarians. We live in a relatively rural area and have family members that hunt, we make deer sausage, bratwurst and summer sausage, we have relatives that are raising chickens to eat. We tend to be pretty "progressive" when it comes to our kids. Okay so now you have half the picture. 

About a week ago our 3-1/2 yo son played with the chickens that will eventually be eaten. The next day he had a meltdown when we were getting ready to eat, you guessed it, chicken. Tonight we were watching a travel show that was showing fishermen catching sardines. Our son announced about ten minutes later that he didn't want to eat fish or any animals. I don't think he is getting this idea from us.

I will say now that part of the issue is the placement of feelings and emotions to the animals, that happens in books and cartoons. So the questions for my fellow dads are 1) Is this common? 2) is this just a phase? 3) Is this vegetarianism, something that should be discouraged or encouraged? 4) what do you tell your kids if they ask about where the meat comes from? 5) any other thoughts on this subject you would like to share.

Thanks