Annie (AKA Hey Terra!) has been around long enough to have experienced a lot of what Life can dish out. But, it hasn’t been so long that she's forgotten what it's like to be your age. Check out some of the thousands of email questions teens from around the world have sent to Terra. You may learn something useful from her answers:
Parents:
“I get sick when I smell the meat my parents cook!”
Hey Terra,
I'm a vegetarian. For some reason every time my mom makes meat, the smell makes me sick. I can't ask my mom and my stepdad to stop making meat just cuz I hate the smell and hate the food but I also can't vomit every time they make it. What should I do?Very Veggie
Dear Very Veggie,
It's your right to be a vegetarian. And of course, it's not realistic for you to expect your mom and stepdad to stop making the kind of food that they want to eat.
People who live together should try, whenever possible, to work out some compromises. That takes a willingness to talk about the problem (calmly and maturely) and to LISTEN to their side of things in the same way that you want them to listen to you.
Your goal? To not feel nauseous when you smell meat. I'm sure they want that too. They also want the freedom to cook what they like in their own kitchen. They have that right.
Perhaps your parents could create a cooking schedule so you know when to avoid the kitchen. Maybe you could be outside when they're cooking meat. Or you could use that time to take a shower (the smell of shampoo will probably cover up the cooking smells). Or maybe simple nose plugs would help the situation.
If everyone involved in the conversation has a good attitude and a willingness to discuss things with an open heart and mind, you're likely to find a solution.
I hope that helps.
In friendship,
Terra
Need some advice? Write to Terra.
She'll give you a straight answer you can trust without any lectures.
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