Had to laugh... and a question

[Stephanie]

After reading Robin's example of seeing a rat when you see pork, etc, it's become something that we use as an illustration with my daughter. (Ok - so sometimes I'm silly and tell my daughter in the grocery store - not where others can hear us - that the rat is on sale.) Long story short, it's explained to her in a way that she could understand that pork, etc isn't considered food.

She spent the night at a friend's last week, and while she's gone I get a text message that said... "I'm sorry. I ate rat." She said that she didn't know how to explain to them that she didn't eat pork, and when they served her pork chops for lunch she ate a few bites rather than tell them that she wasn't eating it. (In her defense we've never eaten pork chops so she honestly didn't know what it was till she tasted it.) We've had that conversation and my husband, who grew up in a kosher home, has given her some phrases to use. We know that we now need to remember to talk to parents about it when we take her places that we won't be for meals. But, I thought it was hysterical that she referred to it as rat instead of pork. See Robin, you are leaving lasting impressions on my daughter. :) (Actually, you leave much more positive ones on her through your HOW materials!)

How have you prepared your children to handle these situations? My daughter doesn't have any fear in discussing her faith with anyone, though she does get tongue tied when going against the "norm" of society sometimes because after all she's only 11. Any good advice? We're working on her understanding scripture for herself so that it's not just repeating canned answers, though those have their place too with kids I think. I keep thinking that if it's a hard conversation for adults to have sometimes it has got to be a tough one for a kid going up against an adult.

[Jody]

The difficulty arises due to the fact she was not raised this way... I am not laying blame. But all the jewish kids I know would not have a problem simply saying they do not eat pork. end of story. It is acceptable. I know many children who are adventists too. Many are vegetarian. Same thing. They simply don't eat meat. end of story. It really isn't that hard unless you allow it to be. But when we change, from a period of time when it was OK to now it isn't. That is what causes the confusion. Wouldn't it have been wonderful to grow up in a home and society where these kinds of issues simply weren't there? I long for the time when we will be able to be in the "norm" instead of feeling like we are constantly swimming against the stream. Due to our geographical area and society, that is not the case. But someday YHVH will rule and reign and we will all keep His Torah. Hallelu'Yah!