Things Bad Guys Do

Pete and I took the kids to a Fourth of July pancake breakfast and parade yesterday in Sausalito. We drove there in separate cars (since I was a huge sleepy-head and didn't wake up in time to leave with the rest of the family). So when it came time to leave the parade and head home, we split up -- Luke with me, Kyle with Pete. While we were driving home, Luke and I got stuck in a small traffic jam (unfortunately, the exit for our town is also the best exit to use for anyone and everyone who wants to visit Stinson Beach, Muir Beach, Muir Woods and just about every other major attraction this side of the Golden Gate Bridge.) As we were inching along, somehow Luke and I got into a very random conversation about "what Bad Guys do/don't do." For example, we decided that Bad Guys probably wouldn't care whether Luke had buckled his seat belt before they started driving away (Mommy obviously cares about this!). In fact, we decided that Bad Guys probably don't even buckle their own seat belts. We also agreed that Bad Guys might own pets, but that they probably own pets that are mean as well. And Luke decided that Bad Guys probably don't care much about their pet and treat them badly, which is why the pets then become mean. Which prompted me to say, "Bad Guys are definitely mean to animals. Some Bad Guys even kill animals just for money."

Okay, okay, I agree...In hindsight, this was probably not the best thing to say to a 6-year-old, but it was really hot in the car and I was tired of being stuck in traffic, and since I am still completely entranced with The Omnivore's Dilemma this topic is top-of-mind for me, and so the statement just blurted out. Needless to say, Luke didn't miss a beat (how is it that I can tell him that it's time for bed, oh, about ten times and he somehow doesn't hear me until the 10th time, but when I make a statement like this -- one that I wish I could toss out the car window the second it tumbles from my mouth -- he is all over it?) Of course, his immediate response was, "What do you mean, Mommy? How do Bad Guys get money just by killing animals?" Oh Boy -- nice going, Mommy! Now how are you going to answer this question??

After a bit of hemming and hawing, I explained to Luke that there are some products which we can buy that are made from animals ("Which products, Mommy?"), like fur coats or some of the foods that we eat. And sometimes, the animals are killed in a way that is not very nice because Bad Guys who are killing them can make more money that way. ("I don't understand, Mommy. Why is it easier to not kill them nice?") Hmmm, good question, Luke. The answer is pretty complicated. The best thing for us to remember, though, is that we always want to make sure that we choose products which don't involve hurting animals in a bad way because we love animals.

Luckily, at this point, we were pulling into the driveway and so I was able to gloss over the rest of the conversation and re-direct his attention elsewhere. But the conversation did leave me with a lingering sense of angst. I am sure that this is an age-old angst that parents of all generations have faced: How do you begin to teach a young child about the evils in the world and instill values in them so that they can make informed choices (or better yet, so that they eventually grow up to be the type of person who institutes change!) while at the same time preserving some sense of innocence and naivete? It's a balancing wire that every conscientious parent walks. Personally, I think that kids are pretty darn smart and so I prefer to err on the side of too much information. I would rather my children understand that the reason I want to try to avoid eating corn-fed steaks from Safeway or hamburgers from a fast food restaurant is because I have learned that the cows which are used for these meats are raised in inhumane and immoral ways, rather than because "Mommy says so." Maybe it will take a few years for them to completely understand what I am trying to explain, but that's okay....I think that this is an really important lesson for them to learn.

p.s. If you want to better understand the issue about inhumane treatment of animals, read The Omnivore's Dilemma!