A father wonders if he should be considered an ‘asshole’ after he followed a doctor’s recommendations and ended his son’s vegan diet, a choice he made without his ex-wife’s knowledge .

In a recent post on Reddit’s popular “AITA” forum, a social media user using the username ThrownRA-Vegan876 explained that he followed a vegan diet during his long-term relationship with his ex-wife and that she later implemented the same diet with their three sons.

After their divorce, the Redditor said he began reintroducing meat into his diet and noticed positive changes in his health. After doing some research, he became concerned about his children’s health and the impact veganism might have on their puberty. He visited their GP, who recommended he introduce meat and animal products into his sons’ diet.

“Following this advice, 6 weeks ago I decided to gradually introduce animal products into their diet every time they spent time with me, but it has been slow,” she said. -he writes. “I don’t want to present it too quickly and I gave them a choice with all the information I had and what the doctor said.”

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The father said his ex-wife was “furious” and accused him of ending their veganism “to get back at her, when I’m not”. He said she claimed he had “no right to go to the GP without her” and threatened to fight for full custody of their children.

“She calls me cruel and she tells our boys they should refuse to eat animal products and say I’m forcing them,” he said on the forum. “When it’s not true and every time they’ve been there, they’ve loved trying new foods like real milk, eggs, etc. Some people don’t like them, which is fair. AITA?

The consensus on Reddit was that he was “not an asshole,” with the first comment pointing out, “They’re your kids too. You do this in consultation with a health professional and allow your children to choose.

“Stick to what the GP says. As long as you’re doing it for their health, any judge will choose you over their mother in a custody battle,” wrote Redditor MichaelKerk. “Perhaps try monthly blood tests on children under the supervision of a GP to see if their levels/nutrients are changing and if it is going in the right direction.”

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Several comments pointed out that although following a vegetarian or vegan diet at a young age can be difficult, it is possible and can still be healthy after consulting a certified nutritionist.

Experts have long debated the appropriateness of a vegan diet for children.

Dietitian Julia Zumpano told the Cleveland Clinic that parents should rely on a sensible approach when it comes to feeding their child. She recommended that a qualified dietitian evaluate children and said parents should track any notable changes in their health and discuss them with their healthcare professional.

“The nutritional needs of children are essential for their proper growth and development,” she told the outlet. “You need to ask the serious question: “Is your child meeting their nutritional needs on a vegan diet?” Not getting enough protein, B12, and calcium (among many other nutrients) can lead to serious negative developmental consequences.

“Becoming vegan can be an incredibly healthy way to live, but we can’t say it’s the only one,” Zumpano said.