On this week’s Parenting segment, one listener is unsure how to proceed with her son's new dedication to veganism – in a house full of meat eaters.

"Our eight-year-old has announced to us that he's a strict vegan," they told Moncrieff.

"We're all meat eaters in the house and we'd have no idea where to start accommodating him.

"There's also the cost implication of preparing separate meals.

"Should we try to talk him out of it?" the listener asked. "We're unsure where he got the idea, as up until three months ago, he loved the fortnightly treat of a Happy Meal."

Commitment

Child psychotherapist Dr Joanna Fortune said the first step is for the parents to investigate what it truly means to follow a vegan diet.

"It may be that you're preparing some tofu and that he gets otherwise the same dinner as everyone else ... so this may not be as complex," she said.

The parents should challenge where their son's new beliefs are coming from, and how committed he is to the dietary changes.

"[You may say], 'You're not ready to make a commitment to a vegan lifestyle, but how about we have a meat-free day?'" she said.

Child surrounded by vegetables (UMB-O / Alamy Stock Photo)

If their son is fully informed and committed, Dr Fortune recommended involving him in food preparation.

"Batch cook one or two meals and that's what he will eat for the week, so, you're not preparing two meals every day," she said.

"There are many vegans and vegetarians living in meat-eating families, so, there are ways of doing it."

Boy, 7 years old, tastes vegan food, soy fruit yogurt substitute ( Jochen Tack / Alamy Stock Photo)

In order to help their son with his new diet, Dr Fortune suggested the family also participate.

"Could you all do one to two vegan days with him in the week, if he is going to go vegan," she said.

"If he's not ready for the full vegan dietary change, as in he's not going to eat enough vegetables or protein, see if he would be open to starting with one to two days a week.

"You will eat less meat as a family while he's getting used to and building up his tolerance for vegetables.

"I would actually take him seriously and sit down with him and say, 'Well, okay, if this is what you want to do, talk me through where you're coming from and let me explain what a vegan diet is."