Mother Faces Backlash For Feeding Raw Milk To Another Woman's Child Without Consent

"Sam's mom accused me of putting her son in danger by giving him something unsafe and illegal"

Jesse

• Published in Interesting
• July 31, 2023

Homesteads are exciting places where nature and self-sustainability intertwine to create a unique atmosphere. Many homesteaders take pride in growing their own food and even consuming raw animal products, like milk.

However, clashes can occur when visitors, unaccustomed to this lifestyle, question the safety of these raw products. In this story, a homesteading family faces such a dilemma when a mother expresses concern over the consumption of raw milk during her son's visit to the farm.

Living on a homestead has been a significant part of OP's life, providing a deep connection with the land and offering her family both physical and mental well-being. However, they are not an "unschooling" family, as their children attend the local public school system.

Over time, OP and her family became popular within their smaller community for their unique lifestyle. And it wasn't surprising that a lot of parents became fascinated about visiting their homestead to get a feel of the natural life for themselves.

On one occasion, OP's daughter, Lily, came home with a play-date, Sam, who was eager to dive into the farm lifestyle. After having fun with the chickens, OP decided to make the kids a few sandwiches and some raw milk to wash it down.

Despite the family's conviction about the health benefits of raw milk, Sam's mother wasn't pleased to hear that her son indulged in such a meal. She accused OP of putting her son's health in danger and serving him something she knew was illegal in her state.

Ever since the incident, OP has been grappling with feelings of guilt. In addition, she's afraid that Sam's mother could spread negative information about her family to other parents, which could damage their daughter's social life at school.

The story in detail

A little background

OP's oldest daughter brought home a playdate. After the kids had fun with the animals, OP served them sandwiches and raw milk

Later, OP got a call from the boy's mom who slammed her for giving him raw milk

We gathered some reactions from the Reddit community:

OP should have probably consulted Sam's mom first before giving him raw milk

"If raw milk is illegal where you live, it's for a reason. YTA"

Some strong arguments against OP

"If Lily went to Sam's house and Sam's mom gave Lily something you would not feed Lily, how would you feel?"

"YTA. Even if raw milk is safe for your family, you don't know Sam's medical history"

"It's important to ask about these things first. What if the kid is allergic to something?"

"YTA hardcore. Unpasteurized milk can make people sick."

"You choose to give it to your children the other parents did not have a choice."

Important edit

The Reddit community has unanimously slammed OP as the ultimate a**hole in this story. They just can't phantom how OP would take such a decision without informing the boy's parents.

The commenters have stated that OP is within her rights to decide what is best for their family but has no right to take away the choice of another parent. What if the boy had some serious allergies? That would have been a messy situation to deal with.

It even gets worse knowing that unpasteurized milk is illegal in OP's state. One Redditor also shared a study by the FDA that warns against the harmful bacteria in such types of milk.

Hopefully, Sam's mom accepts OP's apology and doesn't end her son's beautiful friendship with Lily.

Jesse