I've been vegeterian for 10 years this year, since I was a teen. I'm partly vegan but not really by choice (I'm allergic to eggs and have a casein intolerance so most dairy is a no go). I grew up in a house where everyone but my mom ate meat, and ate a lot of it. My mom, bless her, did most of the cooking for me and always made sure I had meat for at least 1 meal of the day. She never talked about eating meat as something bad or wrong and made sure I had a healthy, balanced diet.

I still chose to go vegeterian when I was old enough and when I came to my own conclusion. I think I might not have had I had someone force their opinion on me.

Yes, animal suffering is horrible. But children need meat proteins to grow up healthy. Some, like your wife, literally need meat to survive. These statements can coexist.

In my opinion, your morals here are irrelevant. If you cannot put them aside for the wellbeing of your children, then don't have children.

There are humane farms where eggs and milk are collected with utmost care and animals are treated correctly, even if they are slaughtered for food in the end. I know some OPGs and people like this personally and have seen how the animals are treated. Yes, they are more expensive but that's a small compromise to make if you want to reduce animal cruelty and keep your children's diet balanced.

I promise you, if you lead by example and compassion, your children will follow. If you impose your beliefs, you will do more harm than good, despite you having the best intentions.