If You Don't Have Anything Nice to Say...

It's been a while since I've been here on the blog so I'm not thrilled that today is a vent rather than something useful.

But when someone says something to me and it sticks in my brain all day buzzing around, I suppose that means I have to write it down. Damn bees in my bonnet.

So today at school it was the dreaded "muffins for moms/doughnuts for dads" annual nonsense. I truly detest this event but that's a whole different post.

At the end of the event we were trying to figure out what to do with the dozens of left-over doughnuts and someone suggested saving them for the 5th graders to enjoy after their field trip.

Now, it should be noted that I had already combined the "nut free" doughnuts with the "regular" doughnuts because I assumed the whole tray was going to the teacher's lounge.

Me: Do we have any peanut or tree nut allergies in the 5th grade? Because if we do I already mixed up the doughnuts so that wouldn't work.

The responses ranged from:

"No I don't think so."

"We only have one that MUST sit at the peanut-free table and he's not in fifth grade."

"We have a few kids but they have to ingest the food to get sick." (Really? You know that for a fact, do ya?)

And then this gem from someone on staff at the school: "We don't have any issues ever since your daughter left." And then she LAUGHED.

What. The. F*ck. (Language, I know. But seriously.)

I just looked at this person - a hard stare, actually - and then walked away.

How dare you be so stupid to deem my daughter's allergies a "problem".
How dare you be so arrogant to find that funny.

There is nothing funny about food allergies. Ever.

I probably could have said something but in this case you just can't fix stupid.

Back-to-School with Food Allergies

Today's the day!
The kids have gone back to school.

And now is a great time to start thinking about how to handle food allergies at your child's school. Whether you're planning classroom parties or thinking about sending birthday treats this year - if there is a child with food allergies in your child's classroom it's a good idea to do some research so you can include all the kids.

If you're looking for a safe snack option for the entire classroom I suggest bookmarking the Safe Snack Guide. This guide is a catalog of common snacks including pretzels, chips, popcorn, candy, cookies, crackers, and more. It is updated each month and will provide users with information about which snacks are free of peanuts, tree nuts, and eggs.

This is a great tool for schools, sports teams, PTAs, and more.

If you are a parent with a child who has food allergies, FARE has published an updated Emergency Action Plan for parents to "provide a plan of action and authorize others to administer medications should their child suffer an allergic reaction." The form is filled out by parents and the child's doctor and can be given to teachers, staff, coaches, scout troop leader, daycare, and more.

If you're a teacher and you have students with food allergies, you can print out signs to hang in your classroom so that the other students and/or parents are aware of the food allergies.

If you are part of the school's PTO/PTA ask for input from the parents of kids with food allergies - we are always willing to help out when it comes to planning safe and fun events where NO child is excluded because of food. 

Keeping kids with food allergies safe starts at home with the parents but when our kids are at school we rely on the faculty, staff, and even other students to do everything they can to keep our children safe. It really does take a village to keep our kids safe and allergy-free.

So if your child comes home this week or next and says they have a classmate with food allergies, don't bemoan the fact that PB&Js aren't allowed at lunch or that you can't send in homemade or store-bought cupcakes for little Timmy's birthday.

Instead, look at this as a teaching and learning experience for you and your child. Reach out to the parent of the child with food allergies and see what IS safe for snacks and treats. Ask what you can do to help plan classroom parties. Teach your child what food allergies are and how they can help keep their friend safe. Check the Safe Snack Guide for ideas on treats that are safe for kids with peanut, tree nut, and/or egg allergies.

And remember - exclude the food NOT the child.

Middle School and Food Allergies

The day is almost here - Olivia starts middle school tomorrow.
Sixth grade.
Someone quick! Hold me.

I'm feeling a bit anxious about this new adventure. And I'm sure Olivia is a bit anxious too. That comes with the territory of moving to a new school with 250 kids in the sixth grade (when you're used to just 58 kids in your grade since kindergarten).

Factor in food allergies and you're playing a whole new ball game.

At Olivia's old school they knew about her food allergies (they didn't always handle them very well, but it was somewhat easy to navigate). Now, we're at a new school with a lot more kids which means a lot more chances for something to happen.

And yes, this is how my brain works. I'm ALWAYS thinking about "what if?"

Olivia knows what she can and can't eat but her teachers don't. And she's going to have many different teachers throughout the day - probably at least six.

Now, I know that this school has been good about dealing with food allergies in the past so we have that going for us. And, Olivia will be carrying her EpiPens with her at all times (which is new for her - in elementary school they were locked in the school office...which is a whole different post).

Last week we dropped off her medicine form in the office and the secretary asked if she could share the information with all of Olivia's teachers. Of course, I said yes. As we left the office I heard her tell one of the school counselor's about Olivia's allergies .. a good sign.

About two hours later the phone rang at home and it was Olivia's homeroom teacher - calling to ask me about Olivia's allergies! This was a VERY good sign. He wanted to know how severe the peanut allergies were - if kids could still eat peanut butter around her. And he wanted to know what kind of candy was safe. I ended the call by encouraging him to always call me with questions.

That is exactly the kind of support kids with food allergies need from their teachers, classmates, and parents of classmates. Always ask questions. Don't ever assume something is safe. And always ALWAYS exclude the food not the child.

Happy back-to-school! Here's to a great school year.

The End of July

Yes, I know.
I was supposed to blog every single day this month.
But things happen.
Like being on crutches for the past three weeks...which somehow rendered me incapable of blogging.

Yep.
That's my excuse.

Anyway...here we are at the end of July.
This means school starts again IN THREE WEEKS.

How is that even possible? I swear summer break just started.

Anyway, I'm doing my best to "remain calm" about Olivia starting junior high (or as I like to call it 6th grade) in just a few weeks. She'll have her EpiPens with her at all times as the kids at the junior high are allowed to carry them!

And, based on a conversation I had today she might not be the only kid with food allergies in her grade. I had to call the school today regarding a snack that will be served at orientation in three weeks and the school secretary told me I was the "third or fourth" parent to call about peanut allergies in the 6th grade.

Now, I don't want to say this makes me happy - because it doesn't. Food allergies SUCK and I'd never wish them on anyone. But when I told Olivia about it she said "oh good!" ... I think she's hoping to connect with some other kids who have the same issues with food. Ever since second grade she's been one of only two kids in her grade with food allergies.

And I can guarantee I was the only vocal parent when it came to food allergies in her grade.

Me? I'm just eager (and a bit anxious) to see how the junior high handles food allergies. Here's hoping it won't be a battle at every turn.