Kids with allergies can be a lot to handle! Looking back on my childhood, I definitely wasn’t an easy child for my parents to deal with. So here are a few things that allergy kids might want their parents to know.
1) We don’t want to be difficult. To you it might seem as though we are being frustrating on purpose by not taking care of our eczema properly or not eating certain foods that you know we can eat. We aren’t intentionally being painful or annoying. It could be that we don’t understand how to keep our skin the way you can, or that we don’t like trying new foods because we are scared of having a reaction.
2) Sometimes we detest going to restaurants. Even if there is a dish we can eat at the restaurant, the threat of cross contamination, and general fear can be hard to get over. Sometimes we just want a meal at home and not have to go through the whole explanation of allergies and speaking to waiters and chefs.
3) When allergy kids have to start doing things on their own, they can be a little wary if they can’t read the labels on what they are eating. For example, even though the parents might have read the label on a sauce jar and seen that its perfectly safe, an allergy child may want to read it to be safe (I have done this!) It's not that they don't trust you to create a safe meal, it becomes habit to check every ingredient label, and they may feel uncomfortable if they do not check one.
4) Sometimes we are just as scared as you are. As kids grow up they want to go out and socialise more. But that means letting them go into the world where others aren't as careful (more on this later in the week). Trust me when I say I understand a parent’s hesitation, but its not just parents! I know that when my parents starting letting me go out with friends, it scared me to think what could happen. However it’s important to learn to overcome the fear, as amazing experiences can follow from getting out of the house!
5) We seriously appreciate everything you do for us. I was thinking about it the other week: how many appointments, medications, specialists, food alternatives and everything else have my parents had to pay for? Drive me to? How many emotional times, sleepless nights and stress have they been through? I’m sure the answer would baffle me, but I know they do it all for love. Honestly? Through all the hard times, allergy kids truly appreciate everything parents do for them. From spending time making a separate dinner, to buying all the new creams ‘guaranteed’ to cure your eczema and everything in between! Allergy parents do so much, and kids appreciate it. Even if we don’t show it all the time.
I hope everyone had a great Monday! Look out for tomorrow’s post: ALLERGY AWARENESS WEEK DAY TWO!
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