Food Allergies and Forgetfulness

Sometimes I realize that I'm insensitive to others' forgetfulness where food allergies are concerned.  It can rub me the wrong way when someone offers my kids a treat-just after we've had a discussion about the allergies.  Sometimes they catch themselves and sometimes I have to gently remind them that my kids can't have any.  Either way, I'm the bad guy each time.

I never forget about the food allergies.  I can smell goldfish crackers or peanut butter and jelly sandwiches from a mile away.  And getting a little off-topic, someone even noticed my abilities at a library story time last month.  My friend mentioned that one of her friends had been to the local story time.  She was feeding her son a PB&J sandwich in the library.  She had overheard another mom asking a friend if that friend also smelled a peanut butter sandwich.  That mom was me.  I began hunting for the child who was eating so I could make sure we stayed far away from his snack.  The mom even heard us leave.  I felt terrible but I can't take chances.  Maybe she'll be more aware about snacks in the future, especially eating in the library, which I thought would be a safe place for us.

The allergies are always at the forefront of my thoughts.  But I'm going to have to be understanding that most of the world lives in the blissdom of not having to worry about every snack food.  Maybe I can learn to be compassionate of their misunderstandings and their forgetfulness.  But talking about the allergies, the constant reminders, does get so tiresome.  Bee is worth it though.

The Little Pixie