Every parent wants to protect their kids at all costs, but at the same time, every parent also wants their children to grow up to live a happy, fun, and fulfilled life with parties, friends, events, and every opportunity possible at their fingertips.
When it comes to food allergies and sensitivities though, attending or hosting parties with your allergy free kids can be extremely stressful. You don’t want you children to feel left out, but at the same time, you need to be sure they don’t have any sort of reaction. ..
Here are a few tips for ensuring your kids can enjoy attending friends’ parties and you can feel worry free.
- Alert party hosts of allergies and sensitivities your child has – Whenever your child is invited to a party or event, when RSVPing, make sure to clue the parents or hosts in on your child’s allergies and find out what type of food will be served. You don’t want to make the host feel as though they need to go out of their way to have something special for your child, but you should know in case you want to pack a little something for your child to eat and just to alert parents so they know why your child may not be partaking in some of the snacks they serve.
Plus, if your child has a severe allergy to dairy or peanuts and the party is themed around a food your child cannot have, or will get sick in the presence of, then you will know if your RSVP will need to be, “No” and you can take your kid out to the movies or spend a day in the park so they don’t feel left out.
- Think ahead! – Get a delicious brownie or cupcake mix and bake cupcakes in advance. Freeze a number of them so whenever your child has a last minute in school party or is invited to someone’s birthday, you can bring along one of the cupcakes so they don’t have to feel left out when dessert or birthday cake is served.
It’s also a good idea to find out if your child’s teachers can store any of the frozen cupcakes in school just in case you ever forget them or there’s an event you aren’t prepared for. If you just don’t have the time, there are a number of amazing allergy free companies that have a selection of already made frozen brownies, cupcakes, cake, and more, which you can easily pick up last minute (or stick in your freezer if you’re not a baker) and thaw if you don’t have the time.
- Get mini notecards made with a list of your child’s allergies – Most parents of allergy free children feel more comfortable attending parties their children will be at to ensure they don’t get sick or cross-contaminated, but if your kids are getting to that age where they don’t want you around (sorry mom & dad!) a simple way to still feel safe is to get a few simple notecards made that list your child’s allergies along with a few typical party foods they should avoid.
You can give them to your child to pass to the party host (even though you’ve most likely also already spoken to them on the phone) or pass it along yourself. That way you can feel a little safer your child is in good hands.
- Always have an Epi Pen ready – Make sure you and your child take it with to all parties and events and they know how to use it. Show parents, hosts of events, and even your child’s friends if they are old enough, how they would use the Epi Pen if they would ever need to. It will probably never need to be used and your child will most likely be safe at all parties they attend, but it’s always important to be prepared.
When it comes to feeling stress-free during kids’ parties and events, it’s all about preparation. As I’m sure you know the best way to prepare your children to be safe is to educate them to ensure they know what they can and cannot eat. It’s also important to let them know what to do so they don’t get sick from hugging, touching, or playing with other children who have eaten allergens if they have a very severe allergy to a certain food.
If you’ve done the above and you’re prepared, take a deep breath and relax a little bit, your child will be able to experience some extremely fun events and parties throughout their lifetime, safe and happy.
Lauren Wuscher is the owner of lauren.david.style, your resource for a happy, healthy, allergy-free life. For more information and to receive a FREE report, “5 Tips to Living Allergy Free on a Budget,” which includes a valuable list of items allergens can be hiding in (important for parties) visit https://laurendavidstyle.com