Back at the end of May, we found out that Asher has a peanut allergy after he took a few bites of a PB&J at my parents house over Memorial Day weekend. I often wonder how we made it almost 2 years without knowing - especially because before we found out about his allergy, peanut butter was constantly around. I'm so thankful that even though it was in our house and he tried it on multiple occasions (never liking it though); he never had a severe enough reaction that we even noticed until that weekend in May.
I found myself feeling extra anxious as Halloween approached this year. The amount of candy and treats that contain peanuts, may contain peanuts or are processed in a facility that also processes peanuts is astounding. I also don't find the fun size candies to be very reliable in stating what allergens may be contained inside. Needless to say, although Halloween is fun and the kids love to dress up and collect all the candy; coming home to google most of his candy and then taking the majority of it away ended up being a bit of a bummer. After all, he did work pretty hard to get that candy; taking those little legs of his up and down all the steps that night.
I also learned all about the Teal Pumpkin Project this year. Have you heard of this project? I love it because the Teal Pumpkin Project aims at making Halloween fun for everyone. Offering non-food treats for those in your community who have food allergies. This year, we chose to do both - a bowl full of Tootsie Roll pops because Asher loves lollipops and Tootsie Rolls are peanut free and one teal pumpkin full of bubbles, slime, and glow sticks. Target makes it super simple (if you are interested in participating in future years) as they have a whole section of their halloween aisles dedicated to teal pumpkins and all you need to offer something special and fun for everyone.
I have to say that, being new to this whole allergy thing, I am so thankful for something like the Teal Pumpkin Project. I know how annoying it can feel when your kid can't have their favorite sandwich or you are asked to check the labels of a treat you are making because someone else's kid has an allergy. Now, I also know what it's like to be the mom of the kid with the allergy. And to be honest, it is much scarier than I ever imagined. Since Asher is only 2 and I am with him the majority of the time, I can check everything and know that what he is eating is safe. But, just thinking about sending him off to preschool and eventually elementary school, knowing that I won't be there to make sure he's not getting anything that could cause him harm, is terrifying. Knowing that there are organizations out there like the Teal Pumpkin Project who are educating others on these things, gives me some reassurance.
I also have to brag about Sommer for a second. She looks out for Asher all the time when it comes to his peanut allergy. Once, at a birthday party, she took it upon herself to ask the host if there was peanut butter in any of the treats being offered and made sure to report back to me. She also turns away peanut butter anytime it comes her way. Her willingness to advocate for him at such a young age is such a joy to see.
I found myself feeling extra anxious as Halloween approached this year. The amount of candy and treats that contain peanuts, may contain peanuts or are processed in a facility that also processes peanuts is astounding. I also don't find the fun size candies to be very reliable in stating what allergens may be contained inside. Needless to say, although Halloween is fun and the kids love to dress up and collect all the candy; coming home to google most of his candy and then taking the majority of it away ended up being a bit of a bummer. After all, he did work pretty hard to get that candy; taking those little legs of his up and down all the steps that night.
I also learned all about the Teal Pumpkin Project this year. Have you heard of this project? I love it because the Teal Pumpkin Project aims at making Halloween fun for everyone. Offering non-food treats for those in your community who have food allergies. This year, we chose to do both - a bowl full of Tootsie Roll pops because Asher loves lollipops and Tootsie Rolls are peanut free and one teal pumpkin full of bubbles, slime, and glow sticks. Target makes it super simple (if you are interested in participating in future years) as they have a whole section of their halloween aisles dedicated to teal pumpkins and all you need to offer something special and fun for everyone.
I have to say that, being new to this whole allergy thing, I am so thankful for something like the Teal Pumpkin Project. I know how annoying it can feel when your kid can't have their favorite sandwich or you are asked to check the labels of a treat you are making because someone else's kid has an allergy. Now, I also know what it's like to be the mom of the kid with the allergy. And to be honest, it is much scarier than I ever imagined. Since Asher is only 2 and I am with him the majority of the time, I can check everything and know that what he is eating is safe. But, just thinking about sending him off to preschool and eventually elementary school, knowing that I won't be there to make sure he's not getting anything that could cause him harm, is terrifying. Knowing that there are organizations out there like the Teal Pumpkin Project who are educating others on these things, gives me some reassurance.
I also have to brag about Sommer for a second. She looks out for Asher all the time when it comes to his peanut allergy. Once, at a birthday party, she took it upon herself to ask the host if there was peanut butter in any of the treats being offered and made sure to report back to me. She also turns away peanut butter anytime it comes her way. Her willingness to advocate for him at such a young age is such a joy to see.
All of this to say, life with a peanut allergy isn't the worst thing. Carrying an epi-pen, checking labels, asking about ingredients; it's not really something I ever thought I'd be doing - but we are able to keep our little safe by doing so and I'm grateful for that.
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