I made a peanut butter sandwich today for my kid to take to school. It was what he wanted, and it was a regular go-to food item in our house.
And I got in shit for it.
I got in shit for feeding my kid because it might hurt another kid. There are allergies all around us now and I can’t help but wonder how this happened.
I am not a big worrier. I am that Mom who let her babies explore the world of bacteria by crawling on the dirty floors. I have been lucky enough not to have children who could die from an accidental morsel of nut. It just makes me wonder why there are so many that could.
And as a strong, healthy woman, who bore strong healthy children, I know not everybody has my situation – or my genetic profile. It is luck of the draw. But I have to admit to being frustrated at all the stuff we can’t have anywhere anymore. No peanuts on planes, no PB&J in school? 20 years ago did all the allergic kids just stay home?
Now it is gluten, and strawberries and milk products. And epi pens. Do that many kids actually have Celiac’s disease or are there just so many parents wanting a highly paid homeopath to solve their kid’s behaviour problems or gas by removing bread? And what does “intolerance” mean? If it is an Anaphylactic allergy, ok, fair ball. But intolerance? We have to change our lunch boxes in case your 9 year old steal’s my kid’s strawberries?
Seriously. What the hell is going on?
All my kids want is peanut butter. They love it, we eat it and it’s a yummy. We aren’t sugar free/gluten free/ nut free/ flavour free in our house and I am wondering what I can feed my kids when they go to school. We like food. REAL food. Not processed crap that costs a fortune to cover the cost of the “Made in a Nut Free Environment” stamp on it.
I feel terrible for the parents who have to constantly worry about their kids’ when the world is scary enough without common food being a danger. I feel bad that I forgot and let a verboten food go to the school. It just makes me wonder why this is so common now.
I’ll think it over as I eat my peanut-butter-shellfish-sandwich on white bread…