To the parent with the perfectly healthy child, to the parent whose child does not have food allergies, to the parent who doesn’t watch your child like a hawk before, during, and after meals, to the parent who does not have to inconvenience others because of your child’s issues:
APOLOGY
I am sorry that my child’s medical needs inconvenience you. I am sorry that you are limited in your choices for your child’s lunch. I am sorry that our school constantly sends out reminders about which foods can and cannot be brought to school. I am sorry that you are sometimes late for work due to the long lines at drop-off in the morning due to the school-enforced rule that everyone wash their hands. And I’m sorry that I can often sound harsh and repetitive when talking to you over and over about my child’s allergies, the dangers surrounding him daily, and my expectations of you as a fellow parent. I know you are bombarded with demands from your life. I know that you may have your own unknown issues going on. I know life may be difficult for you because of other issues, and I’m sorry.
I will continue to be an advocate for my child, working to bring awareness to this issue in order to protect him and many others facing this scary issue; however, I promise to work on my delivery. I promise to respect your feelings and come at you in a better way than my renowned attack-dog-like method. I ask for your respect and understanding as well and hope that we can find a way to collaborate and find a solution that works for everyone.
THANK YOU
Thank you for checking in on me after my son’s hive breakout. Thank you for the prayers sent our way each day. Thank you for your quick actions when he reacts while in your care. Thank you for calling/texting to ask what you can fix or bring to a party or class event. Thank you for noticing the difficulties that come with having a child with food allergies even though your child does not. Thank you for teaching your child kindness and respect when dealing with my child’s allergy.
While there are many out there who complain and criticize our situation, you are there, supporting us, reminding us that there are still kind people in the world. You encourage us not to bubble our child up and never let him out of the house, out of our sight. You make my children and me feel welcome in your home. You give me hope for our lives. I know because of people like you we can survive food allergies, cope with them, and hopefully one day over come them.
~Lacey
From Soup to Nuts: Allergy-Free 