Ava eating her rice-milk ice cream at Brendan's 9th birthday party.
Birthday parties. I have such a love-hate relationship with them, as I'm sure most allergic people do.
How can something so fun also be so potentially dangerous?
We went to one this weekend that was super fun, with bounce house water slides and baby pools to help beat the ridiculous heat. I brought Ava's food, of course, and hit the fruit tray before 25 little hands could contaminate the watermelon with Cheetos.
But despite watching over her, she still broke out in hives on the back of her shoulder. I didn't see any kids touch her, so I can only assume that the kids touched food, then touched the sides of the pool, which Ava then touched.
The hives weren't bad, and Ava wasn't bothered by them, but what if? What if the next time it happens, it is severe? It's such a Catch-22 because I obviously want to protect my daughter's health, but want her to socialize, too.
So, on the ground she sat with her soy pudding with sprinkles while all the other kids crowded around the dessert table making their own cupcakes with candy toppers (which was a neat idea, by the way.)
So if I could have a party wishlist to pass to other parents, it would be this:
- Please just don't serve Cheetos. Or Cheeze Its. Or sour cream and onion chips. Or anything that gets stuck to hands and carried around.
- Teach your kids to wash their hands after every snack. A little soap goes a long way.
- Teach your kids not to share food. Hard, I know. But the kids in my neighborhood know not to give anything to Ava unless I OK it. Just takes some reinforcement.
I don't think that is asking too much, do you? I'm interested in what parents of kids who don't have allergies think.
Shoot me an e-mail or comment below.
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