Tuesday, November 2, 2010

The attack of the 50 foot PEANUT!!!!!

My son goes to what's called a 'nut-free' school. Not by my choice, it's just happens to be the public school in our area. I received a phone call message today from the principal, reminding all students, and parents of, that even though candy is still unfortunately permitted in the school, any candy containing nuts will be confiscated, and letter will go out to the parent of the child as a warning.
Well. I have a few bones that need picking with this whole "Shelter our kids from their allergies' thing.
In what way are we possibly protecting our children in a nut free school? In my opinion, everyone is just screwing these kids over. How about this- We teach them about their allergy, and how to use an epi-pen?
Cuz okay, you're catering to these kids in school, but what happens on Halloween? Or when they have a sleepover? Or when they go to a grocery store? or mall? if their allergy is so severe that they can't be breathed on with peanut butter mouth, or touch something that someone else who ate Nutella touched without becoming seriously ill, they need to be the ones prepared for it. We Can't cushion these children into believing everyone will bend to their whim, cuz they won't. And I don't see Wal-mart, or Safe-way advertising the fact that they'll be nut free anytime soon. So please people, stop punishing the rest of the world for this shite, and instead grow a little knowledge on the people forced to deal everyday with these allergies.
Now, don't get me wrong, I've a number of friends with nut allergies ranging from mild to severe, most who've tried total isolation from all things nut, or have tried exposure therapy, both with mixed results. My best friend in elementary school was so allergic to peanuts, that her mother wiped down every package that came from the grocery store, had anyone wash their hands if they were coming in the house, and since she was a nurse, had plenty of epinephrine in the fridge, since this was before epi-pens were cool. My friend would need it at least once a week, sometimes more, depending on what she was around. But My friend learned about how to help herself, refused when her mom suggested homeschooling, and played with us neighbourhood kids anyway, with her little fanny-pack filled with the tools for resuscitation if necessary. Plus she's now a nurse herself, who helps conduct an allergy clinic to teach kids what she knows.

I guess I'm just trying to say don't shelter your kids so much, or you'll end up screwing them over. And don't think that your kid is more important than everyone else's. again, they're not. Teaching our kids to think that they're special, yay what ever. But remember, that when everyone's special, special ceases to be.

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