D's happenings...

[smittenbyu]

Last week, D's baseball coach announced Monday would be the last class. He would extend the session by another 15-20 minutes to compensate for a snow day cancellation. He was planning to do a little award presentation and share a snack and drink with the kids. He also asked to let him know about any allergies. So, I emailed him, not replied all about D's allergies and I would bring something just in case. He didn't have to worry.

Anyway, Monday rolls around. During the awards presentation he gave each player a certificate and a nickname for each player! He shared a little characteristic trait and nickname had something to do with the game and personality. D got "Drive" for being able to get the ball out (well, as best as a 4 year old can) and always having the drive to do her best and keep trying and not give up! yay! The coach is really awesome and is really all into getting every kid out into baseball! D was so excited that he said he will see them out on the baseball field some day!! She was excited that she will be out on the field some day! :) Who knows.

As he announced the snack he was giving out, he also pointed out that it was nut free, peanut free, tree nut free and the parents actually snickered and laughed and rolled their eyes. Obviously they don't have kids with a nut allergy. I don't know. Felt a little sad. I have never seen a kid go into a severe reaction, never EVER want to. But no matter, his/her safety takes a priority over feeding kids some junk. ah well. It was a nice time otherwise to see each kid hit a ball and run like crazy around all four bases! It's so adorable to watch!

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D without fail questions every time someone jay walks. Why do they walk when the light is red? She is under the impression now that it's a grown up thing to do. As Viola jokes, and we have a laugh, she must have been German in her previous life! :p

D without fail questions why people don't look at where they are walking - looking at people walking while reading on their smartphones.

D stares the people who smoke outside our building (our building is smoke-free building and so there are always smokers congregating right outside by the trash can, smoking) with the most puzzled look on her face. I have never said anything. But every now and then she will ask me why they are smoking. Don't they know smoking is bad for them? I am afraid one of these days she will get the courage and tell them that. She has told strangers to not let their children ride bikes without helmets!

This a trait my sis very much had/has! Ah I miss that girl! WIsh she was closer!

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In case you missed, am doing a question meme for April, if you would like to take part, go here. :)

Comments

[pen-grunt.livejournal.com]

Don't they know smoking is bad for them? I am afraid one of these days she will get the courage and tell them that.

Nothing like being health-shamed by a 4 year old. Maybe some of them would listen!

Sounds like D is very rules-oriented!

[smittenbyu]

I remember seeing on the news or some youtube video of having kids approach strangers and ask why they smoke!! It was interesting to watch.

D is a very rule based girl. Like me & sis, I guess! In our case, I would keep thoughts to myself; sis would go tell the other person they are breaking the rule!!

[echomyst.livejournal.com]

As he announced the snack he was giving out, he also pointed out that it was nut free, peanut free, tree nut free and the parents actually snickered and laughed and rolled their eyes. Obviously they don't have kids with a nut allergy. I don't know. Felt a little sad. I have never seen a kid go into a severe reaction, never EVER want to.

Recently in the news there was a 16yo boy with severe dairy allergy who died from eating some pancakes at a restaurant, and despite my efforts at *not* reading the comments on the article, I did read some.

Some scoffed and blamed the growing trend of x-free, y-free, whatever-free diets as a type of "boy who cried wolf" phenomenon, making it more dangerous for those who do have serious food allergies. I have to reluctantly agree that this might be the case. People rolled their eyes because they no longer take it seriously, and it's sad and very scary. If I or any member of our family has a serious food allergy, I'd imagine we'd not eat out, ever!

[smittenbyu]

sigh... it is scary. We recently realized thanks to the diligence of the restaurant manager that D can't eat fried food that even are nut free, because well the oil is the same for all products! sigh. Never thought of that. So, we are learning to make puris at home!! If we ever go to Indian restaurants D usually eats naan and plain dal.

We can work our way around eating out, etc. It's the school I am worried about. sigh.

[sistrmoon.livejournal.com]

I got into it with a fb friend of mine who argued his kid's right to eat peanut butter and jelly sandwiches outweighed the safety of the allergic child and that the allergic child should attend a school only for allergic children. Between attitudes like that and an article I read about allergy bullying from other kids(trying to wipe or forcibly feed the food of allergy to an allergic child, for example), it all makes me quite sad. I have a friend with a child with severe tree nut allergy. He goes into respiratory distress just walking by the nut aisle.

[smittenbyu]

I think I read this article recently how we need to care for other people's kids. When did we lose that? What does it matter whose child? Kids at school are all our kids. That's how I feel anyway.

At the kindergarten tour, someone asked how children with allergies are treated. The principal was very reassuring. So far, this school hasn't had kids with airborne allergies and haven't had to ban any allergens from premises. But she so warmly shared that if that day comes, they will welcome it and do everything to keep her children at school safe!

So far, D's friends have been very caring and conscious about D's allergies. They remind the teachers anytime something is served. They have been educating their parents about allergies and why they have to be careful.

I remember last year the parents were annoyed that the kids weren't allowed to share their foods. That's a way for children to try new things. They didn't know it was because of D's allergies. Once they did, they were of course fine. I don't know. I was always taught to learn about why things are done a certain way. There's always a reason.

[sistrmoon.livejournal.com]

Well, and the thing is is you get into very dangerous territory when you start restricting access to public education as he was suggesting. Because it's not realistic that every child with allergies be home schooled or go to a private school. It puts a financial(and resources, time, etc in the case of homeschooling) burden on the parents that simply isn't equitable. It starts bleeding into the realm of discrimination then.

I remember reading some heartbreaking stories related to little kids sharing food so that's a good rule, as sad as it is. And then the teen girl at the camp who ate cookies a family member had brought. Ugh.

We have one child with tree nut allergies in Dan's class. It hasn't been hard to accommodate.

[smittenbyu]

oh I have seen those suggestions too on the comments sections - they should just get home schooled!

Yes, it was a nice rule they started and are continuing it. Very happy. But parents still bring in cake and I am never informed ahead. One of the teachers bakes the cake, those days I am a little ok since they have shared their recipe with me, etc. It's the cakes from bakeries that make me so nervous!

[lyssa027.livejournal.com]

Sounds like D isn't afraid to voice her opinion :) that's a good thing, to me