Just Because You Can't.......

[Aphreal]

It's starting to be a strain. Everytime I am out, the kids want food. Of course I wait till I get home to make my own but you know... I am getting tired of it. It kind of came to a head this morning. I am getting ready to take my 16 yr old to the hospital for a pre-op appt. (she is having surgery tuesday to repair a severly deformed septum) She wanted Mcdonalds. I told her no. Make something at home.

She comes into my room all pissy and my 11 yr old asked her what was up. She lists all these things... the 2 little ones keeping everyone up bla bla bla and then goes right into the whole... "I wanted a biscut with sausage and egg...." Ok that just made me mad. I told her that wasn't fair, I get them stuff ALL THE TIME and I can eat none of it and I didn't need her food porn!

She gets mad at ME and says... well just because YOU cant eat it anymore doesn't mean I can't want it!! she didnt understand wanting it wasn't the point. Complaining and talking about it because I wouldn't go buy it for her was. So of course then we start fighting about it.

Finally I reached my point and just told everyone to get out of my room. She had the audacity to say, "well a please would have been nice." Are you kidding me?

This is right after my husband and I were discussing why I didn't eat dinner with the family last night. He said,"I just have to learn how to deal with your way of eating now". It wasn't rude but I am starting to feel like I am a thorn in the house.

I just needed to rant I guess. I just ask for a little sensitivity. I kid you not.. every time I run errands, one of the kids are texting me to bring them food. EVERY TIME!!! I don't every time of course but come on. You can make a sandwhich!

huffhuffhuff

[vbecton]

I feel ya! I have a 13 yr old and he eats us out of the house! In my opinion I would steer clear of using your food intolerance as a reason to not bring them food. I would simply tell them (as you said), make a sandwich, period. Or, we are broke. Or, there are leftovers in the frigde. If you bring up your food intolerance during one of these episodes it will cause a negative cloud around the whole thing causing people to choose sides, or worse, no one will want to eat together.

My family eats gluten-free at home, but are free to choose gluten foods away from the house. I make really yummy food, so there aren't many complaints. I tell them, I'm the cook, you aren't, eat it or go hungry, please and thank you . Oh, and my secret way of making the whole house go gluten-free without making it a big deal, was to just keep cooking and always have food available. That way, no one had any special orders like PIZZA, or PASTA, etc... Very sneaky!!

Hang in there, teenagers are awful little creatures

[kareng]

My teens wouldn't dare call and demand for fast food. We just have never done things that way. I do get them some occasionally. I try to keep a few things that are easy for them to get for themselves if they can't wait until I get back. You and your husband might just agree on fast food once a week that you will pay for (16 can buy her own out with friends). Also, everyone at once not a biscuit for one one day, nuggets another. Fast food , overall, is not good for you and can get expensive. There will be exceptions like after she gets her nose fixed maybe milkshakes are the easiest to eat for a couple of days. This has nothing ot do with your food issues, it's their food issues. Has she been tested for celiac disease?

[notme]

a 16 yr old female?? rofl !! pick a topic. if she is like mine were, if the wind blows the wrong way it's major drama. I wouldn't take it too personally (and they grow up to be nice young women, believe it or not!) hang in there, mama.

[Skylark]

You let your kids text you to bring them food??? My mother would have grounded me had I done something like that. I ate what was in the house, or I didn't eat. Period.

Once I was 16 and could drive and had a job I could have gone out, but I had better things to spend my hard-earned money on than fast food.

[ravenwoodglass]

a 16 yr old female?? rofl !! pick a topic. if she is like mine were, if the wind blows the wrong way it's major drama. I wouldn't take it too personally (and they grow up to be nice young women, believe it or not!) hang in there, mama.

I have to agree, although boys can be just as rough. Heck if I say the sky is blue I am sure to hear that it is really green. Mom's are never right about anything and everything is always our fault at that age so, as said, do try not to take it too personally.

Yea it is hard to be the odd one out. Both of my young adults are now over 18 and choose to not follow the diet. My son didn't even speak to me for the first 3 months after he stopped eating gluten free. Like I did something wrong! Geez. I also seriously doubt you are the only one that needs to be on the diet. I hope everyone has been screened but many doctors neglect to tell us of that need. I hope it doesn't happen but surgery can trigger active celiac so do keep an eye out for issues in the young lady who is having the surgery done.

[i-geek]

I'll give the 16 year old a bit of a pass since I had surgery at her age and I remember how freaked out I was by it. It doesn't excuse the behavior or make it acceptable but it makes it a little more understandable.

It does sound like it's time to tell the older kids that either they can pay for the fast-food treats out of their allowance or they can eat the food you've provided at home. Even if you didn't have a food intolerance, they would still need to learn that they're too old to demand treats at every chance and get away with it. If they know that once a week they can have it on your dime (as someone else suggested), maybe they'll be a bit less demanding during the rest of the week. Plus, it would be healthier for them if they got used to eating less fast food at a young age. Maybe it's time for them to start learning to cook. i really wished my mom had taught me when I was a teenager.

Also- it's not fair to you to have to eat your dinner elsewhere. Cook gluten-free meals. Either they eat what you cook or they find something else in the kitchen. They won't starve.

[Jestgar]

You let your kids text you to bring them food??? My mother would have grounded me had I done something like that. I ate what was in the house, or I didn't eat. Period.

This was sort of my emotional response to the post. This sort of behavior would never have flown. We never ate fast food. Ever. I still don't. You could eat what was prepared, or make your own, or not eat. Whining was not an option.

[Aphreal]

yes they do and I doubt I am the only mother of teens who do this. I bring it home about once a week... sometimes twice. We have football every day, I homeschool, we have 4 kids and the house is an absolute wreck right now due to football preseason training (killin us!) I am having a real hard time cooking family meals.

My mom would have just said no but not got on me for asking. They don't demand, they ask. Granted it's all the time and I have no problem saying no. I just wish she would appreciate the fact I do and not get mad when I don't. Which was the purpose of my post.

I don't use my issue to NOT get them food. I just don't think they need a bunch of junk and I don't want to pay for it which is what I tell them. Actually I told them just the other day for every time they text and ask is one day I won't.

The only *fast food* I eat with any regularity myself is pintos and cheese from Tacobell.

I suspect my 11 yr old has allergies but none of the other 3 show any symptoms what so ever. I hope they never to but with the rise of this allergen.. who knows!!

Oh for the record, When I went gluten-free, I had a house of gluten foods, I am trying to get it made for them and as I shop, I am buying more whole foods but I can't let the stuff we DID have, go to waste so half the time they eat the family meal and I eat something else. I really don't have a problem with it.

[Jestgar]

Does the 16 yo drive? Maybe it's time to pass on the responsibility of errands. If they want fast food they have to convince the older sister.