What Do You Do To Prepare You Child's School?

[sashabetty]

My 3 yr old is starting school next week. It's a small co-op preschool.

The parents take turns bringing and preparing the daily snack (can you feel my anxiety?) and I am trying to educate them as much as possible.

I have provided the Trader Joe's list, the Whole Foods list, a brief description and a list of our favorite foods.

The parents all get a list of food preferences and allergies for everyone that attends.

We had a practice school day and the teacher provided a snack for the group with foods from the Trader Joe's list. Didn't I just want to kiss her!?

But I don't trust that everyone else will get it, sigh.

I also got the gluten-free Playdough recipe (the best recipe I have found) from this site and have convinced the school to switch to gluten-free playdough and I don't even have to make it.

I spent time scrubbing the gluten playdough off of 5 cartons of playdough tools at the school.

I am in charge of tracking who makes the snacks so I can send reminders about gluten-free foods on the day my daughter atttends, is that too neurotic?

Is this normal anxiety for a parent with a gluten-free child or just a normal part of letting go of control when any child goes to school? Maybe a little of both.

What do you do to keep your child's school environment safe?

I was thinking of ordering the gluten free shirt from Jeeto and putting her in that for the first month or two!

Betty

[VydorScope]

Wow each parent sends in a snack??? That would freak me out. I have told my childs school that my son can not eat ANYTHING unless its in his bag. Nothing. I bought colorations gluten-free playdough for them, and offered to provid any snacks they need if theres a specail event. I do not make them try and figure it out, I take all that off thier hands.

[emsmom]

our school does the same we take turns bringing in snacks, but to make it easy and so that i am sure shes safe i just pack a seperate snack for my DD untill its our turn and then iprovide the class with a gluten-free snack. i also leave a box of her fav cookies with the teacher for those special occasions like when cupcakes come in for birthdays. i just find it unrealistic that other parents will conform to a complete gluten-free class so i also just take that off theier hands.

[VydorScope]

i just find it unrealistic that other parents will conform to a complete gluten-free class so i also just take that off theier hands.

I agree, I als think its a bit unfiar to he other kids. They should not be prevented form haven what ever treats they parents think they should. As long as reasonalbe precautions are taken to keep it seperate, let them have thier cake and eat it too.

[sashabetty]

I will be keeping a selection of safe foods at school just in case.

The thing is, so many kids have special needs, vegetarian/vegan, lactose intolerant, no sugar, soy allergy, etc, so my daughter is one of many that the parents have to consider.

I guess I figure it's a learning opportunity for everyone, and there are compromises in preparing foods that everyone can eat.

The snacks are pretty basic. The teacher did corn chips with a bean and corn dip and veggies and bananas, which everyone loved, so I don't feel bad about it happening to be gluten-free.

I told the parents if they want to bring something like bagels, let me know in advance and I can provide a substitute.

And if there is a party they can have their cake, we can just bring Dowd and Rogers chocolate cupcakes and my daughter loves them.

I figure if they can include her without too much inconvenience then I will try to let it happen.

The thing is, I was raised Macrobiotic and vegan with no sugar so I know what it's like to be left out in school situations with foood that you are not supposed to eat. Plain apple while everyone else has a carmel apple? Done that, it sucks, sorry but it does. I realize that's the reality of this, but they don't have to leave her out all of the time.

The parents have the choice of making the entire snack gluten free, or providing a gluten-free option for my daughter.

Betty

[Jnkmnky]

I would provide the snack for my child. I have found that teaching my child that he may NOT eat anything I haven't approved, is the key to our success. I do not want him to ever take food from a "stranger". Everyone's best intentions combine to create a catastrophe where a Celiac is concerned.

"Can he eat apples?" becomes dehydrated apples, or caramel dipping sauces with the apples.

"Can he eat popcorn?" becomes all sorts of multiflavored, gluten encrusted popcorns.

"Can he eat vegetables?" becomes a veggie tray with ranch dressing loaded with gluten.

It's difficult enough for the parents OF THE CELIAC to manage the diet. Dr.s give wrong advice, nutritionist give poisoning advice.... No way in hell I'd let some other well intentioned parent chose my child's food.

[VydorScope]

I would provide the snack for my child.  I have found that teaching my child that he may NOT eat anything I haven't approved, is the key to our success.  I do not want him to ever take food from a "stranger".  Everyone's best intentions combine to create a catastrophe where a Celiac is concerned. 

"Can he eat apples?" becomes dehydrated apples, or caramel dipping sauces with the apples.

"Can he eat popcorn?" becomes all sorts of multiflavored, gluten encrusted popcorns.

"Can he eat vegetables?" becomes a veggie tray with ranch dressing loaded with gluten.

It's difficult enough for the parents OF THE CELIAC to manage the diet.  Dr.s give wrong advice, nutritionist give poisoning advice....  No way in hell I'd let some other well intentioned parent chose my child's food.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Out side of a very small close circle of faimly/freinds I feel exactly the same way. Some ppl CHOSE to limit their diet, based on moral, ethiclaa or other CHOICES. If they mess up, its no big deal, heck they may never know. Those ppl can not understand celiac disease, or even food alergies. Other parents are used to the concept of "only a little cant hurt, right?" and thats no good... Heres a REAL example...

"Well its made by Kraft, so that means its safe? Thats what you siad!!!"

*sigh*

I just do not expect other parents to understand, nor do I feel like I should. They normally mean well, they just dont live with it daily so lack understanding. My son being 2 does not yet understand to say no, so I can not trust him at all. Hence the rule "If its in his bag, he can eat it, otherwise NO!".

[ryebaby0]

I would not attempt to get an entire group of adults to manage a food issue -- celiac disease or otherwise. For me, the chance of x-contam. is so great (the food might be gluten-free, but what about the glutenated hands that packed it? or the dish it was cooked in? and what about those honest mistakes?) it's not worth the worry. You'll have to decide that for yourself, since you know this group of adults better than any of us do.

The upside of sending a "designated snack box" for your child is that (unless you plan to homeschool) you are training her for school, where you probably won't be able to get an entire class/grade to provide gluten-free foods.

I think the "we send gluten-free when it's our turn" is an excellent idea. Her classmates get the chance to try her food! Another option would be to make a list of "approved snack foods" and parents could only choose from that list -- but how many allergies/conditions would that include, and how long could the list be?

Good luck. You'll find a way that makes sense for you

[connole1056]

It is very hard for children to be left out, but I think it is important for children with celiac disease to learn early on there will be times they will be. It does suck, you were right about that! I do not think it is right to expect other parents to go out of their way to accomodate different dietary needs. It is too time-consuming and unfair to ask someone to go running to different grocery stores to suit different children's diets. I do not know the prices of other foods, but gluten-free food is generally more expensive than regular food, so cost is also a factor. And as others mentioned, there is no guarantee the food will indeed be gluten-free or prepared using gluten-free utensils.

[e&j0304]

I am going through the very same thing right now with my little girl, so I feel your frustration and anxiety over all of this!

I wrote a letter to the director of the school as well as Ella's teachers. I also printed off some info about Celiac Disease so they knew what it was, since I don't think most people know.

As another posted did, I also bought Colorations dough for the class to use and provided them with play dough toys to use with it.

At Ella's school I provide her lunch and I asked that she sit between the teachers to prevent any food sharing. I have told them that she cannot eat anything unless I bring it for her.

Originally I wanted to contact the other parents and ask them to inform me if they were going to bring a treat for a birthday so that I could make a similar substitute for Ella, but the school convinced me just to send a big bag of gluten-free treats to have on hand there for instances like that. They think that it's better that Ella learns now that she will not be able to have always have the same treats. I guess it's better she learn now than in kindergarden. Fortunately, Ella NEVER complains about having something different. She always say, "I have my special treat. Those other treats make me sick." She's such a trooper and I think it's more me feeling like she might be upset or feel left out.

Good luck with your situation. Honestly, it would completely freak me out if I knew she would be eating snacks other parents prepared. I know that I am a little overprotective of Ella, but I just am not ready to let go of that control yet. They way she was pre-gluten-free diet (so sick) is still so fresh in my mind that there is not a chance I could risk her getting gluten right now!