Lets Talk Positives!

Being a parent to a child with food allergies can be overwhelming and depressing sometimes. Your hear breaks when you think of all the simple food pleasures your kid is missing. Your heart stops when you think about what can really happen if you child eats the wrong thing.

Since I want to think of ways that having a food allergy can be a good thing, I asked the mommas in my online food allergy group to help me put a positive spin on it!

Most said that they've learned to be more creative in the kitchen and that cooking from scratch is healthier and cheaper. All agree that their entire family is eating healthier too. I couldn't agree more!

Here are three of mine:

*No fast food (except pizza that is). Yes fast food is so convenient but it is so bad for you. Living a life without it is a good thing!

* Our son is learning good eating habits right from the start.

* With all the label reading, we are seeing what is in our food. You'd be shocked at how bad most of it is for you. We are much more informed about of food choices. As my husband says, "It is creepy to see what's in our food."

Now here are what some other moms had to say!

*My kid is not That Kid, screaming and crying about the injustices of the world when I refuse to flag down the Ice Cream Man as he drives through our neighborhood. (In this house, that magical van is still known as The Music Truck....and it's a mystery as to why the kids go running towards it.....)" Sarah (Check out Sarah's blog for her full positive list Live, Laugh and Learn)

"My Daughter has learned already at age 4 to be a spokes person for herself and to be assertive and speak up." Jessica

"I've learned to be more assertive with our Dr. and family when it comes to advocating for our daughter."Tayna

"We are always prepared...since we have to pack enough food to sustain our son for an entire day when we go out, we never have a crying, miserable little guy...at least not because he is hungry or thirsty." Amy

"My Daughter watches me cook and prepare food all the time, so she's learning how to prepare healthy foods. As a 2-year old she knows a lot more about where foods come from than some adults! Laura

"All the info and recipes that are available online now. I can't imagine dealing with this 20 years ago." Katie

"Allergies are also teaching my son it is OK to be different. Some kids wear glasses. Some parents carry an Epi pen. Some kids eat a different snack. And he doesn't have to have a cookie just because someone else has one." anchoragite

" I've learned we don't need milk, eggs or meat to live happy, healthy lives." skh1123

"I learned that a food allergy doesn't mean that life has to be drastically different. My family is still plugging along just like it always has. I'm not spending hours a day in the kitchen. The kid is still a typical 11 month old tornado happily tearing apart my house." Marti

"I am also learning to be more aware of people with allergies and to the problems with eating out." B & The Boy

"I have to say between being Gestational Diabetic with all 3 kids and now dealing with FA it is amazing what difference fresh, from scratch, organic and all natural truly means vs the grab and go make kids happy foods advertised for kids. (Gogurt is not considered eating a fruit in our house)." fuzzychild

Just a quick list of positives to think about the next time you feel down. There were a lot more but than this post would be never ending. If you have some positives you want to add, write them in the comments for others to see. We need these to remember it's not all bad.

Lets Talk Positives!