Are you blaming me?

How many of you moms of allergic kids have been blamed? Did you breast feed? Did you feed them organic food? Do you think it is from all the GMOs you ate? When did you introduce solids?

Not that it matters, but yes, I breast fed for a year. Yes, they ate organic baby food? No, I don't think I ate too many GMOs. And I introduced solids when my doctor told me to, around 5 months.

It actually runs in my family. My grandmother is allergic to almost everything. My dad has food allergies. My brother is allergic to every animal. I am allergic to many medications. My aunt has food allergies. Migraines, asthma, eczema...they are all in my family. Will, their dad, was allergic to milk as a kid. No blame, just genetics. But even if it wasn't, why do people jump to blame?

While in graduate school, studying psychology, I learned a phrase, "Reframe". It means to look at the same picture but change the frame. It could look completely different in a different frame. Yes, food allergies suck. They are scary and they are a lot of work. But if I want to reframe it I could say, My kids eat well because of their allergies. I am forced to give them healthier options. I didn't have the luxury of giving them anything that was available. They have been exposed to foods I would not have given to them if the easy stuff was an option. I could also reframe it and say it exposed my whole family to a healthier lifestyle. It led me to be gluten-free. I would have never tried it if I hadn't done it for my son. But I feel the best I have felt in years now.

So no recipes today, just some deep thoughts. It is what it is. Every kid has something. Every family has something. This is our thing. It is hard but it is part of who we are.