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I know… it’s hard. You see the birthday invitation and you just know that there is going to be gluten everywhere.
You’re hit with the same anxiety as every other time.
You know that your child is going to feel different, sad or disappointed.
It’s heartbreaking.
But there are ways to deal with this.
Firstly: talk to the parents. Let them know that your child has a food allergy (even if it’s not an allergy, that’s an easy way to explain it)
Odds are that the parent will have questions. Answer them, but also reassure them that you’ve been through this before.
Next, ask what the menu is going to be at the party. What snacks are they already planning on having?
Tell them that you’re going to send food.
Secondly : prepare the food to take.
I like to send food with my child that is going to mirror what other kids are having (but a safe version). This could be snacks, pizza, and cake.
Thirdly : talk with your child. Even if they’re young.
Personally I like to tell my boy that there is going to be food with wheat there, and that could make him feel sick.
Then I ask what he would like to have for a treat while they’re having cake. Sometimes he wants cake. Other times he wants a gluten free pop tart. Sometimes it’s a brownie. But giving him the options tends to get him excited. And I’ll move mountains to make it happen.
If we are baking something at home for him to take to the party, I ask if he wants to take extra for the birthday boy or girl to go with their gift. Then we bake and decorate together and he gives them something he made.
This makes it extra special.
And I’m not going to lie… I try to make his food all a little better than what I think he’s going to find at the party. Just because. He’s my boy and he deserves it all.
As a parent we’re never going to do everything perfect. But we try our best and we learn from every experience.
Teaching our child to be confident and safe in social settings is valuable. Setting them up with the coping mechanisms to make experiences enjoyable is important. You are imparting an important life skill.
You’ve got this! And so does your child. I promise.
I want to help make your gluten free life a little easier. With easy recipes and gluten free meal planning to take something off of your plate. Goodness knows you have enough going on. Check here to see what’s on this week’s menu!
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