Hi! I’m Carrie from Chockababy! I’m so excited to be guest posting today on one of my new favorite blogs! Lindsey and I have recently realized how similar we are and how every time we read each others’ posts we think: “Yes! She’s reading my mind!” One difference might be her amazing design skill (I’ll be honest, I lack in this area!) and how I’m juggling food allergies with my middle child. Which is why I thought this would be a great bit of info to share with you today!

With the number of kids with food allergies rising, you can count on this happening at some point: You invite some moms over for a playdate. A bunch of moms come over with their kids. Then, one of them tells you her child has food allergies. I’m here to help you know what to expect:

1. She’s a normal mom. I promise. She’s just also highly terrified that her child is going to have a reaction in your home.
2. She will inspect your house. She’s only looking for low-lying food that her child might grab and eat before she has a chance to check it.
3. She’ll inspect any snacks you have out. She will hope and pray that you kept the bag so she can check the label for ingredients that are unsafe for her child. If you did and they do, she’ll ask if they can be kept at the table and not carried around the playroom.
4. She’ll constantly be picking up sippy cups that are left lying around. For milk allergies, this is a scary one. My daughter picked up quite a few milk-filled cups in her toddler days and only got one to her lips once. It was not a fun experience.
5. She might ask other kids to wash their hands. Or she’ll ask other moms to have them wash their hands. Keeping food off of toys and out of the play area is the goal.
6. She may walk away from you mid-coversation. Okay, I guess all moms do that when our children are getting into something (or mysteriously quiet). But, for the allergy mom, any moving food will most likely be followed.
7. She wants to be there with you. But she can’t always handle the anxiety. Her love of her child is her priority. If she leaves early, know she was glad to be with you for even a short amount of time.

As an allergy mom, I can tell you that I live in a constant state of worry. I have to choose to trust myself, my family, and my friends. I have to feed my child multiple times a day and hope that she doesn’t accidentally eat something that will make her have a potentially life-threatening reaction. My love for my child forces me to make some choices that make me look like a helicopter mom. And sometimes missing a playdate is a way to preserve some sanity that day.

Thank you for reading this – knowing other moms care enough to help protect a child is heartwarming. Looking for more advice when interacting with a family with an allergy child? I’d love for you to check out some resources on my Food Allergy Help page!

Carrie blogs over at Chockababy on food allergies, safe recipes, parenting, and motherhood! She’s a mom of 2 boys and a girl with milk, egg, and peanut allergies. You can also find her on Facebook | Twitter | Pinterest | G+.

Thank you, Carrie!! I think I speak for many non-allergy mom when I say that it is so helpful to understand the thoughts going through your head. As if we don’t have enough to juggle during playdates as it is…

Oh, and Pssssst… Chockababy and I swapped blogs today. Head on over to her site today to catch my guest post on “5 Battles You Should Let Your Kid Win.”