Even though I realize that we are all so very different managing a wide range of allergies, asthma and other health related issues, we are all the same when it comes to school-wearing different colors and flavors of the food allergy crayon box. We ALL want our children to learn and grow in a safe environment.
Friday food for thought: What is your food allergy and/or asthma and health goals this school year? Each summer, I sneak off to think about the year ahead. What are my three main goals I honestly ask myself? Usually, I want to create an open and working relationship with my children’s teachers, secure safe lunch and field trips options. This year though, things have changed. I’m no longer going to try to convince the teachers to support my child, I’m going to present district policy, our 504 plan and see how I can help! So far, here are my three goals:
Support Policy. Goodbye to convincing first. This round, I’m going to ask for school policy to be followed ALL YEAR LONG by offering education, support and tools. I will work hard to help teachers understand the severity of life threatening food allergies and help them move past the energy of “gotta do” to “I want to do”.
ALL YEAR LONG Commitment. Everyone starts off great, dwindles after the winter break and then pretty much all policy is lost by May. Why? I don’t know, but this year I’m going to ask for a meeting with school staff in February to review policy and discuss the spring. Then I plan on another meeting in April with the goal in mind to plan out May and end of school. I am going to mention this phenomena of loosing food allergy policy oomph at the beginning of the school year.
Field Trip and Sports Policy Review. In the spirit of stress reduction for teachers/coaches, my children and myself, I’m going to insist that we review how after school sports practices will best handled including away games. The same goes for field trips. Even though we discuss it at the beginning of the year, I never check in for a review of “how’s it going”. No more two week field trip notice scramble either. I am getting too old and tired for that. I need a longer notice and time to work out details with coaches and chaperones-if possible.
Two main themes I keep in my parent tool box:
One. I need to stay open to new ideas, solutions and approach the year with positive intent for a successful year.
Two. If I hit a wall, then I am ready to pick up the phone and call my two school and 504 expert pals: Laurel Francouer, lawyer, food allergy parent and patient and author of Green Laurel Documents AND Gina Mennett Lee, former teacher, food allergy parent/consultant and advocate extraordinaire! Knowing I can seek the guidance of others who have walked before me provides added confidence and removes an incredible amount of stress
How do you prepare for the beginning of school? What is your game plan? Any Tips to offer?
One of the hardest things I find about managing both life threatening food allergies and asthma is talking to others. I hate to be the one that might be perceived as demanding, pushing or for asking too much. What I now know, fourteen years later, is that honest, clear information presented with kindness works!..
Caroline, wonderful post! My son is starting at a new school and I need to go through the convincing – this is a private school so no district policy or 504 plan. Love the idea of asking for periodic meeting at key times, and doing so up front! My son leaving summer camp early to avoid a field trip, because I haven’t been able to work out the details in their FA management policy!
Connie, Thank you for your kind words. I just get frustrated every year after the winter breaks–so I’m hoping the new plan of attack will be fruitful!
Wonderful post, Caroline! Thank you for your continual support and for being such a positive, informative voice in the food allergy world!