Risk-Taking and Food Allergy

This could be a short column: 

There is no risk taking. 

  Except of course, when a kid doesn't read the ingredients because ( supply reason here: "too awkward" " no ingredients list" " didn't want to")

 Or when something looks and smells sooooo good that they have to try a bite. 

  

But often, food allergic teens are risk- averse, especially about their body's well-being. They're not the ones swinging upside down on the jungle gym. Or jumping into the ocean on a dare. Or nose grinding on a skateboard, taking air. 

  Doesn't mean they're not cool or fun or active-- just, as I've always said, a tad more responsible and mature. 

  Gotta be-- gotta keep yourself safe and still be independent. And the only way your folks will let you be independent is to be responsible: 

Take that Epi-pen; 

Avoid that restaurant,

 Pack yourself a snack. 

( and my thanks go here to many talks by FAAN folks--Karen Mudd we love you-- about what's allowable and what's not). 

 

  So our food allergic teens may not be trying everything there is out there to try, but I think we can be pretty confident that they're trying to keep themselves safe each and every day.