Play Dates!

My big boy is still at the age where I go with him to play dates. Though he probably would not flinch if I wasn’t there, I’m pretty sure it’s still a year or two away until I can send him out to the real world of play dates where only the hostess supervises. Sending an allergic child off to a play date must be one of the most stressful experiences for parents of allergic kids. How about hosting the allergic kid? Have you thought about this, or experienced this? Personally, I would NEVER do it unless the child is allergic to nuts and or peanuts since my home is entirely peanut/nut free. I started thinking about this topic a few weeks ago when another mom mentioned that she would never host a play date with a child who has a peanut allergy because she keeps peanut butter in her house. She explained that she was simply too nervous to have this responsibility. I don’t blame her, and I completely understand what she was saying. It is a huge responsibility, and I too would not be comfortable with it. I’m curious to know peoples thoughts on this subject; to host or not to host? :) J.

My New Phone!

About a month ago, I made the switch to an Iphone. A decision I pondered for months, and do not regret for one second. My phone is an extension of my arm. I am not proud of this, but I do use a lot of airtime! I do my best to not speak on the phone when I am with the boy so that I can give him my full attention, and I only use bluetooth when in the car for safety (and to avoid a ticket!). The phone took some time to get used to, and still I find myself sending the most ridiculous texts and emails because I type too fast and the auto correct changes words.

I don’t use many of the apps, but I have downloaded a few. Namely facebook, scrabble, words with friends, allrecipes, backgammon and cnn. I know there is an app for essentially everything, so I searched for peanut allergies and found a few options. I have not downloaded any of these yet, but some sound useful. The “allergy translator” translates your message about your own or your child’s allergy in pretty much any chosen language. Sounds great for travelling. The other one that seemed useful was “Anaphylactic Allergy Alert”. This app claims to provide first responders with important allergen information (through wallpaper images with a message of your choice). Though I am a firm believer of a medic alert bracelet, that app may serve as a second reminder. There were a few apps for restaurant menus, however I am of the opinion that a menu can change overnight, so I personally would not trust any apps that claim to have detailed menu descriptions with safe and unsafe options. Has anyone tried any allergy apps? Feel free to share any you may have discovered.

:)

J.