Guest guest Posted July 6, 2005 Report Share Posted July 6, 2005 > My kids are perfectly happy with > the way they are eating, btw, and don't feel deprived in the least > (trust me, they'd say.) But not all kids feel the way yours do. Last night, in the middle of dinner and a conversation about his swim lessons, my son burst out with " I HATE BEING CELIAC! " He hates being different. He hates it when we have to read every label. He hates it that we don't go out to eat very often now. He hates all the complications and planning and dealing with details that a 5 year old shouldn't have to know exist - like knowing if the finger paint has wheat in it. And it is his right to feel like that. I, too, am celiac, and while I try to keep things positive at home, and make sure he always has something as nice (or better) as the other kids at social/school events, it is still DIFFERENT and he hates that. His gluten reactions are fairly subtle (his reactions to other foods are far worse) so all the health changes that occured when he went GF aren't apparent to him. Do I like being GF? No. I don't like the lose of freedom, I don't like the inconvenience, I don't like the extra work, and our budget has taken a big hit from the added cost. The actual food is fine - that's not an issue for me. But some days I could just about kill for a chocolate truffle or a fresh donut, or just for being able to stop for lunch at any restaurant I please. And I'm tired of finding gluten in all sorts of unlikely places - I've had to change skin care products 3 times in 18 months because I now react topically to it, and the manufacturers keep changing their formulas - my old moisturizer is now being made with hordein (barley protein). I don't cheat on the diet - my reactions are much worse than my son's. I know I need to stay GF to stay alive - my health was bad enough that I thought I was dying before I started the diet. But I don't have to like, and I don't expect my son to repress what he really feels about the lifestyle he has no choice about. Yes, the gluten-free life has many medical benefits to those who need it, but I wouldn't wish it on anyone who doesn't, especially a child. Maureen Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted July 6, 2005 Report Share Posted July 6, 2005 > He hates being different. He hates it when we have to read every > label. He hates it that we don't go out to eat very often now. He > hates all the complications and planning and dealing with details that > a 5 year old shouldn't have to know exist - like knowing if the finger > paint has wheat in it. Of course, he is 5. I doubt he'd feel any differently (and it would be just as difficult, if not more so) if you kept a strict kosher (or halal) home for religious reasons and he was in a mixed environment for school and play. I suspect parents in this situation might feel it was just as (if not more) important than a gf diet. --- [This E-mail scanned for viruses by Declude Virus] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted July 7, 2005 Report Share Posted July 7, 2005 Maureen, I'm with you 100% on your sentiments. Melonie > > > My kids are perfectly happy with > > the way they are eating, btw, and don't feel deprived in the least > > (trust me, they'd say.) > > But not all kids feel the way yours do. > > Last night, in the middle of dinner and a conversation about his swim > lessons, my son burst out with " I HATE BEING CELIAC! " > > He hates being different. He hates it when we have to read every > label. He hates it that we don't go out to eat very often now. He > hates all the complications and planning and dealing with details that > a 5 year old shouldn't have to know exist - like knowing if the finger > paint has wheat in it. > > And it is his right to feel like that. > > I, too, am celiac, and while I try to keep things positive at home, > and make sure he always has something as nice (or better) as the other > kids at social/school events, it is still DIFFERENT and he hates that. > His gluten reactions are fairly subtle (his reactions to other foods > are far worse) so all the health changes that occured when he went GF > aren't apparent to him. > > Do I like being GF? No. I don't like the lose of freedom, I don't like > the inconvenience, I don't like the extra work, and our budget has > taken a big hit from the added cost. The actual food is fine - that's > not an issue for me. But some days I could just about kill for a > chocolate truffle or a fresh donut, or just for being able to stop for > lunch at any restaurant I please. And I'm tired of finding gluten in > all sorts of unlikely places - I've had to change skin care products 3 > times in 18 months because I now react topically to it, and the > manufacturers keep changing their formulas - my old moisturizer is now > being made with hordein (barley protein). > > I don't cheat on the diet - my reactions are much worse than my son's. > I know I need to stay GF to stay alive - my health was bad enough that > I thought I was dying before I started the diet. But I don't have to > like, and I don't expect my son to repress what he really feels about > the lifestyle he has no choice about. > > Yes, the gluten-free life has many medical benefits to those who need > it, but I wouldn't wish it on anyone who doesn't, especially a child. > > > Maureen Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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