Fathers Day Weekend: Trials & Triumphs of a Peanut Allergy Dad

Being the daddy of a 4 year old little girl with a severe peanut allergy that's a topic that I throw into the mix when it comes to the things I post about on this blog. I'm honored that the national food allergy advocacy group FARE selected me to be the featured DAD on their special Fathers Day Weekend Blog post this year.  Here's a tidbit from the article:

What advice would you give to other dads with kids who have food allergies?
Speak up! Most people don’t understand the seriousness and complexity of severe food allergies. I have to say that I was clueless myself until our family was impacted. You need to be your child’s most vigilant advocate by educating everyone and being willing to say no to others when it presents a risk to your child. It’s not easy or comfortable having to constantly speak up to a teacher or other parents to require and enforce rules that safeguard your child, but if you don’t do it, no else is likely to stand up for you.

Food allergies don’t make life worse, they just make it different. We actually eat healthier now because we have more of a focus on our diet. Help your family make the best of the situation!

Studies show that moms and dads react differently to food allergies in their families.  In your experience is that the case?
My wife is definitely more active in researching information concerning my daughter’s food allergy than me. She is also more protective when it comes to restricting my daughter’s activities to limit her exposure to potentially dangerous situations. I don’t want my daughter to grow up in fear of her allergy, so I am more open to allowing her to go places and try things, as long as we take precautions to be safe.  I believe my wife and I do a nice job of balancing each other’s tendencies so that my daughter can experience a childhood that is both fun and safe.

To read the full blog post visit:  http://blog.foodallergy.org/2013/06/14/trials-and-triumphs-of-a-peanut-allergy-dad/

Also, here are a few of my past peanut allergy posts from A Geek Daddy:

YES, I AM THAT DAD!!!

BEST PEANUT ALLERGY FRIENDLY TEAMS IN MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL 

THE SCARIEST MOMENT OF MY LIFE

JOIN THE DADS CLUB!!!

As someone who has worked in the legal system as both a Prosecutor and a Defense Attorney, I can testify that I’ve witnessed firsthand a correlation between the absence of a father in someone’s life and corresponding social and criminal troubles for many people.  Since every kid isn’t as lucky as I’ve been to have a great involved Dad in their like I had – and strive to be with my children – I support the work of the National Fatherhood Initiative.

The National Fatherhood Initiative’s mission is to improve the well-being of children by increasing the proportion of children growing up with involved, responsible, and committed fathers.  They do this by educating and inspiring all American on the important role dads play through research, media appearances, and online tools.  They also work with local, state, and national organizations across the country to reach fathers at their point of need with skill-building resources to help them be the best dads they can be.  The National Fatherhood Initiative also partners with a variety of companies and organizations to raise awareness, create unique programs and to expand interaction and outreach to as many fathers and families as possible to fulfill its mission.

I showed my support by joining their DADS CLUB ™, a fundraiser and outreach effort for The National Fatherhood Initiative.  For a $35 one-time membership fee (They have a special Fathers Day special rate of $20 between now and Sunday) provides you with some Dads Club ™ swag plus a connection the organization resources and other Dads who have joined.  Membership benefits of the Club are:

• Gift from Dove Men Care ™ - a sample of products that help men in carrying for their skin, face and hair;
• Dads Club T-shirt you can proudly sport to show you are a committed Dad;
• Photo Magnet to help hang a favorite family photo on the fridge;
• A 5 pack set of the NFI’s Dad Pocket Guide ™ which is a handy to carry booklet of parenting tips;  Keep one for your family and pass the other 4 along to other dads in the neighborhood;
• A monthly e-mail newsletter featuring tips for dads, member spotlights and special promotions from Dove Men Care ™;
• Twice-weekly Dad Email with practical tips, resources and ideas for dads.

Check out this TIDE & DOWNY television commercial promoting Fathers Day and featuring the National Fatherhood Initiative that is currently airing:

Another way to support the National Fatherhood Initiative is to tweet a message a favorite Fathers Day memory, a parenting tips, or a message of support to NFI between now and June 16^th with the hash tag #Dadsway.  For every tweet with #Dadsway between now and Fathers Day, TIDE & DOWNY will donate a $1 to the National Fatherhood Initiative.

Join the DADS CLUB! It is a great way to honor Fathers Day this year by supporting the goals and programs of the National Fatherhood Initiative. Visit www.fatherhood.org for more information.

Wishing everyone a Happy Fathers Day this weekend!  All the best from my family to yours!

DISCLAIMER:  I purchased a $35 membership in the NFI Dads Club with my own money, was not solicited to write this post, and these are my own opinions in this article.