Welcome to my Blog!
Food Allergy Parenting Errors - Mistakes are Part of the Journey!
We all learn from our errors. After reading somewhere that “mistakes are opportunities to learn,” I used the mantra repeatedly with my own kids, suffering for years the subsequent eye roll, hoping that I drilled patience, risk taking and resilience into them, with such overt and subliminal messaging. But could I walk that talk? Could I tolerate my own parenting errors with self-compassion? Parenting mistakes are the hardest to endure, because the work matters more than any other. And what happens when the mistakes involve exposing your child to her food allergen accidentally? I need more than one hand to count the times I made critical errors, exposing my daughter to her allergens. Even though my errors stemmed from inadequate education, as opposed to irresponsibility, the guilt and fear I felt after each mistake was profound. Nonetheless, I started to realize that every error taught me invaluable lessons, ones that actually helped me in my efforts to keep her safe.
The Unbearable Weight of Grief
When tragedy struck my family, I felt a disorienting and unendurable grief. Friends and loved ones offered expressions meant to support me, but instead, they often made me want want to scream! I heard well meaning friends and family say, “Time heals all wounds,” “You need to find closure”, or the most disappointing, “Let’s visit when you are feeling better.” Even though their efforts missed the target, deep down I knew they were well intended. Other expressions and actions were spot on. They lifted my heart, just enough to let me know that I was cared for, understood and loved. In this writing, I share experiences and insights from my mourning process, highlighting the more common dynamics and challenges, and sharing those strategies that helped me cope with the unbearable weight of my grief and eventually, laugh and dance with it.