I just had to share this with you all... maybe to give you courage to try new experiences for your PA children as they get older.
We are a big Girl Scouting family & my younger ( severely PA) daughter has watched her sister head off to fun day camps again & again. This year, she is a Girl Scout too (a kindergarten age 'Daisy') & was old enough to go too. Since we have been very careful to remain in completely peanut free environments since her diagnosis 4 years ago, we had no idea how she would fare sitting near kids who ate PB&J sandwiches & maybe weren't always so careful to wash their hands. After many false starts & fearful thoughts, I signed all of us up for a 2 week day camp. I would be there as a unit leader, but not *her* unit leader. There were many nights as the camp drew near that I would wake up in the middle of the night wondering whether I had done the right thing & whether I was endangering her just for the sake of GS camp... but I knew how disappointed she would be if she didn't go.
Anyway, I took all the precautions I could, educated everyone I could (the awareness was already quite high, for what it is worth) & hoped for the best... and 2 weeks later, it is done & it went *great*! No reactions, everyone was very aware that the jelly beans that were served everywhere (it was a Harry Potter themed camp & these were the Jelly Belly/Bertie Bott's Every Flavor Jelly Beans) were not safe for peanut allergic kids (of which there appeared to be several). There was one game/team building thing that was going to involve cooperative PB&J making (one person blind folded, etc.) but after the first session, they switched to coperative painting... I am not sure if my impending (& very visible) heart failure had anything to do with it or if it was as the games lady (who, coincidentally, also has a PA child!) said, that she just wouldn't have time to clean up between such messy activities.
Anyway, it was a great experience for my daughter... she is obviously feeling very much more mature & capable, just from the 2 weeks of camp. I don't know how long the effect will last, but I love to see it while it is here! I am not sure if I would let my child go to a camp where I wasn't a volunteer any time soon, but none the less, this was a tremendous step forward for us... or me, really... my daughter would be ready to head off to college or cross country or something if I would let her!
Anne (who *really* needs a shower after her overnight w/ 26 9 year old girls!)
That's great! I'm so happy that it worked out for both you and your daughter. I know it can be so hard to "let go" of them but at least you got to be there with her! It was a great opportunity for both of you. It's also interesting to hear that there were other pa children at the camp. I would never wish this allergy on any child, but it's so nice to know our children aren't alone! Deanna