Ugh. My 7 yo DS is interested in taking the cooking classes for kids at our local YMCA.
I made an inquiry about the safety of the class for children with PA a few days ago and have been playing phone tag with the person responsible.
I just heard back from her, and she's had conversations with the chef teaching the class. He said he'd try to make it safe but couldn't guarantee. I said I couldn't bring my child unless I knew it would be free of peanuts. She said they were planning on making something with peanut butter.
She said that she couldn't enforce a Pfree policy, and I said that sure they could. They could decide to make the Y a welcoming place for all children and intentionally choose food to cook that wouldn't cause problems.
She started talking about catering to different groups, "Some kids may not like bread . . ." I interrupted her and stated that it's not a matter of disliking a food; it's a matter of dying from being near it.
She went on to say that if they had to take every food allergy into question, then they wouldn't be able to offer the class. Okay. I understand that to some extent. But so far I'm the only person they've heard from. Until they hear that there's a need to consider other FA, couldn't they take the peanut butter off the menu?
The conversation ended by her saying that she can't say at this point that there will not be P at the class. Maybe next Wednesday when she meets with the chef she could, but not at this moment.
Well, it would have been nice from the get go to say that they are still looking into it.
I admit that I raised my voice in this conversation more than I would have liked. I didn't know what to say to redirect her line of thinking, but I'm sure I could've said something else that made this issue click with her. She mentioned her child, and I think I tried to appeal that.
I see this person daily while working out, and I don't like the fact that I'll feel awkward around her.
I also have issues with the Smoothie King vendor selling so many P products at the Y and about my DS coming into contact while rock climbing, etc. She can't control that, but she could affect the cooking class.
I just had to vent. Our kids are excluded for so much. And so much of that exclusion is avoidable. It's a real shame.
[This message has been edited by McCobbre (edited May 05, 2005).]
