Attending Birthday Parties and School Snacks

[Kelly Grace]

Hello!

Our twins are going on 19 months. We will be attending a birthday party for a 2-year old next month.

In the spirit of getting a routine down for when they get older, does anyone have any suggestions. I was planning on baking cupcakes that they can have. But especially for when they get older how has anyone else handled this issue?

I was thinking I could find out what they were having to eat prior and bringing my own version of what they can have, i.e., hot dogs without sugar.

My other question is ... how has others handled the issue of snacking in school? I've been visiting pre-schools and found one that our children will attend when they turn 4. When I was in the P4 room, they were having their snack in the classroom. Any suggestions as to how to explain to your child when they come of age that they can't have this, but they have to eat this instead? I plan to have identical versions available so my daughter won't feel "different" but was wondering how others have handled this situation, epecially when it's not possible to have the same as everyone else ... i.e., the Little League team going out for ice cream after a game.

Thanks in advance for your help.

Kelly Grace

[Tammy]

Kelly,
I have always done it basically like you are handling it now. I try to have similar versions for Regina when it is possible. I guess I am basically "lucky" in that she will get sick if she eats something that is not "her kind". Because of this, it's made it easy to tell her she can only have "this" and not "that". She doesn't want to get sick. As she became older and realized she didn't want to get sick, she started asking if things are "her kind or Stevie's kind" (her older brother). She will even go trick or treating and take the "real" candy home to Stevie and Daddy. She just has fun going.

As for going for ice cream, she usually gets a bag of potato chips. As long as she gets something she is ok. Now, she gets an ice cream cone and feeds it to her dogs. They sit nicely beside her and eat it out of her hand. This is fun for her, too. (although we get many funny looks from people seeing her give her ice cream to the dogs. lol) I hope Lily is as good as understanding as she is.

Janine, how does Nicholas handle this?

Tammy

[charlie]

Hi I have a two year old daughter with HFI. She attends nursery 4 days a week and I try to send her in with a version of the supplied food that she can eat so she doesn't feel too different. You can make bread in a breadmaker without sugar, it rises enough on the starch from flour. She has plain scones for snacks or pastry biscuits or cream crackers.
The best tip I can give you is never feed your sons from yours or anyone elses plate, teach them they don't take other peoples food. If you start early it becomes a habit. My daughter Megan never tries to take anyones food at nursery which I gather other chidren on special diets do because she doesn't know any different. for her birthday I made her a special cake without sugar and she loved it as it still had candles on it.
Hope this helps.
Charlie

[Kelly Grace]

Dear Charlie,

Thanks for the tips. I think it's a great idea about not letting them eat off of anyone else's plate.

That sounds like an effective way to teach them when they are as young as our children.

I made chocolate cupcakes with chocolate frosting for their birthday, and I used dextrose as a substitute for sugar. I think they turned out great and my daughter just loved her cupcake!

Nice to see a new member on the board.

Welcome!

Kelly Grace