Will We Ever Win?

Going out to dinner with Adam is always risky. He has lots of picky eater habits as part of his Asperger Syndrome. When he was a toddler we'd pack his food and go. We thought it would get easier as he got older and would start eating the kids menu.

Nope. As a preschooler he'd:
-eat pizza, but only from Papa Johns.
-eat chicken nuggets, but only from McDonald's.
And although Papa John and McDonald's do count as a night free of cooking, we yearned for being able to eat out at a sit down, take your order family restaurant.

We'd give them tries. On the few times we were able to get Adam to eat even just some of a kids meal at Olive Garden, Don Pablo's or TGIFridays we'd feel like we hit the lottery. But within a few visits Adam would declare that kids meal just wasn't any good anymore. And then we'd be paying for a meal he didn't eat, arguing with him to eat and it was simply not enjoyable even if I didn't have to cook it.

We started date nights at home. On Saturdays we'd feed him dinner and put him to bed. Then we'd order takeout and pop in a movie and open a bottle of wine. It was the closest we could get to a real night out of not cooking, but not having to be fast food. But we still missed actually being able to go out.

I can remember one weekend we headed into the city and packed a picnic lunch. But Adam wouldn't eat it because we were at a different place. Not his home or the school cafeteria that he was used to. Adam refused to eat his lunch that we had packed. He was getting ready to melt down mostly due to lack of food. We were sitting on a bench waiting for him to agree to eat when he jumps up, arms flapping and shouting, “Someone call the hospital! Someone call the hospital! Quick! I’m going to crash!” While attempting to calm him down, Husband and I notice people are looking at us, but from a distance as they walk around our bench to give us more room. We got him calmed down and then he started again with, “Call 911! Someone call 911!” After calming him down again he agreed to eat. By then it was too late. He lost everything he ate right there on the sidewalk he had himself so worked up.

I’m glad no one called 911. We’ve all witnessed children melting down in public. But it's especially not fun when it's your very own.

It really puts a damper on our plans to do outings as a family when he won't eat out or even food from home brought somewhere else.

Luckily all that has really been changing in the last year. We've started a new diet and he has gradually learned to try new foods and to his amazement likes them! Now we can enjoy eating out as a family - except for his food restrictions - no gluten and no casein - have turned eating out into a different challenge. Will we ever win!?!

Luckily for us Red Robin has a gluten/casein free kids meal with free refills. They have become one of our new favorite restaurants to go to. Burger King has also been a new favorite fast food for us - plain hamburger, take off the bun and either apple fries or real fries.

We've been waiting a long time, but we can finally go out to dinner with Adam, and enjoy it.

This post was written for Parent Bloggers Network as part of a sweepstakes sponsored by Burger King Corp.

Read more!

Stamp Out Hunger

Get your food ready,

It's Stamp Out Hunger Food Drive

Join us Saturday?

I remember when I was growing up my Mom was 'in charge' of mission work for the homeless in our church. Her job was to find congregants to donate prepared food once a month and also servers once a month. Starting in 3rd grade she took me to the shelter to help serve. It was a shelter for women and children. I stood on one side and served food, often their only meal that day or for days, to kids just like me. Driving home my Mom always told me, "Don't think for a minute they are different than you because they don't have a home. We could be in their shoes in a matter of paychecks, broken bones and a really bad month." She's right. So many of us are closer to being homeless than we think.

When I was a teacher I always had some snack packs and cereal bars in my room. Not for when I was hungry. For my students that didn't have breakfast. Or even dinner the night before. A huge portion of our population doesn't qualify for free/reduced breakfast/lunch for their kids in the public school. But that doesn't mean they can always afford 3 meals a day for their children too. My son knew what the food was for, and eventually figured out which kids it was for too. I have passed on that same speech my Mom raised me with. "Don't think for a minute you can't be in someone else's shoes real fast. It doesn't take much. And you'd want someone to help you and be there for them."

Tomorrow is such an easy way to help. All you have to do is take 5 minutes to look through your pantry for some perishables and take them to your mailbox before your mail carrier comes. They'll make sure it gets to your local food bank.

It's what you would want someone to do if you needed a meal.

Read more!

Parents are in town
Dad is done with tax season
And needs some time off.

We went to the zoo
Son took the day off of school
Along with my niece

A trip to the park
To enjoy the warm weather
Running and playing

If we are lucky
They will babysit at night
A night out for us!

Head over here to play!

Read more!

Remember What You're Teacher Told You - There's Never A Question That's A Bad Question

Remember when your teacher said there is never a bad question? Never be embarrassed to ask a question?

Well, the other night we were eating at Red Robin's. It's been a while since all 3 of us have eaten out at a restaurant. With Son being GF/CF it's been a fairly easy transition at home, but one we're still navigating in the world of fast food and restaurants.Usually when we go out Son has a hamburger, no bread and a fruit side unless we know the fries are GF/CF.

So, back to Red Robin. I had asked for a second basket of fries. Son thought it was pretty neat they give refills on the fries. He then asked for a refill on his drink. So, when the waiter brought him his 2nd drink he blurts out, "Can I have a refill on my burger too?" Oh the embarrassment! Didn't I raise my son better? But, before I got a chance to tell Son that he shouldn't have asked that the waiter says, "Sure!". I looked at him, Really? Yup.

Red Robin not only offers sides of apple slices, melon wedges, baby carrots & ranch dip, Mandarin oranges, fries or a side salad, they also give refills on kids meals! He said this is not anything they will really advertise, but they have always done this.

Wow! Refills on kids meals, plenty of fresh fruit and veges for sides on kids meals, and bottomless baskets of fries?!? It may not be a fancy place, but it sure works for us!!

Read more!

A Day Off

Holiday season brings out the stress in adults. But it also brings out the stress in children. They just manifest it differently. Son has been handling the holiday activities pretty well this year. But he is more rigid and is stemming more. We're back to written schedules and LOTS of advanced warnings.

Yesterday we went down to see Hubby's grandmother and a good friend of our family. Son did great in the car ride (about 2 hours), the visits, and the ride back. But, we got in late. Real late. And he was really tired this morning. So I let him stay home today. In this county every Monday is an early release day anyways.

He slept in a little. He played some Play Station. I made him (ie: cooked something) breakfast. We did his homework and worked on his science project and a reading project. And he's back to chilling in front of the TV.

Sometimes you just need a day to chill. A day to relax. A day to forget all the craziness of the holiday schedule and excitement.

Read more!