Today’s post will address a slightly more serious issue. Bullying!!
Just like in any other situation, you must report to an adult if you are being bullied about your food allergies.
How do people bully you with food allergies? Well, let me share a personal example.
In 2nd grade one of my closest friends was enjoying her peanut butter and crackers in the seat next to me. One minute we were talking about serious lunch topics (for 2nd graders), and the next she has a blob of peanut butter on her finger holding it over my arm. I attempted to move my arm away. In such a crowded cafeteria you can only move so much. The point is, if she wanted to smear peanut butter on my arm, she could. She teased me that she would put some peanut butter on my arm so she could see what would happened. I dismissed it and did nothing.
A few days later I casually brought it up with my mom and she explained to me how dangerous the situation could’ve become. The next day I informed my teacher of the incident, who conveyed it to the counselor. I was extremely nervous I would lose my friend over this. However, they clearly explained to her the correct protocol and what was OK and not OK to do. I was surprised and happy when she apologized to me. She told me to tell her if something was getting out of hand in the future. The encounter didn’t hurt our friendship, rather, it brought us to a new level of understanding.
If you ever feel unsafe or that you are being treated unfairly because of your food allergies, speak up! Tell an adult, a friend, a parent – everything will be fine!