if you are a parent, or may become one, or you are otherwise likely to arrive in the situation of caring for a child while they eat, promise me this: if a child doesn't like a certain food or food group, you will ask them WHY. and specifically, you will pay attention to either confirming or ruling out "it makes my mouth itch" or "it makes my stomach hurt," both of which are medically important info that children may not provide unprompted. which i know because this PSA has been brought to you by "i spent my entire childhood and much of my early teens eating peas and lentils while wondering why everyone else liked the Violently Itchy Mouth Sensation so much, like were they a bunch of legume masochists or something, before i finally realized that Violently Itchy Mouth Sensation was in fact a sinister demon appearing only to me, and her true demonic name was: Legume Allergy"
I was punished severely as a child for refusing to eat peanut butter sandwiches. We were very poor and some weeks that’s all we had. I repeatedly told my parents it made my throat itch and made me cough and struggle to breathe when I ate them. It made my whole face pink.
They said I was being dramatic and punished me.
Severe peanut allergy.
ARE YOU OKAY-
I'm good, darling, thank you! I escaped them and have led a peanut-free life since. I'm good!
OHHH OHH GOOD- had me stressing whether or not you were okay- also WHY WERE YOUR PARENTS DOING THAT TO YOU- aside from the horror movie monsters your parents seem to be bee im glad your okay.
