Here we go again...

I might as well just copy my old posts because it's the same old story every week. No matter how many times I put it in writing or call, someone forgets and gives my kids food they are not supposed to have.

I picked Lindsey up from Preschool and she was literally spinning in circles and shrieking. That 's not how my daughter usually is. Her routine for the past year is to run up to me and hug me sweetly. Even the teacher commented that she didn't know why she was so wound up. Hmmm, I know what that looks like. My immediate thought was that she had some sort of food dye. There was not supposed to be anything on the menu that day. But her regular teacher was out so who knows. They probably forgot to substitute my cheese crackers for the off brand dye-added brand they serve.

Alex had "puppy chow" for his after school snack. He is only supposed to eat foods I provide. He had 2 healthy snacks in his bag. Instead they gave my lactose intolerant/gluten free child something that probably has both milk and wheat. At least they've insisted before that there is no artificial dye in that snack. The poor little guy was so sick to his stomach he barely ate a few rice crackers for dinner and was in bed an hour early at his own request. How sad is that?

Ben had chocolate cupcakes at school this week, so 50/50 chance he had red dye. What happened to the alternate treat I sent in? Who knows, but it absolutely was not offered to him. At least he was on the ball and scraped off the sprinkles.

If I had met a parent who talked about this stuff a few years ago I would have written her off as a total nutcase. I just don't know how to make people understand how important the link is between children's food and their behavior. Not to mention the links to cancerous tumors and other health problems. I've sent emails to both Oprah and Dr. Phil. Maybe they'll get interested and do a story some day.

3 year old high on dye

Why do I need a diary to keep track of food dye? Well it seems like every week there is some new struggle. This week it is Lindsey's screaming, tantrumming and hitting ever since eating the orange cheese crackers for snack on her first day of Preschool.

The staff know she isn't supposed to have those crackers since they have Yellow #5 and #6. I've gone through every ingredient on the menu months ago and explained what my children cannot have. They forgot. They apologized. But I'm still left with a three year old who woke up that night and had one of the biggest screaming tantrums ever, all at 2 am. Then there is the hitting, spitting and sticking her tongue out all the time. I know, it's not at all unusual for a 3 year old to do these things and assert her independence and new found skills. The timing of her move to the 3 year old class and her big brothers going back to school could also trigger behaviors. But it is sure is interesting that these things only seem to occur within 3 days of a dose of dye. I try to pray for extra patience to materialize out of somewhere, because I used up most of mine by Wednesday. If she stays true to form she should be better today.