Happy Springtime!  Well, it doesn’t feel like springtime quite yet for much of the country, but the calendar tells us that the Spring Equinox has already  happened and Passover and Easter are just around the corner.

This can strike fear in the hearts of a lot of parents, especially parents of kids who have allergies or other dietary restrictions.  The reason is because a lot of spring holidays have ritual foods that go along with them, foods that are supposed to be used to celebrate the holiday, either through religious decree or family tradition.

A good friend of mine found out that her daughter has egg allergies. How do you celebrate Passover without eggs?  Its one of the parts of the traditional plate, and it’s the key ingredient for many traditional dishes like Matzoh Brei and Kugel.  It was just inconceivable that they would have to go without eggs during the eight day holiday, where they can’t eat any leavening either. They decided to continue using eggs, but to minimize the use.

There’s no doubt, sometimes you need to get creative if you have a child with dietary restrictions, and this creativity can be seen as assertiveness, not always in a positive way.  Traditions are hard to break.

This might lead to a few family misunderstandings, so thoughtful communication and patience is necessary.  One friend told me of her child’s tree nut allergy and how a lot of Passover recipes have tree nuts in them, so they need to be careful not only looking at the labels, but also informing friends and loved ones to be diligent in their preparations for Passover.  She also finds that she needs to ask on the day of the family gathering to make sure all the rules were followed.  Not everyone loves to be reminded.  Sometimes that means your mother in law might tell you how much better the dish *would have been* if the nuts had been added.  Another friend has a child with celiac disease, so they don’t have Matzoh with wheat in it, and if someone brings Matzoh with wheat, they need to eat it outside.

When it comes to Easter, if your child has allergies, you have to get creative with holiday traditions as well.   A lot of the times that means making new ones with ties to the past.  One friend in Vermont told the story of how she has tried to recreate her mom’s cinnamon rolls using her dietary restrictions.  One friend told of how they make their own food and their own traditions around allergies.  One family only has easter egg hunts at their house because they need to know that peanut free chocolate never touched the inside of a plastic egg.

Here’s a great resource for kids with allergies and Easter Products they might enjoy.

For parents of diabetic kids, you realize quickly after diagnosis, that every holiday revolves around food, and that since all food has a certain number of carbs, you need to keep track. This leads to some awkward encounters…who really wants to count the number of jelly beans for one serving?  Did the child eat one ounce of the chocolate bunny’s head or one-and-a-half ounces?  Do you weigh the bunny before and after?

Suffice to say, the holidays can be stressful. But it’s important to take a moment and be grateful for the things you have:  children who are happy, family who loves you , food to eat, a warm house, and laughter.  The rest are hurdles to be jumped, and stress that comes along with it can be managed. Just remember, parents of Brave Fragile Warriors, you’re brave too.

Whatever spring holiday you celebrate, I wish you the best of health and  happiness!