Thoughts For Parents
The word adulting refers to taking on the tasks and responsibilities required for acting in the “real world.” It means being in charge of taking care of oneself and all the things that go along with that. When someone has severe food allergies, adulting tasks can be more challenging.
Foods are a constant focus of socializing, job activities, staying healthy, and even money management since specialized foods can be harder to find and are often much more expensive.
How can you support your teenager in getting ready for adulting? My book Adulting with Food Allergies: Navigating Independence After Leaving Home helps identify risks and apply strategies for situations that come up when someone has food allergies in the adult world. You can use this information to educate and prepare your teens or younger children for success in the future. The sooner they begin to develop skills for managing their food allergies in the real world, the better they will be at it once they are on their own.
This website will provide ideas for strengthening skills like advocating, speaking up, and identifying and managing food allergy risks so that they are able to fully participate in the world. Check back frequently for new content.