Yesterday, I wrote a short note to the parents in a facebook group I created specifically to address food allergies at school.  Every day there are posts that parents share about their child’s struggles to be safely included at school.  Along with the support and advice given, there is a great deal of anger, heartache and frustration.  There is so much education that needs to be done in our medical facilities, our schools and our communities that often we can’t see our progress.

We are in the middle of a great a paradigm shift.  As change-makers it can be a difficult road, but nothing this important has ever been easy.  My dear friend, Caroline Moassessi asked that post my letter on my blog.  So, here it is along with the quote I posted to accompany it.

Dear Friends:
I know that there is a lot of frustration out there due to issues at school. As a former teacher, I find it especially upsetting when I hear of these struggles. But I want you to know that we are making huge strides. I work with schools and parents from across the country and I do see a major shift from even a couple of years ago. Those shifts have to do with parents like you taking the time to build positive relationships with schools and other parents and helping to educate them. It takes time to advocate and the effectiveness of that advocacy has everything to do with our behavior, tone and message.
When you are in the middle of the change it can be difficult to see the end, but I know that with polite and firm persistence, these issues will become a thing of the past. I know because I have seen it work time and time again. Know what your personal goals are. Make sure you are taking advice from people that have been effective at advocating. Ask them if their strategies have actually worked before and what the outcome was. I know that some day we will look back on all of this and be proud to say that we were a part change that helped save lives.
Love to you all!

There is a even bigger message here and one that we all need to listen to, parents, doctors, nurses, teachers, and school administrators alike.  We need each other. We are partners in this process.  Parents need to understand the demands placed on teachers and administrators, the way that schools function and the needs of other students.  Administrators and teachers can learn a great deal from listening to parents that have the experience of managing food allergies every day, all day.  This is a complicated health issue and we need to work together to manage it effectively.

When we take a moment to view an issue or challenge through one another’s eyes, that moment is never wasted.  It doesn’t mean that you will have the same perspective as the other person but it might help build bridges of understanding. It might even allow you to find some common ground and create solutions that work for everyone.