<<Disclaimer:  Verify this information before applying it to your situation.>>

    I agree that we need to teach our kids in many ways, including a
restricted diet, to live IN the world and not OF it.  Their world
(their school, friend, job, boss) is not going to cater and adapt to
them, and we need to teach them to live independently with their
situation and be in control.

    It would be unrealistic to make the entire family eat gluten free.
There are many times that our meal is totally gluten free, but when it
is not, our celiac has an identical substitute whenever possible.  When
there isn't a substitute it gives him an opportunity to stretch and
learn to cope with that.  When they are very young and emotionally
fragile, then some adjustments do need to be made until they are ready
to take on more.  For example, when our celiac toddler was lactose free,
we waited to indulge in our ice cream until he was in bed.  When I found
an ice cream substitute, he ate it along with us.  The emotional growth
with celiac has been a gradual and long process.

    While I often avoided the food samples at Costco out of respect to
him, my husband treated it entirely different.  When they were offering
pieces of pie or crackers, our son took one and then gave it to dad.
When they offered juice or chips, my husband took his and then gave it
to our son.  They have fun with that little game, a great little
trade-off.

    It would be selfish and a disservice to NOT prepare them for the
life of hard knocks, and as many have shared, there are some pretty hard
knocks out there. I, for one, am grateful.  This has been an interesting
thread and I appreciate the different views that you've all shared.  We
all deserve a pat on the back...it's been an education for all of us.

Janet
Modesto Calif.
http://www.thevision.net/maxwell/html/celiac.html