On Wed, 18 Mar 1998 08:19:43 -0700 Anat Sichel and Mike Robinson <[log in to unmask]> writes: >It does get easier -- when the child is old enough to control his/her >own intake. Boy, I hope it does get easier. This total stranger offered my 1yo crackers and cheese at the park today! She tends to be somewhat of a mooch and walked over to this woman who was eating on a bench. The woman asked her, not me, if she would like some crackers. I was standing right there and I just said, "no, she's allergic to dairy, please don't feed her" and directed Alyssa toward something else. I would NEVER presume to feed someone else's child unless I was specifically sitting for them or something. I have another problem where we are in a playgroup with other babies about her age and slightly younger. All of the other moms know about her allergies and wouldn't think of giving her anything without first asking. Just as they would pretty do with all the babies because some are younger and not eating all the same things. The problem is the babies who are allowed to walk around with their snacks and drinks. They tend to drop peices or discard their milk cups on the floor. I have to be ever vigilant about Alyssa not grazing off of the floor anywhere or taking something from another child. This gets a bit frantic in a larger group when all the moms are talking and not paying very close attention to what their kid is doing. I try to make sure Alyssa sits right with me while snacking so that she doesn't drop stuff for other to graze on, but I can't control what others allow their children to do. I'm in a little bit of a quandry over this, but don't want to stop going. Kathy _____________________________________________________________________ You don't need to buy Internet access to use free Internet e-mail. Get completely free e-mail from Juno at http://www.juno.com Or call Juno at (800) 654-JUNO [654-5866]