I came across the Teal Pumpkin Project when it was shared by a whole foods page I follow on Facebook. I immediately fell in love with the idea. In a nutshell, you paint a pumpkin teal and put it on your porch. The pumpkin acts as a signal to children and parents of children with allergies that you will have allergy friendly treats on Halloween. If you choose to do this project, make sure you choose treats that are not only peanut allergy friendly, but cover wheat, dairy, egg, and tree nut allergies as well. To be extra safe, non-food treats (think crayons, stickers, tattoos, etc.) would be best.
Today, the kiddos and I went to the grocery store and purchased the supplies we would need to paint our pumpkins. I let the kids pick out their own pumpkin, and I also bought teal acrylic paint, sponge brushes, teal glitter, and some jewels. It would have been much easier to buy a fake pumpkin and spray paint it so it could be used again each year, or even to buy one that was already teal (I hear Hobby Lobby has some), but I wanted my daughter to be a part of the process so that she could understand WHY we were putting teal pumpkins on our porch. When we sat down to paint, she asked why we couldn't paint our pumpkin purple (her favorite color). I explained that Halloween is a holiday that is meant to be fun, and that some kids can't have candy, like chocolate, and that makes it not as fun for those kids. We talked about how we could give them a non-candy treat instead. But how would they know our house was allergy "safe?" The pumpkins would act as a clue! Then they would know how to find us. She was delighted, and we had so much fun decorating our pumpkins together. My son joined in when he finished his nap, and although he is too young to understand our purpose, it made for some good family fun.
When I was reading about the Teal Pumpkin Project, I noticed that there were negative comments from people, criticizing the project for catering to children with allergies because "life isn't fair," etc., etc. This was really upsetting to me. Because I see the disappointment in a child's eyes when they don't get to have the same snack as everyone else (which I try to avoid as often as possible, but it can't always be done), I know what it would mean to these kids to see that people have done something special just for them. To make sure that they are safe. And safety, my friends, is what is most important. Because I have never had to stab my child in the leg with an Epi-Pen, or rush them to the emergency room because of a reaction. I cannot imagine how frightening that must be for the parent, and especially for the innocent child. I know that parents can sort through candy and take out any of the items including ingredients that would trigger a reaction, but I also know that some allergies are so severe, that if a allergy-friendly food came into contact with a food with peanuts or milk in it, it could still cause a reaction.
So please, consider being part of the Teal Pumpkin Project this Halloween. Yes, it takes a little more effort, but a tiny effort goes a long way in the eyes of a child. Make a child with allergies smile! Warm a mother's heart. Acts of kindness, acts of love, isn't that what we all try to do every day? If you have kids, do it together. Show them the importance of caring for others. Be the good, my friends. Be the good.
