Finding time to bond with my older children can be difficult with all of our busy schedules and their reluctance to answer a bunch of questions about their day upon their return home from school. Not that I blame them. I remember, all too well, getting the third degree about my day after school and hating it. Those innocent, "What did you do today?" questions can drive kids nuts! I've learned to back off the questions right after school and save them up for dinner time. They seem more apt to talk about their day after they have been home a little while. But even then, it can be hard to get serious one-on-one time with my oldest.
So, I am trying a new tactic this year. I'm taking her out to coffee. Well, at 10 years old, she won't get coffee, but we will end up at a coffee house. This is one of my favorite things to do with my girlfriends. Coffee houses are a great place to sit back, sip something warm, talk, and relax. I am hoping that these outings will give my daughter and I that much needed girl time together.
Tonight, was our first coffee/hot chocolate date. I indulged in a pumpkin spice latte, (I love the fall flavors) and she got a hot chocolate, carmel drink. My daughter is allergic to peanuts. We have gotten her hot chocolate at other places without checking. However, as I am ordering her drink, I start to wonder..."Is the hot chocolate nut free? Is the carmel flavoring nut free?" I've never had to worry about allergens at a coffee house before. With my allergic daughter with me, I suddenly feel unsure whether this was a good idea. I asked the barista if the carmel flavoring was nut free. She read the label and it said that it was made in a facility that uses peanuts but there were no peanuts in the product. I felt that this was o.k. and we sat down to enjoy our drinks.
We had a great time on our coffee date. We went out after dinner, just the two of us. Those questions that she does not like to answer after school were not so bothersome to her at coffee. Since I think this will be our new thing, I am going to dive into coffee house ingredients. I need to know if a peanut allergic individual can drink safely at most coffee houses and what to watch out for.
Would love to have some comments from those with peanut allergies that drink coffee at coffee houses. Any advice to share?
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