Groupon Finds Food Allergies Funny

I, personally, do not. Last Christmas Eve, Rylie ate a cashew. Just one. That was all it took for the skin around her mouth to immediately turn bright red, and her tongue and throat to swell up. Then she vomited. All over my house. We then spent the rest of the evening in the emergency room at the children's hospital and I didn't even get to wrap my kids' Christmas presents. What is funny about that? Nothing.

Last night I was alerted to two posts by Groupon in which they joked about food allergies. The first post was a guide on how to build the ultimate tree house. One of the tips they suggested was to Ditch that outdated "No girls allowed" sign in favor of the modern "No peanut allergies allowed."

Since Rylie was diagnosed with a life threatening allergy to cashews and pistachios, we have had to avoid all foods that come with a tree nut allergy warning. I am still amazed at some of the foods that carry that warning on the label, but I see it most on cakes, cookies and other yummy treats that kids love. When we go to birthday parties, I either have to make special cupcakes for her, or she has to go without. She doesn't even get to eat peanut butter and jelly sandwiches at school because they are overly cautious and won't allow her to have any nuts, even though I have told them that peanut butter is fine. And after she goes trick-or-treating this year, over half of her candy will be taken out of her bag because it won't have the ingredients listed on it, and without being able to read the ingredients, I don't know if it is safe for her to eat.

My little girl is already excluded from so much. She is used to it, though, and is pretty good about asking if food has nuts in it before she eats it. But to make a joke about excluding kids from a tree house because they have a peanut allergy? That is absolutely ridiculous, and not at all funny. Kids with allergies already miss out on so much, why would a company like Groupon make a joke at their expense?

The second offensive Groupon post was a guide to school supplies. It suggested that a needed supply for kids is a Dossier of local bullies and their allergies. I have a newsflash for the comedian wanna be that wrote that: food allergies are deadly! Are they really insinuating that a child should potentially try to kill a bully by giving them something to eat that contains a food they are allergic to? No one likes a bully, but that is certainly not the way to punish one. Again, not funny.

I will repeat what Jessica over at Look Who Found the Marbles said - "Goodbye Groupon". I am all for funny, and I think a funny joke is a great way to get attention, but not when it is at my child's, or anyone else's child's expense. Their posts were beyond insensitive. They were downright disgusting. I haven't used Groupon that often, but I have friends who do, and I want people to know just what kind of company they are dealing with. I have unsubscribed to emails from Groupon, and will never promote another one of their deals.

I wonder if Groupon finds that funny?