It's nice to hear other parents weigh in on this.

While I have these nagging worries, I have to say that I am very good at keeping them to myself and I agree that nothing good can come of airing ones anxieties to ones children. But somethings I can't hide-- during a bad flare the way I walk calls attention to what I am experiencing-- I just can't hide it.

I guess this is more of a different subject, but I have had a hard time letting my children see the pain and discomfort I feel at times and I have tried not to draw any attention to it because I don't want to dramatize or frighten them. It's not always easy-- during my last flare (which abated with last week's Remicade than goodness), I was limping very obviously. I have talked to my children about my condition in very general terms and I have tried not to scare them. I was so saddened the other day when my 4 year old saw me hobbling along and asked me: "Mom, are you in pain?". It's like I don't want them to see-- don't want them to worry about me.

My 8 year old is very sensitive and I think my flare ups frighten him-- he seems togo over the top with hugs and "I love you mommy" and while it seems sweet I worry that it comes from a place of fear. Sometimes a flare up can even anger him-- he gets made that sometimes we can't go bike riding together.

Fortunately for all of us I am a bit militant where it concerns healthy eating so at the very least they will have that in their favor. I grew up eating fluffer-nutter sandwiches-- which probably didn't give me a great start. As an adult, I am a real foodie and have passed it down to my kids who enjoy cooking with me. My 8 year old is especially outspoken about food (is an obnoxious food snob) and refuses to eat fast food or processed foods (won't touch his school lunches-- you should see what hoops I jump through and what I send him with every day-- it's ridiculous). My 4 year old has less sophisticated tastes than his brother ever had and I have been finding creative ways to get him away from white food. We are definitely health conscious, environment conscious eaters. At least!

Still I worry. I am a worrier by nature I guess- not a great quality-- at least I try to keep it hidden.

Has anyone gotten their kids tested or HLA B27 just to know?

Ella