“Now, when it’s Natalie’s birthday, I can bring cupcakes right?” I asked her teacher. This was a serious question. I believe all kids should have cupcakes—or cake—on their birthday. And not healthy cake either. I don’t want zucchini or other stuff in my birthday cake. I want real, honest-to-goodness, cake.
Natalie’s teacher smiled. “You can bring cupcakes in.”
Phew.
I was worried because I keep hearing about all these schools that are banning cupcakes and cake. I think those schools are slightly evil. Who wants carrots on their birthday? Or apple slices? One cupcake won’t hurt anyone. Unless they’re allergic. Then it might.
Oh, and yes, Natalie got into PreK. I let out a sigh of relief when the teacher called and told me this. Before she was on a waiting list and they found her a spot in another school.
I’m not sure if Tommy’s school allows cupcakes.
I’ll find out tonight at his Open House.
So.
Does YOUR child’s school allow sweets?
Thursday, August 18, 2011
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It's actually kind of disgusting how much one of the schools I teach at allows sweets and other junk food. Special occasions like a Birthday? Okay, fine. But it seems like every month classrooms are having some sort of party with pizza and soda and chips and cookies and cupcakes... Teachers will send kids down to the staff vending machine loaded with dollar bills (provided by the teacher) to bring back snacks and sodas for the class, even on days when there isn't anything special going on. Did I mention this was an Elementary school?
ReplyDeleteJoin Me At the Sweet Feet Shuffle Launch Party- August 18th!
I don't believe our school allows baked goods.
ReplyDeleteAnything brought in has to be in a sealed store bought package.
It's not a healthy thing, but a tampering thing. That, or they just don't trust peoples cooking skills.
But its definitely not a health thing, cause you can bring in Twinkies and Little Debbies.
I really think it's crazy, the no baked goods allowed. Wow!! I understand some kids are allergic, but are the majority or kids allergic?
ReplyDeleteIt depends on whether or not there are allergic kids in the class but so far my kids have brought cupcakes for every birthday since they started school.
ReplyDeleteYou'll be sad to hear that Massachusetts will be doing away with bake sales at public schools this year though. It's a shame because the bake sales were the best fund raisers.
I don't get the banning of stuff like that unless it's allergy related. I don't have kids, but if I did, I'd be really annoyed if they couldn't bring certain things in.
ReplyDeleteThe whole banning food is getting just as bad as banning clothes at schools.
ReplyDelete(and I'm not talking about inappropriate clothes but my 7 y.o. can't even wear sandals to her school unless they are closed toed and have a back...ie not sandals)
They haven't banned any food at our school YET. PB and sweets are still allowed but they send notes home encouraging you to send "healthy" foods.
ReplyDeleteThis year at our school they've locked down on peanut stuff which is a problem because my kid is made up of 3/4 peanut butter! They allow baked goods but ONLY for birthdays. Snacks are fruit and crackers.
ReplyDeleteMy kids are going to starve!!!
YAY that she got in and that they let you bring cupcakes to school! carrots on your b-day is just not any fun!
ReplyDeleteThey don't allow home made anything due to allergies only store bought at my daughters old school!
ReplyDeleteI know at our school the have reminded us how if you have a class size of 20 and everyone had a birthday in the same month.......They would end up eating 20 cupcakes.
ReplyDeleteOur classrooms up to 3rd grade have "snack time" every day and if we don't insist on healthy snacks the kids would probably be eating Little Debbies every single day. It's hard to do healthy for a whole class.
i don't have a kid..
ReplyDeletebut.. for a birthday, cupcakes.. cakes.. whatever.. it should ALL be allowed!!
I don't know yet but they better!!!
ReplyDeleteNo home baked stuff...has to be bought..a law they passed several years ago. Our cafeteria actually offers cupcakes you can buy for your child's birthday but both of my boys' birthdays are in July so they never get to celebrate at school.
ReplyDeleteI have a friend who got a letter a few weeks before her 1st grade daughter's birthday that went something like this:
ReplyDeleteDear Parent:
I've noted that Lia's birthday is coming up. Please understand that we do a minimal birthday celebration in my classroom. We will celebrate my way so we ask that you not bring in any cupcakes or snacks. We will celebrate by singing and he/she will get a special birthday pencil. Thank you for your cooperation.
She had to put the note up on FB, because really?! I love that she used a form letter and managed to put in Lia's name, but then left the he/she part. And a pencil? Oh, wow! I'm still another year away from public school, and I'm so scared already!
Our town seems to be about five decades behind the rest of the world, so luckily we're all still on the bandwagon. If it ever changes in my lifetime I will seriously revolt, it's a shame isn't it??
ReplyDeleteWe can still bring in cupcakes or other baked goods for birhtdays and they have cookies or something for holiday parties. Although now one of the moms always has to bring in fruit or veggies as well. It's changing though, I hope it can remain, I think getting to bring a cupacake and sing for your birthday is one of those sweet pleasures of youth. Also, my son is extrmely allergic to peanuts and I have always had the nicest parents in our classes. I always kept a snack for my son, but parents would always call me and tell me the ingredients. They would say, my child asked me to check. I always loved this!! Anyway, hope the kids enjoy their new school!!
ReplyDeleteLast year, when Colin was in Kindergarten, they were always getting cupcakes for someone's birthday. Plus they had a snack every day, which we were supposed to send, which was supposed to be healthy but most kids ended up bringing in fruit snacks or Pop-Tarts or stuff like that.
ReplyDeleteThis year, though? The school is providing healthy snacks (so far, it's just been pretzels). And as far as birthdays, we can bring in stuff, but it has to be individually-wrapped things like single-serve packets of Goldfish crackers or whatever. Hmmph.
Not sure - Dayne's not in school yet. But the one he will be going to allows them, just not the one's from Kroger because their icing stains everything.
ReplyDeleteYES.....thank goodness! I totally believe that kids deserve goodies/sweets for special occations! Damn those schools that are trying to change that!
ReplyDeleteBut our stuff has to be store-bought. Which is fine by me, I'd rather not bake it anyways! HA!
YES they do! My daughter's in High School, so I think they encourage it. :o) Those teachers don't normally get treats like the ones in the lower grades do.
ReplyDeleteMy kid's school only allows store bought treats--bleh. And the school allows cupcakes, but last year my daughter's teacher banned cupcakes due to their crumminess--so sad.
ReplyDeleteI will cry if my girls schools won't allow cupcakes!
ReplyDeleteHere in small town New Zealand it's not the done thing to bring cupcakes on your birthday, but if it was, we'd be allowed to bring them. However, my children are not allowed to have sweets in their lunchbox. We had a note home that said takeaways (fast food like McDonald's) were not allowed for lunch, and that lunch should consist of a sandwich, a fruit, some crackers and a waterbottle. Home baked goods are allowed, and so is peanut butter (so far).
ReplyDeleteThen they completely contradict themselves by selling meat pies, chips, cookies, sausage rolls, and very sweet, sugary drinks in the canteen. LOL!!
My sons school actually made them do snacks for a "Holiday" treat from the food pyramid before Christmas break!!! Seriously we couldn't send in a candy cane! It was over the top nuts- because they didn't want to offend anyone-geezzz. Then why not let the kids from all different backgrounds bring in a treat that would introduce our kids to their culture- I loved learning about the Jewish religion when I taught pre-school & one of the moms made us delicious treats for Hanukkah.
ReplyDeleteOur school does have the it "must be store bought" not baked at home due to allergies- which is understandable- but we can do treats for Birthdays!
That's my kind of school. And yes, they're allowed here- when you live in the Southeast anything that high in fat content isn't just allowed, it's encouraged. :)
ReplyDeleteYes! Thank goodness. Everything in moderation, right? Including cupcakes!
ReplyDeleteThe school I attended from K-8 (which is where my kids will go if I don't end up homeschooling) allows treats. There were no kids with allergies in my grade, so we could eat whatever we brought, store-bought or homemade. But a girl a couple years younger than me had SEVERE milk/nut/egg allergies, and she always left the room and went and got a special "safe" treat from the front office while her classmates celebrated birthdays. It seemed a bit depressing to me, but then I found out she had to eat her lunch in the front office or her classroom every day, because the cafeteria was too dangerous for her. So I guess she just thought it was part of life.
ReplyDeleteYou know - I don't have a clue as to whether or not or school allows sweets....but then it's a high school and they are kind of "done" with you bringing anything to school for them. But when he was small, we could do sweets BUT they had to be store-bought and not homemade.
ReplyDeleteWe can only send in closed, packaged stuff, but that takes the pressure off me, because I don't really bake. I can see both sides of the argument, because I wouldn't want to teach 20 sugar-buzzed 5 year olds...
ReplyDeleteThe school system I worked in only allowed store-bought items. kinda crazy when home-made goods aren't welcome. :( Not that I'm much of a baker. . . but if I was. . .
ReplyDeleteMy kid's school only allows store bought goodies. Less work for me!
ReplyDeleteMy daughter's school did. It got a bit crazy at times. There were literally weeks where they got cupcakes every friggin' day! It did get to be a bit much.
ReplyDeleteI agree that treats are okay, but not everyday. It's too much!
Our school still allows cupcakes, even home baked ones. And I'm glad, I agree with you totally on that one. It's their day and they should get to enjoy it!
ReplyDeleteThe schools here don't even allow PB.
ReplyDeleteSo many kids have allergies these days. It reminds me of that episode of 30 Rock where Jack Donaghy says that allergies are all in your head. He used to have a severe peanut allergy until he decided not to.
ReplyDeletehahah
I mean, seriously though, how many kids really truly have gluten allergies?
I'll find out today at Julianne's orientation what I can/can't take to school. Claire's school allows nothing with peanuts or anything made near peanuts (seriously? do you know how many things are made near peanuts???) I'm going to have to get creative with making lunches!
ReplyDelete