Ban on Birthday Fun in School
Did you get to have a small celebration in school for your birthday? I remember my mother bringing in my favorite birthday treats, cupcakes in ice cream cones every year for my birthday. It would be the end of the day and your mom was allowed to bring in a treat and a drink for everyone to celebrate your birthday.
It is one of my fondest memories.
Imagine my surprise when my sister and I were talking recently and she told me that her son who is 7, brought home a note from school saying that you are not allowed to bring cupcakes or anything that is remotely artery clogging for birthdays anymore. No granola bars, no cake, no ice cream and NO cupcakes.
“How can they do that, how can they BAN cupcakes form children?” I shouted.
They can and they did.
I am fully aware of the childhood obesity problem in this country. I understand how and what you eat as a child can lay the groundwork for good eating, health and exercising habits for your entire life. How many kids are in a class anyway 24? Count birthdays in the summer or breaks and weekends and you can probably guarantee 18 or so school birthday “parties” throughout the year. Would 18 treats a year kill anyone?
Wouldn’t it be better if parents sent their children to school healthy snacks all the time so the cupcakes would be a treat?
But banning cupcakes for your birthday? That is just plain un-American.
A cupcake is happiness in a wrapper, it is baking with mom, it is portable love, it is the Amercian dream. A fruit platter for your class will just never be the same.
At least I know at home my children will always have a yummy, fatty birthday cake because you should have that on your birthday.
So tell me, what do you think of the “school fat ban” on birthdays? Do you have this food restriction in your school?
school birthdays, cupcake ban, kids, school age children, no treats in school, parenting, obesity in children, childhood obesity, parenting children, no cupcakes in school
October 1st, 2007 at 9:26 am
[...] over at “Parenting Our Children” talks about a “Ban on Birthday Fun in School“. Apparently, some schools are outlawing the distribution of cupcakes or other fatty (but [...]
October 2nd, 2007 at 12:34 pm
Personally, I think before they star pulling out cupcakes they need to look at the soda and candy amchines lining the hallways and at the poor excuse for food served in the cafeterias. That is what is making kids fat, not the occasional cupcake.
October 14th, 2007 at 6:53 am
[...] Erinn wrote a fantastic post today on “Ban on Birthday Fun in School”Here’s ONLY a quick extractI am fully aware of the childhood obesity problem in this country. I understand how and what you eat as a child can lay the groundwork for good eating, health and exercising habits for your entire life. How many kids are in a class … [...]
December 8th, 2007 at 5:12 am
[...] not saying kids shouldn’t have treats now and then, I’m one who thinks the cupcake ban was a step too far. But I personally HATE McDonald’s and the whole “fast food” [...]
January 9th, 2008 at 11:34 am
[...] they learn in kindergarten?” she asked. Good question. What should kids learn to do to start school full [...]
April 8th, 2008 at 12:00 pm
[...] lunches, or dinners for that matter, and give my kids variety and it gives them an opportunity to try new foods too! Here are some of our favorite [...]