Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Child-safe in minutes.

Meet the Other Phone.
Child-safe in minutes.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Banning birthday cakes at school?

139 replies

wildcoffeeandbeans · 16/05/2017 13:44

I've just read that DS's primary school is no longer letting parents bring in cakes for their child's birthday because of the sugar content. :( This makes me unreasonably sad. I agree sugar is a problem in modern diets, but surely it has its time and place?

OP posts:
Isadora2007 · 16/05/2017 13:45

Meh.

I can't get bothered about it as it must be a right faff to bring and deal with a cake at school. And some weeks you'd have several.

You're not being unreasonable. But I can't even ever remember more than once having cake at school and I'm almost 40 so it's not a new thing at all.

SherlocksDeerstalker · 16/05/2017 13:50

School isn't the time or place.

Can kids not have cake with their families? Or on their birthday party? Don't see the need to take it into school.

Wolfiefan · 16/05/2017 13:54

Why are people taking cakes to school? At what point in the school day are teachers expected to cut up, serve and clean the mess from cake?

floatingfrog · 16/05/2017 13:58

Odd to bring a cake to school tbh.

CinderellasBroom · 16/05/2017 13:58

I'd be pleased - cake is a treat, not a every day that's a birthday plus the parties, plus the weekend, plus when you see granny, plus when we're on a day out, plus when you do well at football / ballet etc.

I worked out how much cake and sweets my kids ate in one week and was really surprised - none of it was from me but it worked out at at something every day between school, activities and grandparents. No one needs that much Haribo!

NellieFiveBellies · 16/05/2017 13:59

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Hillarious · 16/05/2017 13:59

If you want to share cake, take some ready cut to hand out after school.

LooksLikeImStuckHere · 16/05/2017 14:00

I bet they just can't be arsed to cut them up and hand them out, just used sugar as an excuse!!

Equally, Healthy Schools awards sometimes make demands like this...

Vroomster · 16/05/2017 14:02

Never heard of bringing cake to school.

Tiptoethr0ughthetulips · 16/05/2017 14:02

We send little bags of haribo (missing point I know) but yeah I think it's a bit sad, unless class sizes are 30 plus then you'd have it fairly regularly I suppose.

Kokusai · 16/05/2017 14:02

Who are you expecting to deal with the cake? Its a hassle to cut up and give out. Take in individually wrapped cake pops or something?

Reow · 16/05/2017 14:04

I don't remember a birthday cake ever being brought into school. Is it a thing these days?

Starlighter · 16/05/2017 14:05

We had loads of cake leftover from the weekend so I sent my daughter in with 30 slices of cut up cake all wrapped up individually! The kids all loved it and the teachers said they rarely get cake sent in nowadays - they thought it was a great idea! I didn't even think about sending in a whole cake for the teachers to deal with tbh, what a faff for them!

JenTeale · 16/05/2017 14:07

It's not just the sugar. Allergies, religious differences, not everyone has the means to buy or make a cake to send in, and it's a massive faff for the teacher even if there were spare time in the school day to serve cake.

missperegrinespeculiar · 16/05/2017 14:08

yeah, I have gone off the idea of cake in school after my son had an allergic reaction to a cake sent in by a parent, the school is nut-free, DS checked before eating it that it was nut-free and was reassured it was fine... the cake had hazelnuts, he was very sick, he could have died

SantasLittleMonkeyButler · 16/05/2017 14:08

I have three DCs ranging from 19 to almost 6, and have never experienced anyone taking a birthday cake to school Confused. All three went/go to different primaries.

At DS2's school, it was quite normal for children to take in a bag of sweets to be shared out at the end of the day - the teacher hands you one as you leave. DS2 never did as his birthday managed to fall either within the Easter holidays or on a weekend each year (lucky lad!). If fact he's at the end of Year 11 now and has only been to school once on his birthday.

I have seen sweets at DD's school too, so they are also probably birthday related. Never a cake though, cut up, whole or otherwise! Cakes are for parties or home aren't they?

Fakenameforthis · 16/05/2017 14:08

My last school had a policy of only pre-cut cake. Most kids brought in a party bag for each child, I don't remember any having whole class birthday parties.

The number of parents that sent in a whole, uncut cake was huge. The office would call the parent and ask them to either come in and cut the cake themselves or it would be sent back home with the Birthday child. Cutting and distributing messy cake to a whole class takes time out from other things. The school day is already too tight.

Fluffy24 · 16/05/2017 14:10

I'm really surprised anyone does this.

I send DS to nursery on his birthday with cake but make it clear to the staff that it's really for them and not the children!

chickenowner · 16/05/2017 14:13

As a teacher I welcome this. I have enough to do every day without cutting up a birthday cake and distributing it to 30 children. And fielding all the questions about what's in it etc.

purplecollar · 16/05/2017 14:14

We had one school that had a ban, and one where you could bring in sweets/cakes. I preferred the ban. They get sugar from all angles and it's out of your control. If you have a dc with a weight or teeth problem, you want to be able to monitor their intake in primary I think. Bear in mind they've already had cake and custard or whatever for lunch, they can buy cake from the tuck shop at break, so it's the third lot in a day very often.

Starlight2345 · 16/05/2017 14:15

My DS has only ever took himself to school on his birthday ( if its a school day)

This year he had a party day after his birthday and we were out for the day on his birthday so he didn't even have a cake on the day.. I think singing happy birthday is quite enough for school to do.

Floggingmolly · 16/05/2017 14:16

Why would you feel the need to send a birthday cake into school for your child's birthday? Do you think the teachers are happy to take the time to have a mini party during the school day?
I suspect our school would refuse to allow it but I've never known anyone feel the need.

StillStayingClassySanDiego · 16/05/2017 14:16

We have parents in my class (reception) who have brought in a birthday cake in the past. I have to slice a standard 16 slice cake into 34 pieces so it's a small mouthful.

It's not really an issue.

TrinityRhino · 16/05/2017 14:17

Never heard of bringing birthday cakes to school.
Seems crazy.
What a faff for the teachers. What about allergies?

Imagine how many birthdays their would be in each class.

I think sugar was an excuse to stop the madness

TrinityRhino · 16/05/2017 14:17

*there

Swipe left for the next trending thread