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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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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:

StillStayingClassySanDiego · 16/05/2017 14:53

The cakes I've cut have been usually rectangular tray bakes, easy to cut and it's rarely more than a mouthful. The children sit down at their tables and I go round and give them a piece on a paper towel.

Happy Birthday is sung first and candles blown out, the birthday boy/girl loves it.

elevenclips · 16/05/2017 14:53

I wish ours would ban it.
Fine in a small school.
But my dc are at a big school and it's cake cake cake...! All the time.

MimsyFluff · 16/05/2017 14:57

DesignedForLife my kids have no allergies, I still can't believe our school allows home made cakes either, my friends sons are have dairy allergy and I have made all their birthday cakes dairy free. I can bake and have always found out if any child has allergies before inviting and are extra careful extra fully clean the kitchen and buy new ingredients just in case

Original poster

wildcoffeeandbeans · 16/05/2017 15:17

Looks like one whole person (maybe two) thinks I'm not massively unreasonable!

Just to clarify, the ban was petitioned for by the killjoy parents. There's already a ban on sweets of all (other) kinds, so no chocolates or Haribo in Christmas cards, etc. The cakes also had to be store bought and nut free, although I'm sure there will still be some ingredients that some children are allergic to. From the perspective of fairness, it makes sense. But cutting out 15-20 tiny slices of cake per year isn't going to make a noticeable impact on sugar consumption.

Also, this is for the Y2 and younger kids. I don't think they've ever allowed cakes in for the older ones.

OP posts:

harderandharder2breathe · 16/05/2017 15:20

It's weird that it was a thing at all

Why would the teacher or TA want the hassle of giving it out, the mess, "oh and so and so's mum said he can only have cake on the third Tuesday of the month"

Much easier to say no cake. Cake belongs to family/friend parties or celebrations not school

mygorgeousmilo · 16/05/2017 15:22

YABU it's bloody annoying! They've stopped it now since nursery, but I really didn't appreciate ppl deciding that my kids were having a (potentially full of whatever crap) cake and bag of Haribo on whatever random afternoon their kids birthday was on. If I'm taking my kids to a party or birthday tea, fine. I don't want other parents deciding what's acceptable for my kids to eat really. When your child comes home from nursery bouncing off of the walls with a blue mouth and teeth, just no!

NorthumbrianGirl · 16/05/2017 15:34

We've always sent in a cake, it's very much the norm here. I like it and would be sad if it was banned. Dd1 loves celebrating at school.

We are in a small rural school, not sure if that makes a difference? We send a normal size cake and it feeds all 36 kids in the school, so sure a normal cake could do a class of 30 in a more normal sized school.

user1490798903 · 16/05/2017 15:43

I remember classmates taking cake into school. It was nice, but I can see why schools would want to avoid that now with health and safety concerns, etc.

Only1scoop · 16/05/2017 15:45

YANBU awful
So glad dd school allow this rubbish

Teabagtits · 16/05/2017 15:46

Dd can't have dairy and so for the past three years has missed out on. Irthday cales at school. It's really unfair for kids who aren't able to have a slice for whatever reason being made to sit and watch their class mates stuff their faces every other week. I think banning is a great idea.

One parent even made up party bags in p1 which is way over the top.

Only1scoop · 16/05/2017 15:49

So no cake just because the odd child may have an allergy

SafeToCross · 16/05/2017 15:56

It is a bit like workplace cake, really nice to have, but unfortunately adding to over consumption.

Floggingmolly · 16/05/2017 15:59

Well not really, scoop. No cake because it's school.

AnnieHallScotland · 16/05/2017 16:02

YABU

They get enough sugar at birthday parties, plus school dinners at my son's school seem to have puddings most days so I am in favour of this actually!

BeyondThePage · 16/05/2017 16:14

Our local school asks for NO CAKE or SWEETS - but a book is welcome. The birthday child gets to stand up in morning assembly and if they want to do the book thing - either - they have brought in a book from home, or one that they have chosen from the class box (not everyone can afford to donate), they get a pretty "book plate" sticker to put inside with their name and the occasion -

we got a Famous five book from the school library once that had my good friend's 8th birthday sticker in from when she was at school - it was such a surprise - we showed her - she was so emotional about the fact it was still there.

Only1scoop · 16/05/2017 16:31

At dd nursery you could only celebrate with a shop bought cake but at current school home baked are allowed but they ask for a quick list of ingredients.

Willow2017 · 16/05/2017 16:38

This has never been a thing at our school. As if teachers don't have enough to do.

My kids have a snack they don't need some random cake (especially those awful full of crap cheap and covered in sweets supermarket cakes) as well on a regular basis without even being asked if I mind. My ds1 was allergic to something in supermarket fondant icing it sent him crazy
He never had it after the first time so I would not be happy that some parent have given him some.

chickenowner · 16/05/2017 16:38

I once had a parent rock up at 30 minutes before home time with not only birthday cake to celebrate her daughter's special day, but KFC meals for the whole class. She also expected me to stop what we were doing and put on music and organize party games!

I told her that if she wanted a party for her daughter she could do it in her own time. I also refused to allow the KFC food into my classroom, (it absolutely stank) and just allowed the cake.

I am NOT a children's party organizer, nor am I a performing clown. FFS!

Only1scoop · 16/05/2017 16:40

Chicken

Floggingmolly · 16/05/2017 16:41

chicken. . KFC's all round, in the middle of a lesson to celebrate the Princess's birthday... It's stunning how some people's minds work.

chickenowner · 16/05/2017 16:41

I know Scoop, I know...

chickenowner · 16/05/2017 16:42

The mind does boggle sometimes!

RuggerHug · 16/05/2017 16:42

Chicken that's insane! But fitting that it was KFC with your name. Did she whinge or just accept it?

chickenowner · 16/05/2017 16:43

Ha!! I hadn't even thought of that!!

She was angry but accepted it. I think she must have realised that she was being ridiculous. And the headteacher supported my comments too.

NotISaidTheWalrus · 16/05/2017 16:53

But cutting out 15-20 tiny slices of cake per year isn't going to make a noticeable impact on sugar consumption

The sugar thing is just an excuse, they just don;t want people bringing in cakes. Rightly so.

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