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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

Stupid challenge for teachers at school today

18 replies

amithatparent · 01/02/2019 14:42

I’ve name changed for this one, in case any other parents from the school are on here.

At my dcs Primary School today they were taking part in Number Day to raise money for NSPCC and did maths and numbers based challenges. One of the challenges was for the teachers to see how many marshmallows they could cram into their mouths before they could fit no more in.

Am I wrong in thinking this was an incredibly stupid and dangerous thing to show kids of Primary age to do? I asked my older dc if anyone said anything about not trying it themselves but they’ve said no. I’ve told both dcs it’s dangerous and why it’s dangerous, marshmallows melting and sticking together in the mouth can slide down the throat and get stuck and cause choking/suffocation. I haven’t scared them just kept it to the point but hopefully they know never to do it.

I want to complain to the school about how irresponsible this was but I’m wondering if it makes me one of those parents whose looking to make trouble. I’ve never complained about anything at the school before, I have had a few eyeroll moments but this just seems totally stupid to me that of all the teaching and senior staff not one of them thought this wasn’t the wisest thing to do.

Am I being over the top? I genuinely don’t know.

OP posts:

Gatehouse77 · 01/02/2019 14:44

Can't say it would bother me. Primary school children aren't likely to be buying their own marshmallows and trying it. And we'd never have marshmallows at home to take unless they had been bought for a specific purpose - do others have them in the house regularly?

PegLegAntoine · 01/02/2019 14:45

I don’t think you are OTT, I remember in secondary school some of my classmates wanted to do that (called “fluffy bunnies”) as part of a charity thing, we weren’t allowed because it was dangerous

CuckooCuckooClock · 01/02/2019 14:46

I agree with you op.
Very stupid thing to encourage small children to do

birdladyfromhomealone · 01/02/2019 14:48

didnt someone very recently die of doing this challenge?

TheDuchessofDukeStreet · 01/02/2019 14:48

Hi op. I completed a paediatric intermediate life support course last week in which we were taught treatment for a choking child. It was scary even to think about having to perform this. I think someone at the school has not thought this through, and you are entirely reasonable to say something. Good luck.

planespotting · 01/02/2019 14:48

I teach and that is a stupid thing to do. Fun for an adult class? Not my kind of fun but not for children. Just stupid. I would send an email.
As a teacher I would like to know

Ghanagirl · 01/02/2019 14:51

Very silly children are much more likely to choke than adults especially when they are stuffing things in their mouth i’d Be tempted to ask the school to reiterate to the children not to copy this “challenge”

Cucumbersalad · 01/02/2019 14:51

Totally agree with you OP. Saw a child doing this silly challenge on TV a year or so ago and I remember telling my DCs how dangerous it was. Marshmallows are particularly hazardous when it comes to choking risk.

Ghanagirl · 01/02/2019 14:52

@Gatehouse77
Don’t your kids go to their friends house occasionally?

sleeplessinsomewhereelse · 01/02/2019 14:54

Yeah it's a bit wasteful and greedy too. I remember it as 'chubby bunny'. I think there are better things to be challenged on.

TheDuchessofDukeStreet · 01/02/2019 14:59

Just a thought Op, would it be worth getting the school nurse on board with this?

Mirali · 01/02/2019 15:31

You are right that it's a bad idea

BarbaraRoyale · 01/02/2019 15:39

I think it's a stupid thing to do. Could they really not think of a better game?

m0therofdragons · 01/02/2019 15:47

My dc love the chubby bunnies game. There are 2 reports of death from the game in the whole world so in the scheme of things it's not high on the risk list. If you're that risk adverse I'd suggest you also avoid road crossing and driving a car.

planespotting · 01/02/2019 18:03

If you're that risk adverse I'd suggest you also avoid road crossing and driving a car.

Some people

sparklesq · 01/02/2019 18:06

YANBU there was a YouTube family who had their school age children do this and Social Services actually deemed it dangerous enough that they visited the family about it. The father admitted it afterwards. Apparently mushy marshmallows are the worst thing to be stuck in an airway and can very easily lead to death so I think this is a very stupid thing to be showing young children.

Original poster

amithatparent · 02/02/2019 08:22

Thanks for the replies, I wasn’t fuming with anger over it, more surprised that it hadn’t occurred to anyone that it was a stupid thing to do. I’ll send an email and forget about it.

OP posts:

KrazyKatlady · 02/02/2019 08:50

My Ds school was meant to be doubg the nspcc maths day yday but got a snow day. He was actually disapointed as he loves maths!! 😂 i think its not a great idea and can't see the link to maths or the nspcc!! There are loads of other silly/fun challenges they could do without doing that.

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