To speak to school about a game of Chubby Bunny?

[ChubbyBunny12]

NC for this as I’m not sure if I’m being a bit OTT here and want some perspective!
DS came home from school today and told me they had been playing Christmas party games, one of these was Chubby Bunny. For those of you who don’t know, it involves stuffing as many mallows as possible into your mouth and trying to say ‘chubby bunny’.
There has been at least one death in America of a child playing this game and the whole thing just seems like a very bad idea to me? AIBU to speak to school about this? I feel awful as the games were organised by volunteers (teachers were present) but I’m not sure it’s something I can let go without mentioning in case it happens again!

I would absolutely be mentioning this. Dangerous and a waste of food.

One death from this? Oh no. You’re not being unreasonable.

They best ban all this stuff then: www.sharksider.com/know-dangerous-shark%E2%80%A8/

As far as I know there have been 2 recorded deaths from this, one was when the children played with no adult supervision. 2 deaths in at least 50 years of playing the game doesn't strike me as a high risk.

I would, not an overreaction

Let it go. No one died, was kids having a bit of fun. It's more likely that they would have died on the commute/ walk to school. Or from a head injury in the playground. Let it go...

Definitely mention it, may seem like a harmless game but im shocked they dont understand/or care about the choking hazard

I would say it. A child at my son’s school nearly choked to death as a result of this.

Ridiculous game. I would definitely mention it. You can be diplomatic of course. I would not be happy to know my kids were doing this in school.

I thought it was going to be a fat shaming game! I actually would highlight concerns about this. Anyone who disagrees should go buy a packet of marshmallows and try it whilst laughing and giggling like excited children do....

@ShirleyPhallus

Those lists are always totally moronic. The things on them are items which are used hundred of times everyday so the percentage of deaths is teeny teeny tiny.
Also, if used correctly they dont cause death. It when they're used irresponsibly that they cause death.

In this case, we're talking about stuffing children's mouths with marshmallows. Let's break that down. Its not something which is being done hundreds of times everyday, so is not comparable to using a lawnmower.
It is also not the correct use of a food item. Food items arent intended to be stuffed into a mouth until popping point, which causes them to be pushed down into the throat and piled on top of. It's a dangerous use. A marshmallow on its own isn't dangerous just like a ladder in it's own isn't dangerous. Incorrect, irresponsible use of the item makes it a huge hazard
Children are very often the victims of choking. It's something every parent is aware of and watches for. Stuffing their mouth with sticky, gloopy food increases that risk massively.

Its not a game which I would allow my kids to play. I would let them eat a marshmallow properly. Just like I let them use ladders safely.

No definitely you are not being unreasonable. DFriend works in a care home and an elderly patient choked on a single marshmallow. Doctors, nurses and care workers struggled massively to dislodge it. Marshmallows can be a real choking hazard.

I find there to be so much wrong with this 'game'. Aside from the obvious risk of choking, I wouldn't encourage my children to try and talk with their mouth bursting with food. I spend the first few years teaching them the exact opposite.

Mention it for sure. What others have said arguing for this.

I personally know of someone who died from this game this year. Yanbu to talk to school.

Someone I knew claimed her mate died playing this on her hen do... not entirely sure whether to believe it but the tale was grim enough I’d not want any kids playing it.

Even before reaching to the part you mentioned one death, I thought this was very bad idea.

Children have been playing it for generations. Two deaths recorded globally - one unsupervised and the other an adult.
Catching a bus has higher risk. I’d let it be.

@CherryPavlova

And if this game were played at the same rate as people catching buses (which must be a free million times a day worldwide) then there would be a marked increase in deaths and then you'd be saying that it's more dangerous than catching a bus.
Comparing things like this is, as I said, moronic.

Kids cramming as much food as they can fit into their mouths, and then playing a game that makes them laugh (i.e. drawing in breath sharply with their mouths still full). Then - what, presumably trying to swallow a huge wad of marshmallow? Tbh I'm surprised there haven't been more deaths as a result of this game. I wonder if it's because a lot of schools in America have wised up and banned it. Ok, there are other activities that are dangerous - swimming, walking to school, going in a car, various sports etc, but those are either beneficial or necessary. Nothing beneficial or necessary about this.

Add in the number of deaths as a result of competitive eating (not that dissimilar when you think about it) and it's even more worrying. Plus there's the risk of kids trying to play the game with other foods when not supervised.

All those saying it's harmless, would you happily teach your kids to play this game? I bloody wouldn't.

YANBU. Marshmallows are a known choking hazard. I’d be fuming. Common sense would suggest it’s a idiotic idea - quite apart from the particular issue with marshmallows.

I’d speak to the school for sure.

20 posts on this thread and we’ve got 2 people personally knowing people who’ve died because of it and another near miss.

Hmm a mixed response.
One of the reasons I wanted perspective is that as a HCP I have seen the immediate aftermath of an incident where an adult choked to death in bread so I wasn’t sure how much my perception of the risk was skewed by this.
Someone mentioned that the child death was unsupervised which is true but no one can know if the outcome would have been different if she was, a mallow is not something that would be easy to get out of an airway. Plus the fact that playing this today introduced the idea to kids who may go on to play unsupervised.
I will contact school but obviously approach the issue gently and diplomatically.

Choking on food is the biggest cause of death in children under 14 years old. A child on America dies every 5 days from choking on food.

Can you imagine what that figure would be if this game were being played by every child, every day?

Would any parent then say to let this go because it's not a big deal?

When more children are killed by choking on food than anything else, do we really think a game like this is something to encourage? Because no one died that time.

I’d bring it up with the school

I'm really lax about things but I hate this game with a passion. It's so dangerous. The Marshmallows get stuck together and if they started going down your throat it would be hard to get out.