Birthday treats at school

[hellokitty]

Do you bring a birthday food treat for your child's classroom for his/her birthday?

[maestramommy]

Actually the way they work it is, the bday kid provides the snack on his/her birthday.

[BabyMine]

I started doing it last year. Unfortunately, it has to be store bought becasue of all the allergies.( I am not knocking children with allergies) I have fond memories of making cupcakes with my mom for my birthday at school.

[saschalicks]

I voted other b/c DS1's new school does not allow any treat to be sent for b-days. And DS2's school only allows healthy snacks for b-day treats (must be store bought and kosher).

ETA: more info.

[infocrazy]

I voted non-food since DS1 has a tree nut allergy. At his preschool though, unless the mom is the day's class mom, the treats are sent home. One mom put the ingredients list on the cookie she made, which I really appreciated.

DS is a summer birthday though so we haven't done anything ourselves. They do summer birthday where all the kids who have summer birthdays celebrate. As a summer birthday myself, I always hated that since me and three boys were the summer bdays. I think we will do his half-birthday when he is in school but MY school never allowed that. I am obviously not over this :-)

[bubbaray]

I voted school d/n allow it -- the teacher sent home letter at the beginning of school specifically asking parents to NOT send food for b-days, holidays etc. If we want, we can send stickers or non-food items.

[g-mama]

Starting this year, our elementary school requires birthday treats to be healthy. :( So no cupcakes like I've done in the past.

I'm thinking either fruit kebabs or little fruit & yogurt parfaits or banana muffins.

[AnnieW625]

I haven't done it yet, but will get to do so for DD's birthday at preschool. I think I am really looking forward to it because I had a summer birthday and most of the time never got treats at school. I am a pretty good baker so I have no issues making things gluten, dairy, or nut free, however I don't think there are any allergies in DD's class:)

[ellies mom]

At my daughter's school, they ask that you do not send in snacks or non-food treats. They suggest sending in a book. They put a label in the book saying that it is so-and-so's birthday book and it stays in the classroom library. At the end of the year, it goes home with the child.

[Twoboos]

I voted other. All bdays in the same month are celebrated on one day, and the class bakes the treat themselves. Parents can bring in bday plates/napkins on the actual birthday day, for the regular snack.

[KpbS]

DS1 has many allergies. He usually has a different treat when birthdays are celebrated. I would love a non-food treat sent.

[Zansu]

Our school celebrates birthdays once a month. The parents get together and determine what to bring. Anything we bring has to be hekshered (kosher). So there's usually a cake from the kosher bakery, fruit and drinks. Everything is done at recess, so it's a brief 15-20 minute experience.

[kristenk]

I voted "non-food treat." The principal *strongly* suggested that parents send a non-food treat if they want to send anything for their DC's birthday. Anything that is sent in must be individually wrapped and will be put in each child's backpack for them to take home. They suggested sending pencils in to celebrate. I'm not sure what we'll do, but I'm guessing pencils/erasers/crayons or something of the sort.

[s7714]

Prior I sent in mini-cupcakes, but effective this year our district implemented a no food policy. Each school is allowed two exceptions for functions like fund raisers or holiday parties. Other than those all-school functions, teachers are not allowed to have food in their classrooms for anything. At first I was a little unsure about the policy, but then I realized it meant I'd no longer be picking up sugar high kids who were getting candy rewards from substitutes using it as bribes for behaving. Last year we also saw a LOT of assignments using candy (think counting and math), so I'm glad to see an end to those too. :thumbsup: I now think it's a fabulous policy.

[sidmand]

DS's preschool doesn't allow birthday treats BUT they ask you to send in a white t-shirt and all the kids and teachers sign it for the child's birthday. DS loves his birthday shirt! And it's nice because I honestly didn't even think to send something in (had to be reminded last year about the shirt) and with the food allergies and gluten-free diets I'm not sure what I would've sent.

I do remember my entire kindergarten class walking to my house (I lived 1/4 mile from school) and having home made whoopie pies and riding our space trolley! I can't even imagine anything like that could even happen nowadays. Wow. I had forgotten about that until just now too. But I still remember it some 30+ years later!

[billysmommy]

I do remember my entire kindergarten class walking to my house (I lived 1/4 mile from school) and having home made whoopie pies and riding our space trolley! I can't even imagine anything like that could even happen nowadays. Wow. I had forgotten about that until just now too. But I still remember it some 30+ years later!

That is SO cool :)

[kijip]

One of the things about summer birthdays- no opportunity for class parties.

His pre-K, K and now 1st grade all allow snacks (of any kind, be it carrot or chocolate cupcakes) for b-days but T's b-day is a couple of weeks after school get out. And F's birthday will always fall during winter break.

[JElaineB]

I voted "no", but in the past I have sent some kind of food treat to daycare, and last year I sent cupcakes to kindergarten as it was DS's assigned snack day the day before his birthday anyway. This year they don't have snacks anymore so it didn't occur to me to send anything - his birthday is this weekend so that is a definite "no" this year!

[Fairy]

Every year from 15 months to 3yo, I sent Healthy Harvest apple sauce and the organic juice pouches (Healthy Kids? Smart Kids? Organic Kids? I forget the name). Last year in the 3yo room, I also sent Dunkin Donut holes to go with the applesauce. Thsi year we did whole donuts from Dunkin, no juice. I was in a hurry, time got away from me :(. I talked to the one girl with nut allergies and asked her what I could provide for her daughter, and she said she wouldn't be there that day anyway but really appreciated taht I asked.

[SnuggleBuggles]

At ds1's k they made a healthy treat on b-days- fruit and whipped cream, for example. Last year the handbook at his new school said no treats but no one followed that. I brought in cookies and cupcakes for parties and a cake on ds1's b-day. I love to bake so it was fun to get to do that. This year they are going back and forth on allowing treats or not. He'll be out of school before his b-day this year so it may be a non issue.

Beth

[ett]

This year in first grade, I will be sending in a white t-shirt for the kids to decorate and a book that will be part of the classroom library for the year. Last year in K, they also decorated white t-shirts.