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We are getting a revised snack list for Kindie....and a WDYT?
We got the snack list for DD's class. They are asking us all to chip in for larger quantities of snacks. The list has pretzels, popcorn, a variety of crackers and fruit snacks on it.
We got a note home today saying there are two allergies in the class, gluten and an apple allergy, and the teacher would send out a revised list to reflect the allergies. (The school also has a no nut policy.)
From what I can tell, I think popcorn is the only safe thing on the list now.
Here is the what do you think...do you think the list should be revised to reflect the allergies, but still allow the original snacks in the classroom (parents of the kids with allergies can provide appropriate snack for their child) or should all gluten and apple snacks not be allowed at all?
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Re: We are getting a revised snack list for Kindie....and a WDYT?
Definitely not for gluten! It's not a airborne allergy that requires an epipen. Would need more info about the apple allergy. My kids can't have dairy and I have always sent their own snacks, as well as educated them on asking if something has milk in it before they eat it from a young age. I would never expect or trust another parent to make sure something is dairy free. It's hard enough for me to do on a consistent basis!
ITA about communal snacks, too. I liked it how they did it in DS's KG. They asked for extra snacks for emergencies, like if someone forgot snack that day. But, you were responsible for sending a snack in every day. It's really not that hard and I was happy to send in a box of cereal or crackers every once in awhile to help out.
And I didn't answer your question...if it's an airborne allergy, then it should be banned from the classroom. If not, then that child has to avoid consuming it.
I hate this idea of parents sending in snacks to share. Im so glad that Ls teacher did away with that last year. We were actually sending in money and she bought snacks. JUNK is all they got. I sent L a snack anyways. H would eat the junk and then what I sent. (pb crackers, celery with pb, carrots & ranch, half a sandwich, various fresh fruit, yogurt, dried fruit) Or he would eat what I sent and save the junk to eat on the bus. Lol. He would put it back in the container I sent his snack in and save it for the ride home.
We only have to send snack 3 days because Wed. are always ice cream days and Fridays are always popcorn days. I now make sure I have a roll of quarters handy so I can send all 3 75cents or 50cents each wed or fri.
For the pp who mention emergency snacks. Ds teacher always kept somethings on hand for those cases. I forgot the girls snack today but drove it to the school while running errands. Im 2 mins from the school anyways.
I would think the allergy kids would bring their own if you all are still doing communal snacks. That would seem like the easiest way to handle it.
Landon * Kaydance * Kennedy
5/13/05 ******5/24/06
* Baby is due July 24 2012 *
I agree with everyone else. It depends on the allergy and severity and whatnot. I think it's perfectly reasonable to request no peanut products or whatever if it causes a child to go into anaphylactic shock just coming into contact with the oils or whatever. Basically, anything that requires an epi pen - shellfish and fish is a big one in my family but I can't imagine anything with shellfish being in a kid's snack for school. That said, I think it's unreasonable to expect a "group snack" these days with so many kid's allergies. DD#2 doesn't eat popcorn. Does that mean she wouldn't get a snack at school? Or does she need to learn to eat it just because of all the allergies? That's not fair to her either. If having a food (or any object) in the classroom at all is endangering a child's safety in terms of an allergy, it's reasonable to request no food including that ingredient is sent. If it's not a safety issue as long as the child doesn't eat it, then the child and parents need to send an appropriate snack.
And yes, DS has a mild egg and peanut allergy and maybe shellfish. He can eat baked goods and whatnot, but gets hives from mayo, eggs, and ranch dressing. I wouldn't expect anyone in his class as he gets older not to have these items in their lunches or snacks and I would expect him (as he gets older - like PreK/Kindy) to understand he can't touch those or eat them.
DD#1 also can't eat apples or drink apple juice. She knows this and just asks for water when juice boxes are offered or I keep a little water bottle in my purse for her at parties and such.
Like I said, if we accommodated everyone's allergies and likes/dislikes, there wouldn't be anything left to eat. It needs to be safe, but not taken to an extreme.
I'm not for the group snacks either - but that's how it is at DD's school.
The reason I asked the WDYT....A mom friend of mine goes to the same church as the gluten mom and I guess at a church meeting tonight my gf and the gluten mom were chatting the mom is really pushing to have gluten snacks removed all together from the list.
See I find this ridiculous. Just because her kid cant have gluten doesnt mean the other kids shouldnt be able to. Im not hugely familiar with the gluten allergy but Im pretty sure it is in a lot of snacks. She should send in snacks for her child.
Landon * Kaydance * Kennedy
5/13/05 ******5/24/06
* Baby is due July 24 2012 *
Seems like communal snacks would be a giant PITA. One more thing I have to worry about bringing to school. I'd never heard of such a thing before the nest.
Christmas 2011
I know how much it sucks to have your kid be the one that can't eat things. But, it's my job to provide a suitable alternative. And, like I said, I could still never trust another parent to make sure what they sent in for everyone was allergen free for my kid. That woman is smoking crack if she thinks this is going to work out how she thinks it will.
My son has celiac disease and while I would never ask that an entire classroom go gluten free, I also understand the concern of wanting all snacks to conform.
As he gets older, he'll know better what he can and can't eat - but there is ALWAYS a chance that he'll eat something he shouldn't. Either because he doesn't know, or because he says "I don't care", or... who knows why. If this happens, he will get sick. The one time it's happened so far, he threw up 3 hours later.
I would be fine providing individual snacks, but I'd have to know the teacher is going to make a genuine effort to keep an eye out that the kids aren't swapping and sharing snacks. I think that's the big concern for a lot of parents w/ kids w/ allergies.
~Benjamin Franklin
DS dx with celiac disease 5/28/10
Agree. There's so much to consider when you start talking about food allergies. Even some popcorn isn't okay for my gluten-free girls.
I agree. My dad and sister have celiac. Gluten is in everything. It's getting easier to find gluten free snacks (crackers, pretzels ect) but you need to shop at whole foods and other health stores. They are also more expensive. You could obviously still do fruit snacks, dried fruit, raisins, cheese, fruits and vegetables, gogurts ect. If my child had a gluten allergy I would send a separate snack. It sucks but unfortunately it is what it is and that child is going to be facing that allergy for the rest of their life and I don't think kindergarten is too young to learn. No different then a child with diabetes, asthma or any other medical condition. DD was in K last year and told a few people she was allergic to different things (which she wasn't) b/c so many of her friends and cousins have allergies that she was in the minority!
Totally agree. I went gluten-free for awhile after DS2 was born and we were trying to sort out his food issues. Gluten is TOUGH (and expensive) to avoid, especially if you are already avoiding other items like nuts and apples. Even it was my own child with a gluten allergy, my other children would NOT avoid gluten items, that would be way too hard (and expensive) with no health or other benefit to the children who have no gluten issues.