Question for you parents, what would you rather your child had for a birthday treat. My daughter's birthday is this Saturday so I am going to take something in for her class tomorrow. It just so happens I work for toy/novelty company and we sell the animal shaped bands. I actually already have enough to furnish the class so I can send those or should I go out and get the traditional cupcake. (There is a child in her class, so I've been told by the teacher, that has an egg allergy but she has assured me its ok because the mom brought an alternate treat for the child)
It just made me think what would you rather your child have? I think the bands could be something different than the normal cupcake but then I know some parents might not like their child coming home with them.
Thanks for the input everyone. I ended up just doing the silly bands and the teacher actually thanked me this morning when I handed them to her and told what they were. She said not only is there a egg allergy but a couple peanut allergies so this will make it much easier for her to distribute and not having to be careful with the allergies. Also, my daughter told me they celebrated a birthday yesterday and had cupcakes, so I think this will also be a break from the norm.
Yes, the child with the food allergy may have a substitution, but no child wants to feel left out or different. Go with the silly bands. If they aren't allowed at school the kids can take them as they are leaving.
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Yes, the child with the food allergy may have a substitution, but no child wants to feel left out or different. Go with the silly bands. If they aren't allowed at school the kids can take them as they are leaving.
BOTH... Especially since you already have the silly bandz. Cupcakes are just tradition for birthdays at school. Ya they are not the best thing for kids, but who cares its not like its every day! Let them enjoy and celebrate her brithday :)
As a mom of a child with a food allergy, you would not only make a classroom full of kids happy with silly bands but make that one child's day! My son gets an alternative treat at school except on his birthday and he loves that for one day, he is like everyone else. This year we are also doing a novelty item of some sort. Plus no parent likes to have their kid sent home hopped up on sugar!!
Cupcakes, can't eat a silly band.
Blessings....
Since you already have the bands i say do both! Make your daughter feel very special. The traditional cake or cookies is great as a birthday celebration, but having a little trinket to take home is wonderful too! If you just send the bands it won't be much of a celebration in class since it doesn't take the time that eating a treat does.
Some schools have banned silly bands because it turns into too much of a distraction.
You can't go wrong with cupcakes. They are a cherished birthday tradition.
How old is your daughter? I guess since we have a nut allergy in our family, I'd vote for the bands. Most bakery items are not 100% certain to be nut free, so we avoid them.
On a side note - my son just started K and they said no food for birthdays allowed, and they encouraged parents to bring a gift "for the classroom" like a book. I intend to do that rather than little gifts for all the kids. As a parent, I get tired of all the gifty trinkets that end up in our trash can eventually. Do we really need to import all that stuff from China to eventually end up in our landfills?
Jessica
Check your school hasn't banned the silly bandz - ours has for being too much of a distraction in class!!
Silly Bands!!! Good idea!!!
Our school doesn't even allow cupcakes or sugar of any kind.
Both my son's and daughter love silly bandz, it's not just a girl thing! Our school has said no cupcakes this year. I usually take cookies or one of my son's favorite thing is blueberry muffins!!!! He took muffins last year for his bday treat.
I would go with the silly bandz, it is something different that most kids are loving right now!
I may just use that for my kids this year or the new eraser craze!!!!
Good Luck and Happy Birthday to your Daughter.
The point about making sure the Bandz are not banned by the school is a valid one.......something else to think about is the student's younger siblings and pets at home that can ingest an unattended Band in a second (speaking from experience with rubber bands from the mail delivery and hamsters...yes, not toxic but quite challenging to extract - hehe!)
Having said that, our school has banned cupcakes too.....better to bring a fruit tray with dip or something.....still a special treat but it may not exclude anyone due to allergies if you offer of vartiety of fruits.
My girls love Silly Bands, so my vote goes to them. :D
If there are food allergies, I would stick with the Silly Bands. Our school as a strick no outside food policy and there are some parents that are very serious about what foods their children eat.
Something we do, and this may not work for you because of timing, but maybe for future ideas:
We put each child name on an envelope in bold black ink.
*Take a cookie sheet and line it with foil.
*Put it on a large burner of the stove at a low setting.
*Get some old crayons (lighter colours if you do it over the name) and melt *patterns onto the lined sheet.
*Blot an envelope to pick up the colours and set asside to cool.
Once the envelop is cooled, we fill it with novelty items, such as silly bands, pencils, erasers, stickers, lollies, etc. Then we seal them up and hand them out.
Now, my son's birthday happens to be on Valentines day, so it works out well.
I can speak as a Mom of a child with an egg allergy. Yes we can provide an alternative treat, which our child accepts but they love to be included with the other children. So I vote for the bands! How about attaching a sucker to the bands or laffy taffy, smarties so they can have the band and a small treat as well. Appreciate you taking the time to think about and ask for input!
I would prefer the bands... less messy! haha. But I guess it depends on the age of the kids?
Happy Bday to your daughter!!
I would bring the cake, all kids love cake, most boys are not into silly bands. When ever a child has an allergy they let the mom know when treats are being brought in so the mom can send an alternative one for that child, it is no big deal.
Silly Bandz and cookies! Cupcakes end up in the trash....sad but true :-(
Silly Bands, everyone does cupcakes so it will be a nice change. Maybe you could get some inexpensive sweet treats to take also.
I vote for both. It would be sad not to have the traditional cupcake. Since you already have the bandz, it is a nice added touch :)
I used to love the silly bandz...now that my kids have thousands...i end up vacuuming them or trying to keep them away from the cats! ugh! still the kids love them...
My kids would prefer the silly bands, but our school has banned them! Cupcakes are always enjoyed by the kids though.
Happy Birthday to your daughter!
I vote the bands - but call the school 1st. A lot of school districts have outlawed them because they are a distraction. For that matter, you have to ask before taking cupcakes too - those have been nixed too!
My kids love silly bandz! However, the school has already banned them for the year. So, in my case, it would have to be cupcakes. =0)
Hi Becky---MIght be kind of late, but if you were inclined to bake, you could make mini vegan cupcakes. With a lot of recipes, you can just leave the egg out. There are also many egg substitutes. An easy one you can make with what you (should) have in the house is to mix gound flax seed with water. Mix 1 tablespoon ground flax with 3 tablespoons hot water. Let thicken and use in place of egg. My daughter is working toward a vegan diet and we have a killer coconut cupcake recipe. It's really pretty easy. And, if you bake, you make the cupcakes healthier with some substitutions. Ask me how.
Unfortunately, this effort may go unnoticed as most kids with allergies are instructed to NOT eat anything that mom has not prepared for them. It's too bad that so many kids are having these food sensitivities and allergies these days. Our immune systems are so totally out of whack. Doesn't have to be that way, but this is a subject for another day. Sorry about me getting on my soapbox.
Anyway, I like the mini cupcakes. Minimizes waste, gets everyone just a little taste of birthday yumminess. Of course, I'm a 'bit' older and it wouldn't seem like a b'day without a cake. Then, you could offer a couple of silly bands to go along. Good luck. Be well, D.
Silly Bandz! They are much healthier! :) My son and daughter love them!
I know I'm in the minority here but I vote for... nothing. I hate cupcakes that are 90% frosting loaded with food coloring and I am not a fan of goody bags filled with plastic rubbish and candy that mostly ends up in the trash. The silly bandz are not a terrible idea but I really don't like the idea that classwork needs to stop in order to celebrate a childs birthday. My daughter is 5 today - she is not taking anything in to her Kindergarten class, she had a party last week and invited her friends - their "goody bags" consisted of pencil boxes, crayons, pencils, glue and a notebook, the parents and the kids all loved them and it didn't take place in the classroom.
I am not trying to rain on your parade, I'm just offering an alternate thought process.
Happy Birthday to your daughter.
