Remember when we were kids and somebody in our class at school had a birthday? Remember how that somebody's mom would always send in a truckload of refined sugar and artificial colors and everyone would gather 'round and sing Happy Birthday and then we'd all bounce around the classroom like ping-pong balls on crack and (presumably) our teacher would knock back a few aspirin and count down the days til retirement?
Well, as you are no doubt aware (particularly if you are a mom), the times ... they have a-changed. And if your child happens to be that somebody with a birthday, you can't just show up at his or her classroom with an armful of cupcake happiness, oh no. There are Rules To Be Followed. Many of which, I must say, I appreciate (as the mom of a peanut-allergic kid). But the thing is, more rules = more chances to screw up and prove to your child that you are, in fact, the worst mom ever.
Like when my daughter turned 6 and wanted to bring cupcakes in for her kindergarten class. Perhaps you'd like the recipe?
Birthday Cupcakes for Your Kid's Kindergarten Class
Ingredients:
One kindergartener who wants to bring cupcakes to school for her 6th birthday.
Directions:
1. Ask the child's teacher for permission to bring cupcakes. Try not to appear alarmed when the teacher rolls her eyes and hands you a list of what foodstuffs are NOT allowed, including dairy (because one kid is so allergic that his skin blisters when he comes into contact with milk, no joke), peanuts, sesame seeds, wheat and/or artificial red coloring (because one kid's lips swell up if she eats it).
2. Go to the grocery store. Stand and stare at baking supplies in confusion. Figure it's impossible to make "safe" cupcakes and decide your kid will bring in "happy birthday stickers" instead.
3. Stand and stare helplessly as child breaks down into hysterical sobs at the suggestion of "happy birthday stickers."
4. Go online in search of everything-free recipes for cupcakes that won't require food coloring to look festive.
5. Dance a little jig when you find gluten-free, vegan "Life's a Beach!" cupcakes featuring "sand" made from crushed gluten-free vanilla wafers.
6. Go back to the grocery store. Stop on the way home at the party supply store for a package of those little umbrellas that go in pina coladas to stick in the cupcakes (to make them look beach-y!).
7. Stay up all night making cupcakes thinking about how decidedly non-beach-y life is at the moment.
8. Bring cupcakes to child's classroom. Beam with pride as happy children sing and eat adorable beach-y cupcakes. Slink away in shame when clever boys start using little pina colada umbrellas as weapons. Whoops.
Have you ever baked birthday cupcakes for your kid's class?
Image via Rachel Kramer Bussel/Flickr
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Comments 23
I kind of prefer it though. These days people are weird and no one can really be trusted. You have no idea how someone's kitchen looks. Same with the grocery store as well but you have a better chance.
We're allowed to bring in home baked goods, no rules to follow. There were even peanut allergies in the class last year and it still was never an issue.
We have peanut allergy in my sons class, but we are stil allowed to bring in home baked treats, sans nut. One of the other kinder classes has a gluten allergy though, so it's gotta be tough for them. I figured I would just bring in some angel food cake an dstrawberries... But we will see
My daughter's school allows home-made treats. I always check with her teacher for kids with special allergies and try to make accomodations. Like last year, there was a little boy who was diabetic and a little boy who was allergic to many common food items. I still brought cupcakes and the children who couldn't have one did not. The teacher had a special fund to buy those children a special treat from the cafeteria (like a popsicle) so that they still got something in celebration.
Because those balls of chemicals you get prepackaged at the store are SOOO much better than actual flour, sugar, eggs and butter thrown together to make cupcakes. Honestly, I weep for kids sometimes.
And then I realize how blessed I am to live where I do. Tonight I"m making chocolate chip brownies for my son's class. Tomorrow is his birthday, and his turn to share. He's done it every year, no problems.
Now that he's in proper school he gets to spend his time learning instead of getting hyped up on sugar and I greatly appreciate that.