I was recently invited to a friends house to share some laughs over a glass of wine (a glass quickly turned into a bottle!!) We all sat around the kitchen table, there was myself, my friend, and 2 of her friends who were visiting from Michigan. Needless to say, children and food quickly became the topic of conversation.
As we munched home made cookies, I mentioned my son’s allergy and how he would be so hesitant to eat cookies that weren’t homemade by his own Mommy!
What one of the ladies mentioned next, shocked me more than anything I have heard in recent months. In Michigan, her child is allowed to take peanut butter sandwiches to school. Allergic children are seated together at their own table away from everyone else. There are no restrictions on what children can bring for lunch. Are you serious???
Would you want to live in Michigan? Would you want your child to play on monkey bars possibly smothered with peanut butter from another child’s hands? Would you approve of your allergic child being seated at “their own table” to eat lunch, away from their friends and classmates?
You would think the American statistics spoke for themselves. Peanut allergies have doubled in children from 1997-2002. There are 160 deaths reported annually in the United States directly related to peanut allergies.
After a lengthy debate, and a few bottles of wine, my opinion was clear. And all I can say is I’m glad to be Canadian. There are times I would love to be American if not for an endless supply of Red Velvet Cake Mix or weekly visits to The Cheesecake Factory. But to send my son to a nut-free school and to know that he is safe, I’d settle for white cake and Sara Lee cheesecake any day!!!
One comment I'll add here is that children (even in Canada) are only protected for so long. Once they reach high school, they're potentially in an environment where Snickers are sold in the school vending machines and their friends COULD be eating that PB & J sandwich while sitting next to them...
ReplyDeleteWorking in a high school (after coming from a very careful and NUT-FREE nursery school) I shuddered at the bag of almonds left out in the open on my co-workers desk. When it comes to the safety of a teen, it seems the attitude is way more relaxed on what is still a serious, life-threatening issue... I'm not necessarily saying that nuts should be banned at the high school level, but staff (and students) should at least be exercising more caution as to what is being eaten in the school and especially within the classroom. (I.E reminding students to wash their hands after eating nut products!)
I caught a student the other day sneaking some nutty Hallowe'en treats in underneath the desk! I was not impressed....
Anyway Nik, you rock and Sara Lee cheesecake is soooo under-rated!!
-Vane xo