MishpishBring back the Peanut?!
January 30th 2008 03:11
The poor peanut really gets a bad rap these days. Where it was once a happy and welcome food group in a now bygone era, it is now the enemy of many parents, carers, child cares and schools internationally. And even the poor airlines are having to cop flack for offering nuts to their passengers.
Some professionals who deal with children with severe allergies are arguing for the return of the peanut to schools. They say that there is no such thing as a peanut free school. It's impossible for teachers and staff to monitor all the foods brought by children. Therefore by claiming to be a 'nut free' zone they are giving anaphylactic children and their parents a false sense of security ("When Food Kills", the Bulletin, May 2007). Therefore it is more important to teach children to be responsible with their food intake, sharing, etc. Those children with allergies have to be more careful.
The argument is compelling. Many people are allergic to things OTHER than nuts. What about those with severe allergies to egg, milk and seafood. You don't see 'egg' or 'milk' free zones? Yet these children peacefully co-exist with everyone else.
As a parent of a child with a severe nut allergy, I want to protect her as much as I can. I can't imagine instilling her the amount of responsibility needed when she starts 'big' school next year. She is stubborn and adventurous. If the situation presents herself where she is offered a chocolate, will she be smart enough to say no? The answer for her could be a matter of life or death. It sounds mello-dramatic, but for her this is truly the case.
Some professionals who deal with children with severe allergies are arguing for the return of the peanut to schools. They say that there is no such thing as a peanut free school. It's impossible for teachers and staff to monitor all the foods brought by children. Therefore by claiming to be a 'nut free' zone they are giving anaphylactic children and their parents a false sense of security ("When Food Kills", the Bulletin, May 2007). Therefore it is more important to teach children to be responsible with their food intake, sharing, etc. Those children with allergies have to be more careful.
The argument is compelling. Many people are allergic to things OTHER than nuts. What about those with severe allergies to egg, milk and seafood. You don't see 'egg' or 'milk' free zones? Yet these children peacefully co-exist with everyone else.
As a parent of a child with a severe nut allergy, I want to protect her as much as I can. I can't imagine instilling her the amount of responsibility needed when she starts 'big' school next year. She is stubborn and adventurous. If the situation presents herself where she is offered a chocolate, will she be smart enough to say no? The answer for her could be a matter of life or death. It sounds mello-dramatic, but for her this is truly the case.
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Comment by katyzzz
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One can't help wondering what has gone wrong? Children didn't seem to have so many problems as they have nowadays. Worth thinking about.
katyzzz
Comment by Anonymous
Unpopular as this view maybe, I think parents and teachers need to be made more responsible. These children with the allergy have been labelled "special needs" by the sysem. So I feel the schools need to start reflecting that, they get special funding for special needs children, so start using it. Employ someone to sit with these children while they eat...have a special group that eats together and has a nut free zone. Terach the other children (teachers as well as parents) to wash their hands after they eat. Why am I to be made responsible for the needs of every other child? I am happy to do my part and teach my child not to share their food with other kids and explain why. I am happy to teach my child to wash their hands after they eat. I am not happy to watch after the welfare of every child in a school of 500 children.