| YES! |
I think this is great idea - but how are you going to tell a 7-year old he can't take B-day cake for all his friends on his birthday? - harry
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| Ridiculous |
Of all the most ridiculous rulings I've heard of this is the worst. Living in South Africa were the bigger concerns are children peddling drugs at school, one wonders how Birthday cake can be considered so dangerous. Healthy eating should be a lifestyle both at home and school but extreme restrictions will surely increase craving for fast foods and unhealthy eating patterns.
The New Zealand government needs a rethink - Tanya Duthie
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| Oh, for crying out loud! |
It's ridiculous, right up there with Australian Santa's not allowed to go "Ho-ho-ho".
They're kids for Pete's sake, let them eat their cake! - stephan
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| compromise |
How about have a party for all the kids that have a birthday in the same month, say September. Then the moms can collaborate to make sure they don't all give unhealthy food and the children can still celebrate their party!
- Charlotte
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| Not so ridiculous |
This is not so ridiculous for New Zealand - they have no crime and don't have the crap that is associated with SA! They have nothing else to do! - xp
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| Absolutley! |
I think this is brilliant! Harry, kids understand more than you think. - DS
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| Rediculous |
Totally ridiculous. So do they also prohibit the kids to have a party at home and have friends over for CAKE?? What happened to the freedom to choose what you want to eat? If a kid has a problem with Obesity, preventing other kids to bring cake won't solve the problem. The problem is at home. Again people don't take responsibility for their children and for their actions, its always other people that should adapt. What about the obese child eating normal meals at home to start with? He could say no thank you for cake at school? The problem is no discipline, not no cake! - Bernadine
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| Let's all emmigrate |
Get with it guys, and how many South African's are on the "to get into NZ" list? Certainly not mine. Sounds like a place full of loads of fun ! - Sonja
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| Its a cake for goodness sake |
This is a crazy idea!! Leave the kids alone. I agree that should promote healthy eating but these are children. The highlight for their birthday is the cake. Let them enjoy their cake. - Dee
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| cake |
I think this is a great idea. Why do parents feel obliged to provide cake for a whole classroom full of children. What happened to having a party at home with invited friends. This communal providing can be a source of distress for less well-off children whose families struggle to put food on the table, let alone being pressured into crippling expense. - Mary
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| Nanny state |
Typical of the type of things that happen in a nanny state! Give me SA, where we have REAL issues, any day! - Retief
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| Let them eat cake |
Mary it is cheaper to send some sweets to school than it is to have a party at home. You obviously do not have kids or you would know that.
If you have a party at home then you have to cater for the parents add a jumping castle our rentals is cheap R100 in Bloem then you get to about R500 - R600 rand if you take then say to the spur it costs at least R33.00 per kid. I send cake to school then none of my kids friends feel left out as they can all join.
- Suhelen
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| Cake |
On the contrary Suhelen, I have raised 2 children and a child's birthday party is just that, not a parents' afternoon out. What happens in the situation where cake is handed out at school and one of the children is diabetic or allergic to some of the cake ingredients? - Mary
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| Healthy cakes |
It is my daughter's 6th birthday in a couple of weeks. Recently, I added 2 cups of raw grated butternut and 1ml of cinnamon to a basic cupcake recipe. The cakes were a vivid orange, super sweet and delicious. And they need no icing sugar on top. My daughter has told me that those are the cup cakes that she wants for her birthday. Hey, who am I to argue? - LesC
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| No cake for you! |
I have heard that New Zealand is a no-fun police state and this article just kind of reinforces that, doesn't it? - Carolyn
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| 'real issues' |
Hey it sounds pathetic, but wouldn't it be nice if cake was all we had to worry about here? - camel
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| Ban all unhealthy junk |
If parents feed their kids with all kinds of poison, let the government step in to save them from it. - Louis
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| What about SA |
It would be interesting to know what the prevalence of obesity is in SA schools. The general impression I get from looking at the kids in my area is that there are more than 10% of the kids that are overweight. Also the food sold at the tuck shop at my kid's school is shockingly unhealthy. There are not even healthy alternatives on the menu. - Mars
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| Birthday cake |
I agree with the healthy eating, but why deprive them of their birthday cake? Birthdays come once a year; surely one day a year of reckless abandon (within limits) is okay, and eating your birthday cake is hardly reckless... unless of course the child is a diabetic. Let them enjoy their birthday cake while their bodies still allow them to! Now that the government officials have had their childhoods and have had their birthday parties, they want to deprive the younger generation of theirs? Give me a break! - Mandy
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| Great idea (talking from experience) |
Most of what we believe is ADHD will be eliminated. Colour, sugar, fizzy drinks lead to behavioural problems with "many" kids, without which they are gems to have around. - SK
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| 2sides of the coin |
I tend to agree and also tend to disagree about birthdays. What about the kids - who see see cakes and sweets as a luxury their parents cannot afford.They are looking forward to having cake on a classmates birthday. Yet again if 2-4kids have a birthday in the same month, that is really a lot of sweet goodies that is going to be consumed. I am sure the teacher does her nut with hyperactive kids in the class. - mom
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| What alot of!! |
I think this is really overboard - start looking at what the parents cook every evening for dinner and what the kids have in their lunch boxes rather! Give the kids the thrill of a birthday cake and blowing the candles out - its the highlight of a birthday!! - tracy
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| Pathetic.... |
Why don't we just ban children from being children !!!! - Badger
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| Let me think.. |
Probably 90% of the people who complained here have obese kids. Prove me wrong! - Max
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| YES I AGREE |
My son is allergic to nuts, and one birthday cake had a centre layer of cream with finely grated nuts. I am in favour of such a banning. - Shane Stoffels
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| To Max |
No Max, I actually don't have kids but I remember what it was like to BE a kid and I was allowed treats like cake on my birthday and I was never an overweight kid. Everything in moderation, what's wrong with that?? - Jane
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| level of importance |
Don't we all wish that our greatest problem that we had to worry about was birthday cake at school! Without having to worry about crime, violence, corruption, lack of power (or water soon) the schools can concentrate on the nutritional wellbeing of it's students. And yes! I have 2 children - one diagnosed by a neurologist with ADD and the other with a severe wheat and gluten allergy! There are good alternatives that kids can take to school for their birthday other that cake! We cannot use our experiences as children as an example - because things both environmentally and nutritiously are VERY different today than they were 30-40 years ago when we were kids! - Stof
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| Banning Birthday cake |
I think it is an excellent idea. Besides the health aspect obesity is becoming a world problem. It gets out of hand as well
Congratulations on an excellent health motivating idea. - Phyl
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| ? |
All very well, but teaching kids to eat correctly begins at home. No good eating healthy stuff at school each day only to go home and binge on junk. - Joanne Eva
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| No Cake for you |
What should happen at home ,doesn't regarding junk food so every little bit of restriction helps and anyway who cares - MaxT
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| All's good in moderation |
Let them have cake - but limit it - my children's creche have had strict rules for party packs for years now (allowed stuff like Flings, Liqui Fruit, fruit etc.) or some sort of toy (not cheap junk). Also my eldest daughter's school tuck shop only serves "healthy" foods and drinks at first break and they are allowed to buy other things like sweets and fizzy cold drinks after school. Great idea and helps with concentration etc. Like I said - everything is good in moderation. Let kids be kids for heaven's sake!! - Connie
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| Christmas/ New Year highjinks? |
What I want to know is why do they have a lot of birthdays in Sept and Oct - counting backwards.... - Boelander
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| No cake for you at school |
I think this is an excellent idea. We should do this in South Africa too.
- Desiree
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| Nothing in USA |
We recently moved from SA to USA and the rule in schools here is that nothing homemade may be brought to school for birthdays. Only individually-wrapped store-bought treats are allowed. This is to prevent kids being fed "dagga" cupcakes or such like. Very cautious and very restrictive. Safer, maybe? Kids can eat cake at their party at home. Rather focus on what they're eating for lunch every day! - Lynne
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| Birthday cake |
I was a pre-primary teacher for 13 yrs. Birthdays are a highlight. I discouraged sweets/ luxuries at snack / lunch time. Parents received letters to that effect at the beginning of the year. Anyone who brought luxuries had to take it home again. On birthdays, however, we had cake ! It was special treat . The children quickly got used to the idea. Healthy eating habits should start at home, and if we must assist at school - my idea worked well.
Carol - Carol
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| Birthday cake |
Most obese people I know - kids included are obese as a result of overeating. Those that argue are in denial. What you put in is what will show. Teach kids moderation from a young age as well as what is the definition of healthy food and they will not become obese and unhealthy. Nothing wrong with alternative healthy snacks and nibbles. - Michelle
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| Birthday Cake Ban |
Schools need to focus on education and considering that birthday parties are not part of the curriculum then cake is not needed. These treats are not occasional, especially when you consider all of the other Holiday parties and treats these children get. Also, our rights as parents to chose what foods our children eat are taken away with each treat. (USA) We are a failing economy with fat lazy children. Cupcakes and goodies are just one part of the gluttony our children experience. - Amber
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