[Updated 21/11/2023] Are you a parent caught in the crossfire of the great birthday cake debate at the school gate? In 2016, discussions about schools banning birthday cake were rampant, a trend that started back in 2011 with a Dorset primary school taking a stand against frosting.

“What has poor, delicious birthday cake ever done to you?”, you might ask!

Well, I have fond memories of classmates bringing in sweets on their birthdays, but the issue of classes of 30+ pupils bringing in birthday cake every week has become a norm, causing disruption to the school schedule and raising concerns about sugar levels and obesity in children.

Defending a local school imposing the ban, the mayor of Blackpool, Peter Callow, said: “I’m sure there will be people in the town who will think it’s overcautious, but the teachers are the people on the frontline and the decision is theirs.”

The frontline?! That’s serious stuff right there.

Teachers, increasingly held personally liable for incidents at school, are rightfully concerned about allergens and contaminants in homemade cakes. Even with an ingredient list, the task of ensuring safety becomes daunting.

It's brutal to watch a child with allergies miss out on treats, but where does the responsibility lie? Are schools overstepping their bounds and taking over a parent’s duty?

I can’t help but wonder whether schools are overstepping the mark in certain areas and taking over a parent’s duty. Because if my child had allergies, I’d be super hot on educating them on what to look out for so they can take responsibility for it. The same goes for sugar and the big obesity debate. The whole problem is not in having a slice of birthday cake, it’s not understanding moderation and nutrition from an early age.

Sure, I can see how exercising moderation could be tricky for a 7-year-old when there’s a birthday every week, so I think I agree with those that say birthday cake is for parties and social gatherings, not the classroom.

Everything in moderation, including the good stuff in life!