Mock Gingerbread House, a la Rooster

The first grade classes in our elementary school had a mock gingerbread house project they completed today. It was "mock" because no gingerbread was harmed in the formation of those houses. Technically, adult volunteers used graham crackers and canned frosting to form a house shape that the kidlets decorated with candy and more frosting once the house was no longer in danger of collapsing.

This sort of project is actually fraught with hazards for a food-allergy kidlet like Rooster. Thankfully, she has to eat the food in order to have an allergic reaction. Sadly, she sticks her fingers in her mouth just about every other second of the day, so giving a class full of kidlets a type of sticky, messy, gloppy frosting that Rooster cannot consume is a recipe for disaster. I cannot even imagine how bad it could be for a child who cannot inhale or touch an allergen.

Thankfully for Rooster, she has both an understanding teacher and a pain-in-the-rear-end mother. After both talking with and emailing Rooster's teacher on this subject, it was determined that I could make up Rooster's mock gingerbread house at home using Rooster-safe materials, send it to school today, and Rooster would sit at a separate table with the classroom aide helping her to apply Rooster-safe candies using Rooster-safe frosting, all of which I would supply. This did not eliminate the threat of Rooster getting unsafe frosting on her fingers and then putting her fingers in her mouth, but it greatly reduced that possibility. This time around, I was not required to send in materials for the class to share when I also had to send in items for Rooster to use, which was really nice. I don't mind sending in supplies for my child to use, but it irks me to have to also send in things my kidlet can't touch with a ten-foot pole. Like I stated, Rooster has a very understanding teacher.

Rooster is very proud of her gingerbread house. Today went as planned, and as far as I know there was no accidental ingestion of allergen-laden materials. The kidlets got to bring home their newly decorated creations, so we now have a centerpiece for our kitchen table.

The only thing I am wondering right now is why, in this day and age of awareness of food allergies, is this project still working this way? Another parent suggested they cut up cardboard, glue the pieces together to form a different type of mock gingerbread house, and let the kidlets decorate it with beads, Styrofoam, glitter, or just about anything that could be glued onto the projects. No one would have to sit at a table by themselves, or worry about touching frosting, graham crackers, or candy that could potentially make them sick. No one would have to feel excluded, need to wear gloves, or even skip school that day. Parents can send in supplies to make the projects the same way they do now. The only difference would be that allergies would not be an issue. It makes me wonder why no one took that other parent seriously when she made her suggestion.