A sign which was recently spotted in a children’s playground has divided parents’ opinions, as it politely asks kids not to eat anywhere other than the designated areas
Having a child with an allergy can be really difficult, as you don’t want them to get really ill, but some parents think things have gone too far with this sign which was spotted in a playground.
Parents who don’t have children with allergies won’t know how scary it can be. Even if previous reactions to food allergies have been mild, there’s always the risk of the next one being life-threatening.
What might seem quite harmless to one family, such as a packet of peanuts in the playground, might require extreme vigilance for another. In fact, some children might even have a reaction to the sticky fingerprints left behind by a child who just ate a snack.
In order to make everyone feel comfortable, one playground has put up a sign politely asking other families to follow a few rules. On the sign, which was spotted at a playground in Texas in the US, it says: “Did you know one in 13 children has a food allergy? You can keep our children safer with these simple steps:
- Please eat at designated picnic areas
- Please do not eat in the playground area
- Please wash hands or use a wet wipe after eating
(hand sanitisers do not remove food allergies)”
The sign was spotted by mum-of-three Jess Carpenter, who posted a short video of the sign, and asked fellow parents: “What do you think of this sign? Enough? Too much? Fan? Not a fan? Let’s talk about it”.
The clip received over 90,000 likes on Instagram, with Jess herself explaining: “As a food allergy mom, I honestly don’t worry about contaminants at the park, but I know it’s a huge worry for many! It can be really scary knowing your child is going to potentially touch an allergen while trying to play. What I love about it is that it encourages hand washing! Bc all kids could use more of that.”
It’s clear that the sign divided parents, with people split between thinking it’s a great idea as it makes the play area safer for everyone, while others believe it’s the parents’ own responsibility to make sure they take precautions.
One person wrote: “I wouldn’t follow any of those ‘suggestions’, and I wouldn’t bring my child who had allergies this sensitive or debilitating to a public space such as a public playground. I wouldn’t expect other parents in a public space to limit their children based off my kids disability.”
Another simply said: “Nah. If you’re in public you need to be okay with the potential risk. Get over it,” while someone else wrote: “If you have an allergy you are responsible for that not everyone else. Schools already don’t allow peanuts or peanut products. I have allergies thats my problem not others.”
However, others thought it was a great idea. One person wrote: “I love this!! I have a severe dairy allergy and wasn’t able to touch my face as a kid at the playground because i would break out into hives.”
Another agreed, adding: “I love this sign to be honest. I’m fortunate enough I don’t have to worry about extra danger to my child. So this never even occurred to me,” and a third wrote: “I think it’s highly educational and a great idea! Sadly I just don’t think enough people read signs or even care if it’s not for their own child.”
What do you think? Let us know in the comment section below.
