Teacher Explains Why Parents Shouldn't Send Cupcakes to Celebrate Kids' Birthdays (Exclusive)

Mar. 15, 2025

Teacher Ann Brackemyer; a stock image of cupcakes.Photo:Courtesy of Ann Brackemyer; Getty

Courtesy of Ann Brackemyer; Getty

An elementary school teacher is explaining why celebrating a child’s birthday in the classroom should be done without cupcakes.Ann Brackemyer, a kindergarten teacher in Illinois, shared avideo on TikTok, in which she detailed her “unpopular opinion” about celebrating students' special day with the specific food item.Now, in an exclusive conversation with PEOPLE, Brackemyer, 39, further explains her stance, stating, “I’ve just seen a lot of parents bring in different treats and snacks for kids on their birthday, and cupcakes are always the number one option.““But I just don’t think parents realize that a lot of students don’t finish them, and I don’t think it’s their favorite thing to eat,” she continues. “I think there are better options, like Little Debbie snacks or cookies or donuts, which are a lot easier for kids to eat — and they also enjoy more.“Never miss a story — sign up forPEOPLE’s free daily newsletterto stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer​​, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.According to Brackemyer, she recently began using her TikTok account as a platform for her students' parents.“I started making videos for the parents that were in my class. I would make videos just to give them suggestions, because a lot of the parents would be confused on, like, ‘Oh, what’s the right pencil to buy? What’s the right art box to buy?’ " she says. “So I would actually make videos for them. But this year I decided to put it all on TikTok.“The PEOPLE Puzzler crossword is here! How quickly can you solve it? Play now!Courtesy of Ann BrackemyerBrackemyer also notes that many of her fellow educators agreed with her recent sentiment about cupcakes. “It’s always kind of a dreaded, like, ‘Oh goodness, they have cupcakes today?’ Like, ‘Oh, we’re going to have a mess, and I hope you have the wipes,’ " she explains.“But it’s not like if a parent brings in cupcakes, I’m going to turn it away,” Brackemyer adds. “I want the child to feel special on their birthday, so if a parent brings in cupcakes, I’m okay with it. I just think there are better options.“A stock image of a cupcake on top of books and notebooks.GettyAs for what her reaction was to her cupcake plea going viral, Brackemyer tells PEOPLE, “It’s crazy. Never in my life did I ever thought I’d betalking to theTodayshowor PEOPLE Magazine.““I understand a lot of people have different opinions, and that’s okay — we’re all not the same people, it wouldn’t be fun if we were the same — so it’s kind of neat to see different ideas,” the mother of four adds.

An elementary school teacher is explaining why celebrating a child’s birthday in the classroom should be done without cupcakes.

Ann Brackemyer, a kindergarten teacher in Illinois, shared avideo on TikTok, in which she detailed her “unpopular opinion” about celebrating students' special day with the specific food item.

Now, in an exclusive conversation with PEOPLE, Brackemyer, 39, further explains her stance, stating, “I’ve just seen a lot of parents bring in different treats and snacks for kids on their birthday, and cupcakes are always the number one option.”

“But I just don’t think parents realize that a lot of students don’t finish them, and I don’t think it’s their favorite thing to eat,” she continues. “I think there are better options, like Little Debbie snacks or cookies or donuts, which are a lot easier for kids to eat — and they also enjoy more.”

Never miss a story — sign up forPEOPLE’s free daily newsletterto stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer​​, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.

According to Brackemyer, she recently began using her TikTok account as a platform for her students' parents.

“I started making videos for the parents that were in my class. I would make videos just to give them suggestions, because a lot of the parents would be confused on, like, ‘Oh, what’s the right pencil to buy? What’s the right art box to buy?’ " she says. “So I would actually make videos for them. But this year I decided to put it all on TikTok.”

The PEOPLE Puzzler crossword is here! How quickly can you solve it? Play now!

Courtesy of Ann Brackemyer

Brackemyer also notes that many of her fellow educators agreed with her recent sentiment about cupcakes. “It’s always kind of a dreaded, like, ‘Oh goodness, they have cupcakes today?’ Like, ‘Oh, we’re going to have a mess, and I hope you have the wipes,’ " she explains.

“But it’s not like if a parent brings in cupcakes, I’m going to turn it away,” Brackemyer adds. “I want the child to feel special on their birthday, so if a parent brings in cupcakes, I’m okay with it. I just think there are better options.”

A stock image of a cupcake on top of books and notebooks.Getty

Getty

As for what her reaction was to her cupcake plea going viral, Brackemyer tells PEOPLE, “It’s crazy. Never in my life did I ever thought I’d betalking to theTodayshowor PEOPLE Magazine.”

“I understand a lot of people have different opinions, and that’s okay — we’re all not the same people, it wouldn’t be fun if we were the same — so it’s kind of neat to see different ideas,” the mother of four adds.

source: people.com