Peanut Butter Gate

Jasmine is due to start at a new nursery in September; she has her first settling session tomorrow afternoon.

As a family, we loved Reflections from our first visit. There are many and varied activities (including French club and a remarkable forest school), a beautiful and functional outdoor space and the most amazing homecooked food.

However, Jasmine was already settled in her local preschool...until peanut butter gate changed all that.

Now, I know the rules - no peanuts in a packed lunch in case of allergies. I KNOW this. But, one morning, it slipped my mind. I asked Jas what she wanted in her sandwiches, she said peanut butter and that was that.

As soon as James regaled the scolding he'd had from several teachers upon collecting Jas later that day, I realised my mistake, laughed, then apologised and thought no more about it.

Jasmine, however, is not so quick to forget. It rapidly became apparent that the situation had bothered her and I found it difficult to explain allergic reactions to a three year old who loves peanut butter.

I tried, of course; encouraged her to understand that peanuts can be incredibly dangerous and reinforced the message from school that they simply could not allow anyone to be in possession of peanuts.

Jasmine's response? "Well I don't want to go to that school anymore then."

I assumed that, after a while, she would forgive and forget but it didn't happen. Summer arrived and she was as keen as ever to move to a new school, so Reflections gained another devotee.

And that is the story of how peanuts altered my daughter's life. Or maybe it just illustrates how stubborn she can be...