My own daughter is banned from bringing nuts and products containing nuts to her day-care centre because at least one other child has declared, via their parents, a nut allergy.  What I don't know is whether that child ever attends on the same days as my daughter.  Perhaps they're worried that peanut germs will circulate in the air and strike when they're least expected.

Now, I know that she would never share food – she enjoys it far too much!

Discussing this story as it was being developed; one of my colleagues at iTWire mentioned an even sillier example.  Nut products are banned at his son's school because one of the teachers has declared an allergy.

The primary reason for such bans is to protect children when either they don't know enough to protect themselves or are too immature to apply the knowledge they have.

However, in the long run, this kind of 'exclusion policy' does far more harm than good.  It teaches the child an important lesson: that the world will look after them; that they can live their lives oblivious and impervious to the problem.

It is because of this well-learned lesson the previously mentioned teacher, by announcing his allergy, is absolved of all responsibility for his own problem.  It is the world's problem, not his.

Unfortunately, the nuts are not limited to the food we eat.