Question For Parents Of School Aged Children

[CEDmom]

DD's school used to do a lot of fund raisers but it got to the point that most parents just would rather pay the $ then have to bother with selling things.

I don't mind buying something I really want or that costs a buck especially from a child that is really putting forth some effort. What really bothers me though are the kids who stand outside of our Starbucks on a Saturday morning collecting donations for Little League while mom or dads stands nearby drinking a $4 latte. Maybe if they gave up the latte for a few months they wouldn't need to ask strangers to help their kids out .

 

[CamColt]

Originally posted by swanmom
I have this vision of friends and family hiding behind the furniture when I enter the room! So, I don't think we should question the participation of others in fundraising!

ROFL! Here she comes, DUCK!

I wasnt questioning anyones reasoning I was just wondering what the norm is. Like I said I would always buy at least one thing, as useless as it may be, for my kid from any fundraiser they brought home for the simple reason of making them feel like they did something to contribute and because they do in fact directly benefit from the fundraiser,wherever it maybe(school, sports, etc...). I was under the impression that was the norm, but doing this cookie dough showed me differently and thats why I was wondering what the norm was. From this thread Im seeing that participation is not the norm. Thats all I was looking to learn.

 

[gina2000]

Most fundraisers give between10 and 35% of the funds raised back to the selling organization. It's a poor return at best and usually means that the selling organization needs to push more fundraising to reach their goals. The key is to create a fundraiser where the majority of the money goes to the school.

A few years ago we implemented a concert at our grammar school. One hundred percent of the ticket money, raffle money and booster money goes to the PTO to fund the childrens' activities, field trips, educational programs, etc. It requires alot of work on the part of our principal, our teachers and our PTO. But once it's done, it's done.

We also buy pizza every Friday from a local pizzaria at a discount and sell it to the students for $1 per slice. We make a $3 profit per pie. This goes to the student council fund and is used for student activities/needs throughout the year.

The only other fundraiser we do is a book fair. The return is only 30% but buying books for your children has proven to be a good fundraiser for our school. I like the idea of a used book sale and intend to present it to the board at our next meeting. Recycling books is a great way to share...and our children benefit.

I'd rather write a check any day than participate in cookie dough sales, pizza sales, wrapping paper sales, etc.

 

[disneysnowflake]

You have a breakfast with Santa and a carnival?? Wow!

Our school only has 2 assemblies the entire year (besides band concerts performed by students). This year it was a guy with snakes and lizards in the Fall, and in the Spring it will be a mime guy.

In fact, parents have to pay for all field trips. They have bingo for books once a year, but the teachers are the ones who donate the books from the points they get from Scholastic and Troll bookclubs.

My niece's school sends kids on one field trip for free, plus the entire elementary school goes for free to a small amusement park and gets lunch. They have contests to collect boxtops for education and give out ice cream treats each month for top collecting classrooms. They collect Campbell's Soup labels. The top collecting class gets a pizza party at the end of the year. They also give out ribbons to kids who do good in classes, and a $25 gift certificate to kids who have perfect attendance. The school also sponsors a 6th grade graduation and a kindergarten graduation. Our school does not do that.

Even in the junior high, that school district offers one day every other month where the kids have a choice between watching a movie and having a soda and popcorn, or they can attend a dance in the gym with soda and snacks, or they bus them to a bowling alley or roller skating rink for the afternoon. Our school does nothing for upper grades.

 

[Alice28]

I was surprised that even my son's kindergarten class (he's only there for 2 1/2 hours a day) was pushed into the sales this year. I thought it would start in 1st grade. His school so far has only done one fundraiser, and it was the catalog sale (with the crummy gift wrap, trinkets, candy) in the fall. I bought about $12 worth and my mom bought a few things and my best friend bought a few things. That was it. We didn't bring it to work, we didn't push it on neighbors. I would be MUCH more inclined to buy if it was any of the following: Yankee Candle, Pampered Chef, Sees candy, Cookie Dough tubs, Tupperware...I'm trying to think of any other organizations that do this. My point is, I would rather buy a name brand that I would buy anyways, than some cheap-skate crapiola that the catalogs have....plus I HATE the stupid incentives the school does for the kids like previous posters mentioned.

 

[FreshTressa]

I HATE school fund raisers. I do not participate. I may donate some cash, but I think it is rude to go around hitting up your friends and relatives for money.

Most of my friends and family right now are in tight financial situations and I would be out of place asking them for money. I will however give cash occassionally.

 

[pnelson]

This may sound a bit strong, but I don't participate in any fundraisers nor allow my son. I think they are a waste of money for stuff that I nor anyone else really needs. I would rather write a check for $100 to the school and have the school get 100% of the money, than pay $100 for junk, and have the school get 50% of the money. I hate fundraisers!!! I think it's embarassing to have my child go around and ask people to purchase stuff and I don't allow him to do it.

 

[mariessas_mom]

I think it is completely wrong when kids have to sell stuff to be part of a team. My daughter did cheerleading this past fall and we paid $265 up front and the only other thing I spent was 1 time I brought snacks/ drinks and we bought pictures. Other than that we sat back and relaxed. Other people couldn't understand the large fee, but we loved paying it all up front.

As we speak now, we are doing the cookie dough fundraiser at my daughter's school and I usually always buy something but I don't really sell to other people! Besides, everyone in my neighborhood has kids at the same school selling the same stuff, so there's no use even asking any of them!

 

[Sandy V.]

Yeah, that's the problem I have with my daughter's soccer fundraiser. I don't think that anyone would be denied the opportunity to play (I would be the first one to to squawk about it if that were the case), but apparently the coaches were "quite insistent" on everyone selling a minimum amount.

As it is, sports participants in my district have to pay a $50 participation fee per sport. I guess this is commonplace now; wasn't in the "olden days" when I went to high school 30 years ago!

 

[Feralpeg]

I used to participate, but I agree that there are way too many. Most people won't let their kids go door to door now days. It isn't safe. So, it is up to the parents to make the sales. The place where I worked wouldn't permit parents to solicit for their children. There were too many and it became difficult for people who were being hit up for something every time you turned around. I think schools need to think of better ways to make money.

 

[CJMickeyMouse]

Originally posted by aprincessmom
I'd rather they just ask me for a check at the beginning of the year and be done with it.

My feelings EXACTLY!!!!

 

[ckr]

It's like donating to United Way. They always would say "But you can designate your specific charity...."

Our conversation each year went like this:
"Ok. So I can donate $100 to the Untited Way and designate the Red Cross as my recipient. Right?"

"Yes."

"And the Red Cross gets about 90%, so about $90, right?"

"Yes. And don't forget to feel good about how much that $90 will help someone in need."

"So, how good should I feel when I write the $100 check straight to the Red Cross and then have my employers matching fund do the same? By the way, 'Loaned Executive' doesn't mean 'Rocket Scientist', eh?"

[Needless to say, I was never asked to be the Loaned Executive. Wonder why.... ]

I agree that the fundraising companies are the ones getting rich. And on the backs of our kids! Therefore, we won't do the selling stuff, unless it's a local company.

But sign me up for any car wash, spaghetti dinner, pancake supper, yard sale, walk a thon, book sale, etc. I guess I'm just more service minded. It feels better to "do" something for someone and get paid than to overprice something to earn a few bucks.

I also think these activities can be learning experiences for the kids. I remember bussing tables at a pancake dinner when I was 9, then moving up to pouring drinks when I was 10, bringing more food out at 11..... By the time I was 15, I had the skills and experience to go out and get my first job -- as a waitress. What skills do these catalog fundraisers give our kids?

JMHO

 

[JetMom]

I participate about 1/2 the time. It gets to be alot. i have 3 children in school, scouts, soccer, and drama. I do as much as I feel comfortable with.

I am a pre-schol director. I run two fundraisers a year. My goal is 50 % participation.

 

[pirateofthecarolinas]

My son goes to a private school for learning differences. Last year we were bombarded with PTO fundraisers. A lot of parents complained. We only have 55 students K-8.

This year the PTO decided to ask every family to donate $25 instead of fundraising. I was happy to do it.

Lori

 

[klmklm]

I agree with ckr. I think it is more meaningful if the children actually do some work to support the school. Children can save money from allowance, from not purchasing a toy, or from the family giving up a dinner out, etc. Children can earn money from doing chores for family or neighbors, and donate that. The school could sponsor a work day with things the children can actually do, such as picking up the playground, weeding, etc. When the school really needs a lot of money, I think adults should ask adults for donations. I don't think we should trade on people's unwillingness to disappoint a child.

I have a real problem with fundraisers in which the children do not actually work or sacrifice anything. This is not directed at the original post, but just my 2 cents about fundraising in general.

Look what we teach our children.

We take valuable class time to promote fundraisers. At our school, this includes a pep rally and daily morning announcements about which class is in the lead, etc. (At the pep rally, it was announced that the top sellers would get to reach into a bag and grab a fistfull of dollars. "And we all like money, right?" the announcer cheered. "Raise your hand if you like money!") We teach our children that we value their fund-raising potential more than their education.

We conduct fund-raisers in which the children do not do the work (certainly the kindergarteners are not tallying up those order forms). If mom or dad takes the form to work, the child gets better prizes. Or, we have jump-a-thons or walk-a-thons, in which the child is physically working, but the work has no meaning. We teach our children that, when we need something, the best thing to do is to bug someone else to give it to us.

Encouraging the child to actually contribute her own money, her own work, her own talents, is much more supportive of the child, and, as ckr points out, teaches skills for life.

I expressed these opinions to our principal, but she was unwilling to give up the big bucks that come with the magazine sale. I think that's a shame.

 

[Planogirl]

Our PTO's biggest fundraiser was at the same time that our dues for a school trip were due. We couldn't handle both so we didn't take part in the fundraiser.

We usually do participate in most fundraisers though. I send the catalogue with the junk in it back unopened and I don't sell to people we know any more though.

 

[robsmom]

I am so glad to hear that others agree with me. I had fundraisers. I hated them when I was a kid and I hate them as a parent. My son is only in daycare. He was 3 months old when the 1st one started. I think that it is totally inappropriate for me to ask others to subsidize my child care! I will sometimes buy for myself, if I like the product but otherwise ignore it. The school is used to me by now!! I have offered donations but they will not take them.

I believe that one fundraiser per year for an activity (soccer, girls scouts, etc.) is acceptable. I think that girl scout cookies are something people actually look forward to and I really like the pizza's and the cookie dough (although the dough is very overpriced!).

What I think is best are fundraisers that require effort not catalog sales. Growing up we had a school fair each year and my church had the annual carnival for a week. I know that the parents worked really hard on this but it brought in good money and didn't turn kids into door to door salesman. I would happily assist in a garage sale, bake sale, car wash, etc.

 

[pammypooh]

We usually participate on a limited basis...read I buy something but don't ask relatives, neighbors or friends. There have been a few catalog fundraisers that we didn't participate in due to the high cost.

I much prefer an event type fundraiser.

Pam

 

[powellrj]

another problem with fundraisers anymore is that parents are expected to pick-up the items on Fridays from 2-4. I don't know about most parents, but there is no way I can pick-up funraiser items on Fridays from 2-4. I work, my DH works and I am not taking a personal day to pick-up fundraiser items from school. Last night I wrote checks for the jump-a-thon, girl scout cookies,book fair, science project,plus a church trip. That was just one nights worth of checks. Who know who will need money tonight.

 

[missypie]

If the kids are selling something I really want (e.g. cookie dough) I'll buy it. If not, I try to find out how much the school makes on the item and send in a donation equal to that-e.g. they've been selling the city Passbooks, but we live in the suburbs, so most of the coupons are very inconvenient to use. Let's say the passbooks cost $25 and the school gets $8...I'll donate the $8 rather than paying $25 for something I can't use.

The gymnastics team sells flats of flowers twice a year, and that's really the only thing we go door to door on, because the plants are quite nice and they cost less than they do at the local nurseries...that's something I'm not ashamed to sell!