School Fundraisers: My Ultimate Pet Peeve

Posted on 09.05.07 in Parenthood and there are 37 comments.

The Small Person is 5.

She’s not looking to get her MBA right now.

She doesn’t need entrepreneurial endeavors for her resume. She doesn’t have a resume.

All she knows is that if she sells 10 items she gets to go to the ice cream shop.

I loathe school fundraisers.

I don’t like them because I feel as though the school is using my child as a pawn to get me to buy stuff.

I don’t need $30 Christmas cards. Or $25 pizza dough. Or $50 wrapping paper.

I just want my daughter to go to school and not be asked to spend her free time hitting up neighbors for overpriced junk.

The most annoying thing for me is that my daughter already goes to a private school. We’re already paying for her education. Why can’t they just raise the tuition?

Well, I’m off to spend a whole bunch of money so that my kid can go to the ice cream shop.

Maybe I’m being too picky and uptight.

Maybe not.

Have you been hit up for school fundraisers yet - by your kids or neighbors kids?

Thoughts? Advice?

The Comments:

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i hate them too but when my little blonde-haired, blue-eyed beautiful little baby boy nephew climbs on my lab and says, “aunt crythsal - look!!”

i melt. and i whip out my checkbook.

I’ll buy something!..

Put me down for an item..

mimi

"Have you been hit up for school fundraisers yet - by your kids or neighbors kids?”

Nope.  Not really.  Well, kind of, I guess.  Most of our friends kids are too young or they homeschool.  So, they did hit me up for my time instead of my money.  I get to tutor math this year.  As a bonus, I get fresh garden vegetables and goats milk, an occasional pizza and slave labor as thanks.  Not a bad deal, if you ask me.  Its a pleasure just to hang out with these amazing teenagers.  I don’t feel as old as last week when I looked int he mirror and noticed a shock white nose hair.  I thought those waited until a guy was 40.  Maybe that’s the bushy white ear hairs.

MB

Yup, can’t stand them, too. Especially because we have three all going to the same school, so guess what? When there’s a fund raiser it’s likely going to be times three, and who can afford all that over-priced stuff three times? And like you, we are now sending our kids to private (parochial) school and I am sure we will be hit up for fund raising as well.

OTOH, and just to contradict myself, I will pretty much try and buy something from any kid that comes door-to-door. My REAL pet peeve are those people who take in the sheets for their kid(s) and leave them on the kitchen counter at work for their co-workers to do the kid’s work for them. To me, there’s a big difference between rewarding a kid for getting out and doing some door-to-door (if that’s what they want to do) as opposed to just having the parents do it for them the easy way out.

MB, where can I get me some of that goat’s milk and slave labor?  I’m good at math!

Kat, what do you mean the Small Person doesn’t have a resume yet?  What kind of mom are you, anyway!

Lil’E doesn’t start preschool until Thursday, so I’m sure it will be at least, oh, a week until we get hit up for something.  Probably cookie dough or frozen cakes and pies.

In high school, our band director refused to make us sell junk for fundraisers.  We sold fresh fruit in very large boxes.

I don’t mind them, just so long as they aren’t bothering me when I’m trying to shop for something else.  I’ve bought things from the neighborhood teens for their various sporting activities.

When I was in middle school, I went to Christian school for a year.  The tuition wasn’t cheap, but not outrageous either.  We had fundraisers.  It was my first time and only time for that, we didn’t do it at the public schools I went to.  I did collect cans for a canned food drive once in eighth grade, but anyway.  So I went door-to-door selling candy bars.  I went all over and only sold about 30.  I’m not sure that helped a lot.

In these days, I would be super hestitant to send my kids door-to-door.  Of course, I don’t have any children, but I’m rather paranoid anyway. 

They don’t bother me much, because I know the schools need money.  Funding is short and kids are missing out on a lot in public school.  I’m sure that it’s not as simple as raising tuition for the private schools either.  Sometimes these can be for special events and trips, too.  I even buy stuff sometimes from my students for their kids.  I usually try to pick something I would use anyway, or sadly, the cheapest thing on the form.

I hate them, too, but it seems like all the kids (at private and public schools) have to do them these days.  Probably because of budget cuts and all that.  Since I usually sponsor youth events, I get hit up several times a year.  My rule is one item per person per year.  Sigh.

Ugh, I hated doing school fundraisers when I was younger.  And all the kids in my neighborhood were of course doing the same fundraiser, so it was really hard to get anyone to buy anything.  I’m glad I don’t have to do that anymore, and right now none of my friends have children old enough for fundraisers.

I am currently accepting pledges for my daughter’s JOG-A-THON!

Fundraisers are, unfortunately, a necessary evil these days.  On top of that, most of the work does fall on the parents.

I have to admit I’m a sucker for the wrapping paper, though.  Wrapping gifts is one of my very favorite things, so I actually look forward to getting the good stuff!

Yes!!!!!  We are in the middle of the wrapping paper one right now.  The top sellers get a limo ride and lunch out with the principal. My kids never come close to winning the limo ride though...they used to be disappointed but now they are just like, “Wow, Henry went on the limo ride again this year.”

You won’t believe this but as I was typing my comment, the doorbell rang and a very polite but serious Cub Scout asked if I would like to buy popcorn.  Guess it’s that time of year.

......feeling a little uneasy...since....I just sent you an email...to buy some cookie dough.... please forgive me.

I am a PTA mom, who sees the benefits of fundraising. The fundraiser we are doing now is one of the biggest for our school. Last year students (my daughters included) raised over $23,000 net that was used to fund many PTA projects such as the track outside, End of Year Celebration, field trips, Teacher Grants, Teacher Appreciation Week and so much more.
There is no way each parent at our school would have wanted to just give that amount of money to the school. So the company Red Wheel, shares their profit of (overpriced) cookie dough. We eat the dough, and know we helped donate money to the school.
I personally hate the “prize and incentive” factor for selling certain amounts. I have two kids, so in order to sell 10 (which gets you something) I have to sell 20. We try to get creative by selling to neighbors and friends.
I’d love to see what your selling. A mutual friend of ours and I always swap out, she buys some cookie dough, I buy some wrapping paper. Its a way to help eachothers kids out.

What is she selling?

I will buy the most inexpensive thing that i would most me down likely use.......  Put me down!

oops, my computer jumped… i hate that!  any way, I will buy something.

I don’t know, I’m sure they’re annoying (especially because it’s a private school!) and I understand why, but I work at a public school and I also understand why they’re necessary.

It’s so hard to get parents involved at school, ESPECIALLY after elementary school. I think I would trade out parental involvement for money any day. Just think, if parent’s volunteered their expertise or hard work for a couple hours every week, I don’t think we’d have a whole lot of need for fundraisers, at least not at the rate we have them now.

pinkhairedgirl,
Oh, I’m a sucker for it too. That’s what the “Fundraiser People” bank on.

Mimi.
Aw...thanks! You don’t even know what she’s selling!

MamasBoy,
Frankly, fundraisers may drive us to homeschooling. (Yes, I realize that isn’t a valid reason to make such a huge decision.)

Jim,
That’s very gracious of you. Can we have your address?

Euphrony,
I would totally buy fruit. Yum!

Amy,
Yeah, I think the door-to-door thing is a bad idea. Although, as long as parents go with their kids it might be a good way to meet the neighbors.

“Hi my name is Kat, I’ve lived next to you for 5 years, but now I need money for my kids school. Wanna buy $30 wrapping paper?”

Texas in Africa,
We pretty much never buy anything from any one and we just buy enough for our kids so that they don’t get left out of the reward. We’re pretty much the school fundraiser grinches.

Erin,
I believe your stage of life is called “fundraiser free heaven.” Start saving now. The insanity is coming.

Marianne,
Those reward things really annoy me. As if school isn’t clique -ish and exclusive enough…

Why don’t they get limo rides for straight A’s or stuff actually related to school?

I’m glad it doesn’t bother your kids.

Tressa,
Don’t feel bad! I’m not annoyed at parents, teachers or the kids selling, it’s the legistlators and administrators that tick me off. I’ll go into more detail in a post soon…

I totally understand that the schools can use the money, it’s just the method that I don’t agree with.

Psalm8410,
Christmas cards, wrapping paper, etc.

Diana,
You’re sweet. If we need to, I’ll let you know. Jimmy and I are currently plotting a revolution to free parents from the tyranny of fundraising. I’ll let you know how it goes.

Call me.

Bekah,
It will be interesting to see how school stuff works. I’m just barely in it since my daughter only goes to half day kindergarten. I would happily donate my time, knowledge and so that my kid doesn’t have to waste her time and our money raising funds for her school. I wonder if other parents feel the same…

That’s some expensive ice cream.
Interesting thoughts.  I guess up until today the school world was passing me by.
I hate selling for my children.  It’s a necessary evil, yes I agree.  I think it’s manipulative useing school children to get funding for events and that erks me.
I understand the schools need extra cash but there’s got to be a better way.
Last year I was counting money and one mom sold $6,000.00 in candles to her co-workers at our elementary school.  One child $6,000.00 ( I’d hate to deliver all those) headache.
I always tell my kids… I’ll take them to the dollar store if I don’t have to sell to more than granny. works like a charm.  Then they are free to hit up who ever comes over…
This day and age I’m not sure how I feel about a bunch of parents I don’t know being round my precious ones in a school setting.  I’m paranoid though.  I want a badge & background check.

^ I don’t know what the laws are where you live, but in FL all volunteers are required to be registered, background checked, and screened on FL’s sexual predator’s website before they can step foot in a classroom or help out in the office. There are different levels of screening depending upon what kind of job they’re performing; basically the more time they’ll be spending with the kids the deeper the background check and proceeding trainings will be.

I’m the volunteer coordinator at a public school here in FL, and believe me, the crux of my job is performing pre-lim background checks on parents and then sending the info to the district to do the deeper checks. Regardless of where you’re kids attend school, I’d check and see what they’re procedures are...it’s worth finding out.

*their

Actually, my comment was misleading...I think my kids are still pretty disappointed (or maybe a bit annoyed at “Henry") and the whole limo ride each year now.

You make a good point about such a grand reward being for something having to do with school and not fundraising.  Hmmmm…

Anyone who works at a district campus here def. has to be checked out.
but I went up every day once a week as a room mom to help my wise one’s kinder teacher and never had a background check, never had to anything aside from sign a book saying when I entered the building and when I left the building.
I know other parents would come and have lunch with thier kids and sit at our son’s table.  I always wondered ... what if they are talking about things I wouldn’t want him to hear… odds are not… but still.

I used to work at a school where we had fundraisers selling...well, stuff you didn’t need.  I actually was on the receiving end of a lot of that stuff since I was a teacher there. 

“Oh, look!  Another Santa Claus ornament!  Wow, thank you so much, Johnny!  I wonder where you got that!”

Don’t get me wrong, I was always very thankful to receive anything from my students.  It’s just that..well, do I really need to explain?

What always got to me was that the kids sold tons of stuff to raise tons of money for...what?  We were told that any money raised by students had to be spent on the students.  Those students, specifically.  Meaning—field trips, prizes to reward students for reading goals, field trips, end of the year stuff, field trips.  You get the idea.  We couldn’t spend the money on, say, updating the playground equipment or having murals painted on the walls or expanding the library.  I know the kids enjoyed the field trips, prizes, etc...but it just seemed a little backwards to raise the money and then figure out what we were going to do with it.  And it also seemed like we never had the money to improve the school itself as an investment for the students and those that would come in the future.

I just volunteered to coordinate a fundraiser for the third grade class at Model A’s school.  In coordination with topics that will be covered this year, the 4 classes normally take several field trips.  However, due to the outrageous jump in fuel prices, our district can no longer afford the transportation of 80 students and 4 teachers (parents are now required to drive their own vehicles to help chaparone any off campus activities).  The bus alone (1 large bus can accomodate all of them) for one trip is over $1200. Admission to the aquarium is FREE, but their entire ‘07-’08 field trip budget is less than $700.  That’s only one trip - normally they take 3-4!  How can we not try to fill the gap?  Parents were asked for donations and some money was raised, but not enough.
I understand your frustrations with traditional fundraisers.  I share a lot of the same concerns (why would a jump-a-thon for heart health have the top prizes be a personal soda machine and a large color TV!?Crazy!) I think our schools need more options (or to make better choices).  A fundraiser our school does all year long is a plastic bag recycling project in conjunction with the Blue Devil, um, I mean, Walmart.  The last 2 years our school has collected the most bags locally and earned over $5000.  I’m already recycling, at least now the school gets something for it!  Why can’t there be more programs like this?  Have any of you seen anything along these lines?

Rowan,
I LOVE that your school’s field trips coordinated with the curriculum.  It seems like our school always ended up scrambling at the end of the year to find someplace to take the kids.  It seems like we ended up going places just because we needed to spend the money before the end of the school year.

Best wishes to you for this year’s fundraiser!

Here’s the main thing for me:

With the fundraising packet that they sent home with our daughter, who is 5, we learned that if she (meaning mom and dad) sells 10 things by a certain day, she gets to go to Cold Stone to have ice cream.  If not, then no trip for ice cream for her. 

I don’t like the manipulation.  I don’t like that they base her rewards on whether or not mommy and daddy sell enough things.  If the parents do not make it happen, then she sits in the class room by herself (maybe they’ll even put her in a closet or something) while the other get to go.

She is 5. 

If she were much older, I could see there being incintives and prizes for selling things to raise money for a specific goal (like a field trip).  But she is 5 and they have pumped her up about all the prizes she will get if ‘she’ sells.

I don’t have kids of my own, but I have a niece who just started kindergarden.  I dread the next few years, esp. as my nephew starts public school as well.

A few years ago, as a single person (read: possible victim) at my church who had friends with kids, I made a decision--I’d only buy a few things a year and that was it.  I’d buy the school coupon books and Girl Scout Cookies.  And it was pretty much whoever got to me first got the sale. 

It’s not that I didnt love the kids..but I knew if I bought everything they sold from all of them for school, youth group, etc. I’d not have the cash to do silly things like, oh, I don’t know--have a place to live. 

And I hate that the schools make it all about these prizes and pressure the kids.  I recall in school we would do these things from time to time and my parents never pushed it....so I rarely got to participate in the rewards.  And I did feel left out…

And the worst part--your boss brings the kids’ latest selling thing around.  I had a boss who took it around, asked you what you were buying and stood there until you bought enough....

AMEN to this posting!  I hate fundraisers as well, and my kids know that, yet still get caught up in the trappings of the prizes- if they sell 400 coupon books they get a toy prize worth 20.00.  I will be honest and once told them I’d just buy them the prize at toysrus.  Of course when we went they realized they’d rather have something else!

But I understand the need for funds, but like you said, in a private school, just raise the tuition.  Then you can market that as a feature- no fundraisers to make your neighbors feel uncomfortable!

In a public school I’m all for the classrooms just asking the parents for what they need. For example, in one of my kid’s classes, they wanted to buy some kind of fancy 3-punch zip lock bag thing for each kid, but they were like 4 bucks each.  One parent in the class said he’ll just go buy them all and if anyone wanted to chip in, just throw him a few bucks.  I gave him a 10 or a 20, more than the 4 bucks my child would require, but covered for the parents who could not afford it, and not make this guy pay for 80 bucks of folders himself. That to me is the way to do it!

Michael:

I SO understand the “boss standing over you” part. True story:

Back in 1990 or so I worked for a Very Large Insurance Company. Every year they had the United Way drive. I signed up, decided on an amount, and handed in the form (which did not go to the United Way directly, but rather to HR). I was subsequently called into my VP’s office to be told (a) that I was not giving the “Fair Share” (a United Way thing - if I remember right, it was 1% of annual gross salary), (b) ALL his employees gave their “Fair Share” EVERY year, (c) his department had had 100% participation in giving their “Fair Share” for a decade, and (d) I wasn’t going to ruin his record, so if I knew what was good for me, I was going to change my donation amount to the suggested “Fair Share”.

And I did, because I recognize a Mafia threat when I hear one. I left that company within the year (before having to pony up my “Fair Share” again) and unfair or not, I have not given to the United Way ever since (partially because I see them as an extra level of overhead - no offense to any United Way members or lovers who read this). To this day that memory still rankles.

The one fundraiser that has been a big hit with my co-workers is the one we do with Spanish Schoolhouse (Preschool my kids have attended).  They sell tamales at Christmas.  Coming from the Valley, I am shocked at the price people are willing to pay for tamales.  However they love them around here.  Needless to say we have been the top sellers 3 years in row.  The best part, people are already asking when the tamale fundraiser is coming up.  Kinda crazy if you ask me...especially since they aren’t as good as the ones my MIL makes.

Michael,
Yes, that’s what I don’t like about the way they do the fundraisers - it’s not really about supporting the school, but supporting the kid and trying to make sure they’re not left out...but then where do you draw the line on how many kids to help out. Ugh.

Dave,
That’s a great way to do it. I wish more schools/classes did it like that.

Jim,
Yikes! That’s terrible.

Busy Little Bee,
Now THAT’s a fundraiser. Yum. My parents usually buy extras for us around the holidays and send them home with us. Mmm..I’m getting hungry just thinking about it.

I just ticked off my co-worker this morning when she approached me about buying some stuff for her kid (who happens to attendthe same school as mine).  As politely as I could I explained that I don’t even buy that stuff from my own kid.  Instead, I will be sending a donation. 

I’d rather send the school $20-$50 than buy some over-priced cookie dough, from which the school will only get a fraction of the profit.

Wen,
That’s exactly what we did as well.

I’m sorry your co-worker got ticked off. Surely, she understands, though. Unless she’s new to the whole fundraiser thing. In which case she’ll certainly understand in due time. (Due time being the moment she realizes she’s going to have 30 cases of cookie dough in her living room.)

Thanks for taking the time to comment, Wen!

OK.  Here are my TWO beefs…

1) Our school actually takes the kids out of class to hold an “ASSEMBLY” where sales personnel from the overpriced catalog come in with all the cool prizes the kids will win.  They show them the lamp, the cell phone, the WII(!!) and then my kids come home all pumped up to shove(er, I mean SELL) this stuff to our poor neighbors who’ve also been hit by every other kid on the street. 

And 2) the same kids wins every year because the parents take it to work or canvas their friends for the kid.  Other kids without doting grandparents or aunts, parents who work in an office or just believe that the child should be the seller don’t have a CHANCE.  Teaches the kids a hard lesson about fairness, I suppose. 

Ok, I feel a little better about all those empty order forms sitting on our counter now.

Lisa,
That’s exactly what would happen at our school.  And every year that I was sitting in the assembly, watching my students stare at the prizes that they most likely were not going to “win,” I would think to myself, “I could be teaching these children how to read right now.” It seemed like such a waste.  There has to be a better way. 

Um...legislation?  State funding?  Could we email this blog posting to our state legislators???

Hello everyone.  I am serving my first year as the PTA VP @ my daughters elem school.  I really had NO clue as to how much the PTA does for the kids at her school. I now see BOTH sides of the ‘fundraising’ issue.  There have been ti me int he past that i really haven’t had the extra $$ to buy from them & instead of spending $50 on product I would just donate goods to one of them family nights or send a $25 check in to the PTA.  There are limits on what the PTA can do as in regards to school property- the playground is a big no-no beacuse of legal issues. Say lil Johnny gets hurt on the playground and Big Johnny gets peeved & sues… well if the PTA provided the playground, the PTA would be the one being sued not the school.
At our school there is no huge pressure to sell alot of items. WE let ppl know that they can donate the money if they want instead or if they would just buy 1 thing thats fine too.
There is a 3 to 1 rule that the PTA’s must follow also.. FOr every 1 fundraier, there must be 3 give backs to the school.  Our PTA raised about $26,000.00, and that money was used for ice cream social, quarterly rewards for students, a pancake breakfast in Dec, crafts for the children, in house field trips, a magician family night, technology night, also co-sponsored out of school field trips for each grade, 5th grade agenda books, some pricey technological classroom equipment, special much needed classroom materials for our Autistic & special needs children. Teacher appreciation gifts, rescess equipment, our May fair, field day, , and i know i’m forgetting a few things too. But thats all in one years time.
I know our PTA appreciates any time parents can give to the children. Whether it be volunteering at an event, reading for a class, or even making copies of things for the teachers so they can spend that time doing more useful things. 
more State funding...that would be nice.  more volunteers- that would be great.

By the way- the PTA is always looking for new & different ideas instead of those dreaded fundraisers....  we kids hate them as much as everyone else… its no fun spending 5 hours counting cash & checks & making sure order forms are correct. I’d much rather spend that time doing something else.  One of my goals this year is to get as much local busineeses to join out PTA and donate items.  There are so many companies out there that would be willing to help out the local schools- all they need is someone to let them know what they need.
Sorry to ramble

PTA Mom,
Thanks so much for taking the time to comment. I think that’s a great idea to get local businesses involved. It seems like that would be a win win situation for the business and the school.

I don’t know how many of the local businesses will invove in the project. Better make this fact known to the bigger businesses maybe you can get their attention.

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