Just wanted to get your opinions about kids having to sell stuff for school. Our school is currently selling cookie dough ($15/3-pound tub), and lots of other over-priced goods. Of course, they stress what the kids will get if they sell so much.

So, do I combine all 3 kids on one sheet so they get a bigger prize to share? Do I skip the fundraiser all together and just get them a small toy like what they would get and skip the hassle of selling stuff?

It seems like a lot to try to get people to buy enough to fill 3 kids order forms. I hadn't thought of just skipping it until a friend with twins plus one said that's what she did. It does make sense; but I also wonder if they need to learn anything from trying to sell stuff.

Andi
g/b/g
age 6 in kindy

Andi~

I think fundraisers go with the territory of being a part of a school.

And I agree on the prices. The products are overpriced because half of the proceeds should go to the school. At least they do for our school.

We just got done with a Sally Foster sale, which was cute enough stuff, but totally expensive. Think dollar store products, but for $14 each! LOL!

But, hey. If the school benefits from the kids' efforts, than that's fine, I guess.

I combined all three kids on one sheet because we only received one sheet, which was fine with me.

I think the only lesson the kids would learn is the sale helps their school by putting money in their bank account.

And FWIW. I had just written the check when I noticed on the school's newsletter: If you sell to more than 4 people, you get a jeans' day.

Well, we only sold to three people!

Oh, well. We tried and at least we participated.

Lisa

I despise the school door-to-door fundraising. Who do they think you are going to sell to? EVERY kid on the street will be hitting up all the other houses.

Thankfully, our school has a spring carnival that earns enough money through silent auction and cheap games to support the PTO efforts. Last year they asked for $20 donation per family, but it was voluntary. This was because the major contributor to our silent auction moved out of town. I was happy to write the check and felt a bit guilty of ONLY writing it for $20, but they did say "per family".

I also don't like selling popcorn and cookies for scouts, but we do it. There is NO way we can sell enough for 4 kids worth of cookies. I take a copy of the sheet, then when done we divide it up among our 4 girls. We'll never get the "fill it up" patch.

Since we aren't doing all the other stuff, I think people are more open to cookies and popcorn.

I also don't do the sales for our community choir. It's just too much. If we continue when my kids are old enough to tour, we'll just have to pony up the money. I did have my Kroger card associated with this organization, but it's not much of a contribution as I don't do a lot of shopping there.

I say it's OK to skip it. And then I'd send my kids to school in jeans anyway. What are they gonna do?

And what's with the prize incentives??? If they didn't spend the money on that stuff, then the school would get more.

My favorite fundraiser is the district music boosters. They go door-to-door once a year and ask for money. Don't sell anything, just ask for donations. Parents drive them through the neighborhoods and you aren't allowed to drive your own kids. The money is divided up among the bands and choirs at our 3 high schools. They make a lot of money with people just emptying their pockets of change. I always write a nice chec

MonsterMom6
10 year old ^b^ b twins @ 30w5d (1 survivor) and
8 year old gggg quads @ 32w0d

This is my pet peeve. Selling overpriced stuff to the neighborhood or family is NOT why I send my kids to school. They don't need to be salespeople. Of course, they tell the kids they will get great prizes if they sell enough cookie dough to fill a football stadium!

Our elementary school got away from the cookie dough, World's Greatest Chocolate, and wrapping paper sales years ago. After polling the parents, it was determined that almost everyone hated these fundraisers. There was more support for a simple donation program. The donation requests over the years range from $100 - $250 per kid. You were never bugged again! Payment plans were available. It was voluntary. The school raised between $60K - $70K per year.

I always refuse to support the "overpriced" fundraisers. I simply write a check and the school gets 100% profit.

Best wishes,
Sharon
12 year old b/b/b + 16 year old son

Sharon,

This is how we feel, too! If we write a check the school gets all of the money. I don't mind supporting kids in the neighorhood and my dd has sold her fair share of GS Cookies - but I hate fundraisers. I know they are necessary but I still don't like them. I prefer when we have a school night at a restaurant, etc. We eat anyway - no big deal to go and have a portion go to the school.

Marie

We do each sheet individually. But we don't go crazy trying to sell a ton of stuff. I stress to the kids that they won't be getting the big prize because there is NO way we are selling that much stuff! I just tell them right up front so they don't get upset about it. I tell them that we are helping raise money for the school and the prize really doesn't matter...let's help the school!

Yes it's overpriced. But it's a fundraiser! We never sell a ton. But when you add all 3 kids sheets up, a few hundred dollars worth. So I feel like we did our part!

I like Sharon's idea of just writing a check to the school for 100% profit! I bet many people would rather do that than have 10 lbs of cookie dough that they will never use! LOL


Terri~
12/21/01 at 33 weeks

The PTA only gets 50 percent of the money they raise on cookie dough, entertainment books, etc. I wrote a check for a hundred dollas and gave them back their forms. That's like us selling 200 worth of CRAP.

Michele
Sarah, Gregory, Amanda
born 1/22/04 at 35w1d

Our surprise baby Austin born 06/15/2005

www.fourtimesthefun.blogspot.com

Michele:

Once again, not only are we of like minds, but we have come to the same precise conclusion!! LOLOLOL!!!

Money is very tight right now, but I personally will write a check and make a donation. I am not sending my children around neighborhoods hawking products that I wouldn't want to waste the money on myself. If my goal were to turn them into sales people and/or political mavens, perhaps I would be having them out there on the streets.

BTW, this is timely. I just received two enormous glossy catalogs of overpriced stuff, and there is going to be an AMAZING PARTY for those children who sell 20 items. (If there is a sibling, an additional 5 is required for each child more than one so each can get an invite.) If one contemplates 25 items at a minimum of $10.00 each, we're looking at $250.00 in sales, and there weren't too many items less than $10.00. This is amazing.

Of course, perhaps we can have a "kindergarten opt out." Unless a kid can count the change and prepare an accounting of the sales, they are exempt, right??

AND, ***NO*** my kids cannot do these things.

Cat w/3 Kittens
Caidan, Carina and Caeleigh
Born at 31 weeks, 1/8/04.

I am so glad to hear I am not the only parent who hates the school fundraisers. My kids come home all excited over the prizes. I'd really like to know if ANY kid has sold enough to get the PS2 or Wii. We put out a very minimal effort, I take one to work and leave it in the staff lounge for a few days, DH takes one to work, the third child's sheet gets the orders from Nana & Papa and Grandma & grandpa. The ones we take to work usually only get a couple of orders, there are just so many other fundraiser forms floating around. This year the order form had a web address we could e-mail to out-of-town family and friends so they could order & have things shipped to them. Like they aren't already hit up enough from their own kids or neighborhood kids. I give the kids the option of turning in the forms seperately or together. This is the first year they didn't combine all the orders.

I like the idea of just writting a check, I think I'll do that next year.

Shell~
B/B/G 1/7/2000

I refuse to do those crappy fundraisers. I have told the school that as well. I budget to sponsor the classrooms instead. I give the teachers a check at the beginning of the year to not expect any fundraising things back from me. I know exactly what the school makes from the fundraisers and the teachers get a LOT more from my check than the average student who does the fundraisers so I don't feel the least bit guilty about it. The only people who don't like it are the PTA because I cut them out by giving it to the teacher not them to make the decisions with. Got the idea from someone online when the kids were little and it has made my life easier and guilt free. Sometimes I order items for them rather than give a check. (you reminded me I need to go to classroomdirect tonight.)

Since my trio have been in the same class since 1st grade I didn't want to give one teacher 3x the money so I spread the other 2 out between the specials teachers that often get forgotten. Last year it was the art and science teachers. This year it is Library at two different schools.

Now I am not opposed to all fundraisers. Just the crappy Sally foster, Innisbrook type ones. We sell the heck out of boy scout popcorn and girl scout cookies. We collect things for PTA auction baskets. We buy tickets for the fall carnivals. We buy books at the book fair. I just don't need over priced wrapping paper and crappy kitchen ware I didn't need and could get at a discount store for a fraction of the cost. Would rather just give the school a check to not be bothered. Oh and the average on these fundraisers around here is 1 item because they stress NOT going door to door. In fact the only organizations still promoting door to door sales around here are scouts but they have strict rules about it.

Tasha
Have children afraid of monsters or just looking for a fun kids app? http://www.goawaymonster.com/

Oh, I so love giving stuff to teachers directly! We always buy books at the book fair for them (most have a "wish list") and I've done supply shopping too. Dry erase markers are always a hit.

Marie

Oh, I have been groaning about this for weeks already!! The kids have just started K and I can't believe how many fundraisers and requests for donations have come home so far -- and taking turns for snacks (x3)every month. And the kids are crying about the little junky "incentive" prizes they don't get. I had to decide early we just won't be doing most of them and I love the idea of giving $$ to the teacher. I think it is terrible how much they request of the kids and parents.
Karen
Mom to my 3 sons
New Year's Day 2004 34 wks

Sports add even more (at least around here they do.) Sign up for what game you are going to bring snacks to, sign up to take your turn in the concession stand, pay for the pictures, the trophy, end of season pizza party & gift to the coach........ My friend's DD's team decided to do a fundraiser to pay for team sweatshirts. I think they sold candles or something like that, she refused and just wrote a check for the darn sweatshirt. I was thankful this soccer season we got a coach that decided to not have team snacks at the games, no team sweatshirts, and we are doing a $4.00 medal instead of a $10.00 trophy.

I need less to do, not more.

Shell~
B/B/G 1/7/2000