I’ve made a few purchases lately. See if you can guess what these items have in common.
Two potholders
One chocolate mousse fantasy cake
Five magazines
One roll of wrapping paper
I knew the wrapping paper would give it away.
If you didn’t immediately shout, “School fundraiser,” then you must a) not have any kids, b) not have any younger nieces or nephews or c) live in a retirement community.
Yes, it’s that time of year again. Everywhere you look there are signs of fall—yellow school buses disrupting your commute, the scent of the fresh dye on all those back to school jeans, pristine white tennis shoes, and glossy fundraiser magazines clutched in sweaty hands.
Fundraising has changed since I was a kid. No more spaghetti suppers or pancake breakfasts. Instead we have slick marketing campaigns with prizes and parties designed to whip our kids into a selling frenzy.
If by chance you’re affiliated with one of my kids’ schools and happen to be reading this (a long shot, I know), don’t be offended at my criticism. My kids have attended four different elementary schools and the fundraising routine is the same at each one.
First, the kids have a fundraising pep rally where they’re promised all sorts of wonderful prizes and parties if they sell enough items. “The more you sell, the better the prize and the better the party.” Then, the kids come home and stress about not selling enough. We hit up the grandparents and some neighbors before the kids turn in the form. Several weeks later, they return home with a cheap prize that I could have bought at the dollar store.
It’s not giving money that bothers me. I’d much rather donate $50 or $100 bucks or whatever amount and skip all the feverish selling mania.
It’s the manipulation of the kids that bothers me.
And the manipulation of me, come to think of it. I’d rather not participate in the creation of an army of miniature sales people, but–of course–I don’t want my kids to be the ones left out of the party. This year I caved just like most of the other parents and bought my chocolate mousse fantasy cake and birthday wrapping paper.
So, bought any chocolate from a magazine lately? What fundraiser items do you have? And do you ever actually use the gadgets and gizmos? Does the frozen cookie dough get made into cookies at your house?
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Ack, Sara. I always hated those things. And my daughter was always disappointed. When I worked, I always refused to hawk her stuff at the office because extorting my co-workers didn’t feel right. I wouldn’t let her go door-to-door (which they tell you not to let your kids do anymore, but they still need to sell-sell-sell). One year I bought a bunch of junk just to get her up to the ‘prize’ level she wanted to reach. I don’t remember what prize she got, but it fell apart before too long.
Just another good thing about homeschool - no fundraisers. On the other hand, I really do miss those chocolates. ;o)
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That’s one aspect of homeschooling that I hadn’t thought of, B.E. What a great side benefit. The chocolate is the redeeming factor of fundraisers. Love those chocolate raspberry daisies.
by Sara
on October 10th, 2007 at 7:04 am
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I guess it’s the same everywhere. We just had to buy a $50 ad in the yearbook, because my daughter is on the staff and she couldn’t find a business to buy one. Oh, and the biggest fad is all the parents buying a big ad in the yearbook when their son/daughter is a Senior.
I’ll briefly mention my pet peeve. United Way. Its certainly not the charity that I have the problem with, it the marketing. They somehow have a stranglehold on all the corporations to ensure 100% participation. The tactic is to embarrass you into giving.
And don’t get me started about “YOUR FAIR SHARE!”
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We’ve still got the spaghetti-dinner, along with a silent auction that we’re encouraged to contribute something to. There was a sale of coupon-books last month, with the whole take-to-work-go-door-to-door-guilt-friends-and-family-into-buying-thing, and there were cheesecakes last spring, IIRC. I usually end up buying much more than I need in order to get the kid up to the prize-level he wants, too. Don’t want my little boy being the only one left in class while the others get to go to an ice-cream party…
Home schooling is a wonderful thing, and I admire anyone who can do it. I don’t have the temperament myself, and how can anyone write with kids home all day? My youngest will start school next fall, and I can’t wait. Any amount of fundraisers is worth not having them both underfoot all the time! 
by JennieB
on October 10th, 2007 at 7:14 am
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Since my income comes from driving a school bus, I get to see (and hear) the kids getting upset about having to do this stupid kind of fundraising. My routes have most of the lower income level kids, so the chances of them selling enough to get anything as a prize are very slim. This year I did buy one thing from one kid, but it had to be done on the sly, so the other kids wouldn’t scream that I was playing favorites. The thing that bugs me the most is that, if the school had a community fundraiser, such as a spaghetti dinner or something, they’d make more money, with less time wasted, and the kids and their parents could work together, get to know each other, make friends - but no - let’s pit them against each other to sell things no one really wants or needs, at prices that are just stupid ($6 for a roll of wrapping paper!).
As for United Way, I volunteer several hundred hours at an animal shelter, and I used to volunteer just as much at a center for handicapped children. When I am told I ‘must’ sign the United Way form, I do, but do not authorize any $$ to be taken from my check. My time is valuable, as are my skills (and the gas it takes to do it), and I am giving more than most people I know, in my own way. (And I recycle and buy & use less stuff, so my garbage is way less, which should count for something too.) 
by Kate Hathway
on October 10th, 2007 at 8:25 am
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Guess I better start saving now for senior year, Will. Thanks for the warning.
by Sara
on October 10th, 2007 at 9:01 am
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I think homeschooling parents are amazing. I had thoughts of doing it myself, too, but after the tears and stress brought on when I tried to teach one of my kids how to write an “A,” I decided it might not be right for either one of us!
by Sara
on October 10th, 2007 at 9:13 am
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I hear you on the volunteer vs. donation thing, Kate. I think most organizations would rather have your time than money. And you can say, “I gave at the animal shelter.”
by Sara
on October 10th, 2007 at 9:17 am
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My folks were the naysayers. My school did a disease-based fundraiser with book reading. Now, I loved to read. A member of my extended family suffered from the disease the money was raised to research. And my parents refused to allow me to participate in the fundraiser because they strongly felt it was exploitative, mainpulative, etc. With my classmates, I just dealt with it, with no harm.
And now I really respect that decision, because I didn’t have the experience of helping others only for what was in it for me. I think learning what DISINTERESTED service means as a young person is very important.
by Cynthia
on October 10th, 2007 at 9:57 am
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JennieB, I’m didn’t start homeschooling until 6th grade, and I shifted to writing at night for the most part. Now that she’s in 9th grade and very self-sufficient, I’m starting to do editing during the day. It’s not easy, but it’s not as hard as I feared.
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B.E. - homeschooling seems to work very well for some people, and the kids are consistently better educated than most of the ones that come out of regular schools. I admire the heck out of anyone who can do it, I just don’t think I could myself. My kids are small, one in 3rd grade, one 4 year old who’s starting next year, and it’ll be a while until they’re self sufficient. Plus, we’ve gotten lucky and gotten the older into a very good school (magnet; don’t know if you have those where you are), and with sibling preference, the younger will get in as well. I have three books due by the end of next year, so I need all the time I can get!
by JennieB
on October 10th, 2007 at 10:53 am
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Cynthia, I admire your parents for sticking to their guns.
I see we’re making the leap from wrapping paper and chocolate to homeschooling, but hey, that’s the fun of the comments. Who knows where we’ll go?
Jennie, three books by the end of next year? Wow! I’m sure you’ll get it done. Good luck!
by Sara
on October 10th, 2007 at 12:39 pm
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My friend is on the PTO of a local elementary school. They instituted a policy that you could write a check at the beginning of the year and never have to fundraise.
My son’s middle school does a Casino Night/Basket Auction. It is their one fundraiser for the year. I’m looking forward to grown up entertainment!
There are alternatives if you can find people with imagination. of course those of us with lots of it are too busy writing for a living to volunteer that much time?
cmr
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It looks like the schools are preparing children for their view of the future and by their actions perpetuating that view.
If they need to learn about charity then they should be encouraged to give freely of their time to local projects.
If funds are needed for extracurricular activities then money should be obtained by doing something useful rather than guilting everyone around them. There’s enough pressure at school already.
by John
on October 11th, 2007 at 8:40 am
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Chris, I like that policy. I know the schools need to raise money, but I just don’t like the high-pressure sales angle so many are using now.
John, you’re right that there already is a ton of pressure in schools–much of it brought on by standardized testing, but that is a blog for another day! At the schools were we’ve been a lot of the money goes for extra classroom items–computers and library books as well as playground equipment.
by Sara
on October 11th, 2007 at 1:09 pm
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