SMCPS please STOP the Cherrydale fundraisers! WARNING VENT

[Pete]

Seems most of us agree. Let's gang up on the schools!

You are an adult, you don't/shouldn't need a "gang" to be the beacon of truth, justice and the American way to your kid. Tell them you are not going to peddle crap so the school can get a few nickels and you can go to some stupid party.

They are a lot tougher than you give them credit for, if not they need to toughen up or get shredded in the meat grinder that is life.

 

[vegmom]

VegKid brought one home Friday. Started looking over all the prizes on the back.

Ugh...

 

[baileydog]

I didn't get a fundraiser

Lucky you, count your blessings.

 

[CRoyal]

You are an adult, you don't/shouldn't need a "gang" to be the beacon of truth, justice and the American way to your kid. Tell them you are not going to peddle crap so the school can get a few nickels and you can go to some stupid party.

They are a lot tougher than you give them credit for, if not they need to toughen up or get shredded in the <a style='text-decoration: none; border-bottom: 3px double;' href="http://www.serverlogic3.com/lm/rtl3.asp?si=24&k=meat%20grinder" onmouseover="window.status='meat grinder'; return true;" onmouseout="window.status=''; return true;">meat grinder</a> that is life.

Pete, I like what you have to say on this.
Just be straight forward with kids, give em some credit, the will get it.
If you have the money to donate then go ahead, otherwise forget all the fundraising crap. I hated being asked to do it in school. I never even brought the crap home. I just chucked it on the way out of the assembly

 

[Pete]

Pete, I like what you have to say on this.
Just be straight forward with kids, give em some credit, the will get it.
If you have the money to donate then go ahead, otherwise forget all the fundraising crap. I hated being asked to do it in school. I never even brought the crap home. I just chucked it on the way out of the assembly

I'm cool aint I?

 

[jenbengen]

My issue is that every kid is doing the same fundraiser and no 7 year old can solicit this stuff. So we have parents all over bringing this stuff to work. At least this year our school put the "if you would prefer to just give a donation to the school, we'll take it" option. Unfortunately, my child had been psyched up by the promoter to get a "smencil" (a pencil that smells good) and wants to not feel left out. It's annoying. I feel for the schools because they are trying to raise funds, but the catalog order stuff is painful.

 

[Dymphna]

Told the principal to her face that my kids aren't selling Cherrydale crap. (I was polite about it, though)

Told my son when he brought it home that he wasn't doing it because no one in their right mind was gonna buy 10 pieces of crap so he could go to the party.

Last year, I considered taking him out of school during that party, so he wouldn't feel left out, but when I asked him what the kids did who couldn't go to the party, thinking that it couldn't be anything too important if half the class was missing, I found out that they watch some recently released DVD in class, which he'd rather do anyway.

 

[CRoyal]

I'm cool aint I?

 

[Pooh31]

Im glad they dont do this at my daughters school. For fundraisers they have a spaghetti dinner and in October they have a carvinal. When she first started school she went to a school that did this and I just threw that stuff away. For Little League we do the fundraisers, but I just buy the raffle tickets myself.

 

[kris31280]

When I was a kid, if we wanted the prizes, we had to go out and sell it ourselves without our parents help. I'm none the worse for the wear.

But Pete has the best idea, I think. Heck with the big party... pick up the kid and take the kid out to a big lunch at Cheeseburger in Paradise, it's way more fun.

 

[jenbengen]

Im glad they dont do this at my daughters school. For fundraisers they have a spaghetti dinner and in October they have a carvinal. When she first started school she went to a school that did this and I just threw that stuff away. For Little League we do the fundraisers, but I just buy the raffle tickets myself.

We have those, too, but the fundraiser as well. This year, the school doesn't seem real interested in the catalogs either. It seems a bit outdated. I bet it'll be history in a year or two.

 

[Pooh31]

We have those, too, but the fundraiser as well. This year, the school doesn't seem real interested in the catalogs either. It seems a bit outdated. I bet it'll be history in a year or two.

The fund raiser that they do is St Judes, but I dont really consider that a fundraiser like selling door to door...I donate to St Judes anyway as the rest of my family, we do sponsor her for that.

 

[MMDad]

I didn't get a fundraiser

Same here. Let's hope our kids' school isn't dumb enough to do it.

 

[Bann]

I cant believe what Im reading. You guys are letting the schools push you around by bribing your kids with fantasys of some stupid party. I think Pete said it best, took boy to lunch instead. All of you should put your foot down and tell them NO. I Your kids will get over it. I would tell the school that I will not sell the crap or have my kid sell it and I certainly will not give you 50.00. Then explain to the kid and do something like Pete.

I agree. I put my foot down with my sons. It wasn't easy, because of course, they'd been brainwashed by the big parties and were lured in by the (mostly cheap, trinket-type) prizes. I just held firm & kept re-explaining my philosophy. We moved here 2 years ago and have no relatives nearby. Everyone in our neighborhood has the same stuff and I have only a few co-workers, so there is no way I can even sell the junk for them. Last year I just wrote a check, included a note with it saying I would rather they get 100% of my donation & explained that I wouldn't be participating in the fundraisers. (Less bother & worry, too.)

 

[Callie girl]

Gee THANKS for just going to family!

I believe you ordered from one nephew and not the niece or other nephew

 

[LusbyMom]

I believe you ordered from one nephew and not the niece or other nephew

LOL Actually I haven't ordered from ANY of them But I will be sure to send you the link to your neice and nephews fundraiser lol

 

[Warrant guru]

Ugh! I dread this time of year every year when my elementary school age son comes home with this fundraiser crap! I normally ignore it but as he gets older (7 now) he becomes more and more aware of the "Big Blast" party that they try to bribe him with when they pass out these packets. It's difficult to explain to him that nobody really wants any of that overpriced stuff they push the kids to sell and really, if we're being honest here, it's for the parents to sell as my 5,6 or 7 year old is not cabable of doing this on his own. If I wanted to sell stuff I would have gotten into that line of work and I really resent that they shove the promise of a party in front of them but only if they sell a certain amount and then when party time rolls around they call the names of those kids who get to go in front of those who don't (at least they did the last two years before I sent a scathing letter). Wake up SMCPS! Find a better way!

I realize the schools need to raise money somehow but I wish they'd find a way to do it without bribing the kids and causing some to be excluded from parties.

Done ranting now.

My son goes to Pax and brought it home yesterday. I normally sell to 3 people and it's mostly the food items. I get the Summer sausage for hubby, and then two co-workers buy something. Luckily, my son doesn't seem to care. Yes, he wants the "phone with voice changer feature" if you sell 60 items but normally when the prizes come, he thinks they are cool for a minute and then goes about his business. I don't think Pax has any party for the kids. I don't even think they acknowledge who sold stuff and who didn't. The parents have to go and pick up the goods/prizes so I think no one would be the wiser.

What I find so funny is that you get the "opportunity" to purchase two sets of school pictures (3 if you do a re-take). When I was in school, you got your picture taken and then if it was bad, a re-take. Pax does pictures in the beginning and end of the year. I bought the first set and then the class picture from the second set. And of course, don't forget to buy the yearbook!!! We never had yearbooks until jr high, although I don't mind it. It's pretty cool.

 

[DQ2B]

You are an adult, you don't/shouldn't need a "gang" to be the beacon of truth, justice and the American way to your kid. Tell them you are not going to peddle crap so the school can get a few nickels and you can go to some stupid party.

They are a lot tougher than you give them credit for, if not they need to toughen up or get shredded in the meat grinder that is life.

I think you missed my point. I'm talking about getting the schools to find another means of fund raising.

 

[MysticalMom]

My girls don't even ask to sell the stuff anymore because they know what I'm going to say. They just throw the packets right in the trash.

And I don't write another check to the school either. I spend enough just sending my kids to school. Already this year each of my teens had over 75 bucks in "fees" they had to pay for things like art and engineering classes etc. On top of the who knows how much I've spent on school clothes and supplies to get them started. My bank account is so low right now they're not getting another dime. There isn't one to give.

 

[Pete]

I think you missed my point. I'm talking about getting the schools to find another means of fund raising.

Well they have been doing this or something similar for ever. My point is that there are always going to be people/organizations trying to coerce kids into doing things. It is our responsibility as parents to teach them the promise of some hyped party is not enough reason to sell out, even if it is an organization as noble as a school that is trying.