You know how I feel about fundraisers.
This fall is off to a rockin' start. To date we've been inundated by fundraising requests from school, scouts and daycare and I've had it up to here.
First came the nut sale from scouts. Then the movie theater ticket sale from school. A day later, daycare's selling wrapping paper, pizza and a bunch of overpriced crap that always looks good in the catalog, but when you get it, it woefully tiny/flimsy/stale.
Next came the tubs of cookie dough and "gourmet" popcorn, which, with the twins' new braces, cannot even enter the house. And shortly after that, the kids came home wearing heart-shaped stickers that say:
"If my mom really loved me, she'd take me to Papa Murphy's tonight."
Okay, so I'm exaggerating - but just a little. It's all I can do to keep my sanity.
I get it. I know why fundraisers are important. I do. But I just don't have it in me to have my kids guilt our family, friends and neighbors into buying all of this stuff.
If you're a close friend or family member, you're probably scratching your head reading this. You're right. I never sent the kids over to flip open their trench coats and say, "Hey, buddy. Wanna buy some Garlic Nuggets?"
I usually pick one fundraiser each year for the kids to pimp to y'all. But this year, with the economy being what it is and my parents' fixed income and all, we've essentially boycotted all fundraising requests.
I just haven't had the heart. Hell, I even passed on the opportunity to turn the kids loose on a houseful of tipsy relatives last weekend. It would've been like shooting fish in a barrel.
No. I've put my foot down. I'm actually willing to pay cash for the next field trip and I fully expect my daycare rates to increase after the first of the year.
It's a small price to pay for being able to look the neighbors in the eye.
~ ~ ~
Out of curiosity, does anyone else feel this way? Does your school or daycare make you feel like an a-hole if you don't sell their crap? And are you afraid you own mother's going to stop calling you back some day out of fear you're trying to sell her yet another magazine subscription?
Please share!
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3 comments:
I feel like the number of sales and fundraisers have increased since I was in grade school. I remember the magazine sale in fall. I remember when Girl Scouts only sold cookies.
Now with everyone selling anything, it's way out of hand in my opinion. However, my parents always wrote a check. I really liked that because I wasn't comfortable selling stuff to the neighbors.
Thanks Jess! I was just telling your Mom this morning how Shaun had brought home a new fundraiser on Friday. So far Shaun's school has had 5 fundraisers from selling pizzas, entertainment books, poinsettias, cookies and eat at Mcdonalds night and its only November 9th!! I cannot find it in my heart to keep asking my family, friends and neighbors. Thanks for writing about this, I don't feel alone anymore thinking it is way out of control.
Sue Harrington
Oh, and I forgot to mention the MarketDay fliers too. The kids' take-home folders have more junk mail than art projects.
I'm actually GLAD we have a no soliciting policy at work.
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