Kids selling stuff for fundraising: Vent and a question

[Jennasis]

I am driven to the poor house several times each year by school kids hocking their wares for whatever fundraiser they happen to be working on. Gift wrap, greeting cards, chocolates, cookies, cookie dough, candles, bath and body stuff. The list is as endless as the products are (for the most part) useless. I feel badly for the kids, and even more so for the parents who usually wind up doing most of the sales. Mom and Dad bring the forms to work and guilt co-workers into buying something, or mom and dad wind up buying the stuff themselves. As a teacher (of sorts) myself, I have about 25 students who bring me stuff to buy on a fairly regular basis. The stuff is ridiculously overpriced. The price of a box of girl scout cookie??? Redonkulous compared to the # of cookies in the box. $14 for a tub of cookie dough! $7.50 for the worlds smallest roll of gift wrap!

Totally not the kids or their parents fault. But get this little nugget of insanity: One of my students brought me a catalog of cookie dough that he was selling to raise money for his marching band (new uniforms, transportation costs). As I mentioned earlier ONE tub was $14 He is a great kid and very deserving and his band is quite good so I bought two (count 'em TWO) tubs Anywho, so the kid very excitedly tells me "Hey, thanks! Maybe the second tub will count towards tomorrow!"

Huh?

Turns out, he says that the band director coach etc, has anyone who does not sell at least one product per day run LAPS, or do extra sit-ups/push ups as punishment!!!! Is this the norm now? And if so, what do you think about it?

Now of course one might think this was a made up story to get people to buy a tub, but I had purchased TWO before he filled me in on it. His mom later confirmed it.

I WAS going to be DONE with buying fundraiser stuff, but now...those poor kids!

 

[AKLRULZ]

I'm over the fundraising, too. We've had one for each school (High, Middle, Elementary), one for Freshman football, one for dance and one for pee wee football.

 

[Beth76]

Wow as a parent I would not tolerate punishment for not selling. Although I would probably just pay for my kids uniform rather than having him sell stuff for it.

I don't think it needs to be your responsibility to buy things from your students. You said you have 25. That's a lot of crap to buy. And yes, I agree with you the stuff is crap. If I were you, I would make a policy not to buy from students. It's a perfect out.

 

[Chicago526]

The fund raising craze was just starting when I was in high school. My choir director decided to give it a try to help raise money so we could buy sheet music (it's illegal to photocopy it so a copy of each song must be purchased for every choir member, it gets expensive). It sounded great but turned in to a mess, at least for me. I vowed never to bother with it again and my mom agreed, so the following years my mom just wrote the school a check for $30.

I have no kids yet but DH and I plan to. I'll do the same thing. My child will not participate, I'll just write the school (or whoever) a check.

Making the kids run laps if they don't sell. That's just pathetic, the coach should be ashamed!

 

[Hercules10]

I don't mind supporting kids in my school district.

But it's the parents that bring their kid's fundraisers to work and circulate it to co-workers that me off. I get bombarded at home, don't need it at the office too. Especially when it's not even the kids putting forth the effort!

 

[golfgal]

I personally don't know of any team/coach/director that punishes kids for not selling but I can see where it happens. We participated in fundraisers when our kids were in private schools. They are all now in public schools and I won't do them (well, we did order magazines but we would order those anyway so why not through the school-I won't let the kids try to sollicite any orders from neighbors). I will let them do fundraisers for things like DS14's band trip to China, that is extra and unique. They also have reasonable fundraisers like selling ad space in their marching band competition books. I will also be first in line to vote for more operating revenue tax increases so public schools don't have to fund raise because the reality of that is that it is LESS expensive then participating in the fundraisers.

 

[Poohnatic]

I would not tolerate punishment for not selling the quota.

Last year, we bought the token amount of gift wrap-we had my mom in the hospital and all other relatives out of state. I told the PTA person I'd rather give them 20 bucks then them try to sell 60 bucks worth of stuff to make the 20.

The boys are in cub scouts this year and they're doing the popcorn. Ya, it's expensive-but we love it, so I'm sure we'll be buying a bunch.

Since I sold GS cookies many years ago (lots of them, too), I always buy when asked...but if I heard of punishment, I'd complain to whoever's overseeing the sale and explaining that it's supposed to be a FUNdraiser.

Suzanne

 

[Grumpy's Wife]

The first week of school my DD was sent home with a permission slip to sell candy. I opted to send in a donation instead. They don't want you going door to door in you neighborhood (which I wouldn't anyway). Just sell to your immediate neighbors and family. We live in a new subdivision. More than half of our street goes to the same school. Just who would I be selling to? I would have ended up buying the whole box myself. My hips and butt or thanking me for just sending in the money.

 

[Dory's Twin]

It is common around here for the kids to be punished for not selling the quota. When my kids have to fundraise, I tell them that they are not salespeople, but students and I won't let them. Then I write a check to the coach or school and when I hand it to them, in person, I tell them my feelings. My child does NOT sell things, but that I am happy to donate. Usually they end up getting much more money from me than if my child sold...ie they get 100% of what I donate instead of 10% of what is sold!

I have NO problem paying for what my children need and I will not ask others to do it for me!

Have I bought from others...you bet. But it is usually crap!

 

[*Fantasia*]

There was one thread about the student's grade depends on how much they sell.. which is totally ridiculous. You're suppose to be graded on academic and not how much you sell.

And now this.. you get punish if you only sell so many in one day or if you don't meet your quota you get punish?? Not good!

 

[robinb]

I am not selling Crap-Wrap this year. I hate it. Instead, I will cut a check to the school or PTA or whoever gets the "profit" from the sales. I will also just give them the $5 I would spend in ingredients for a bake sale where they will only re-coop $3 because they price things so low. The only good fundraising they have at my DD's school is the sping plants. Last year's swim team also sold "passes" to a special discount day at the mall. We were required to buy $25 worth so I did and gave them away to my friends.

 

[minkydog]

When I was a young teenager my mother used to make me sell stuff for her social organization I vowed right then that i would never make my kids sell stuff. On occasion they are asked to sell cookies or pizza or wrapping paper. if it's in the budget, we'll buy. I would never think of drilling my mom or siblings for donations. We have a big tour coming up in june to NYC. It will cost about $1000per child. There is no way my 13yo can possibly earn it all herself. Therefore we will be picking up most of the tab because a)it's a valuable experience and b)we can afford it. If we could not afford it I'd just have to say no. But I'm not ever going to drive my child to sell,sell, sell.

 

[j's m]

The part I hate the most is that DS's school loses a class period to do the fundraising explanation. What a waste of a middle school period. (in my mind not theirs)

I also don't like the idea that if they sell 3 magazines, they get ---, if they sell 5 on the first turn in date they get ----. It's pizza parties, it's funny glasses, it's more junk! It makes them want to sell, but 80 year old grandparents don't want or can't afford magazines or other junk, we own the business so we can't ask employees to buy (then they'll bring their kids stuff to buy)

I would rather just send in a check, but then you can't win prizes.

 

[SC Minnie]

I absolutely hate fund raisers. We have had our first of the year- magazines. I don't have time to read magazines, I barely get the read the obits in the paper every day. Needless to say we didn't participate. I sent in a donation and have decided that I will do that from now on.

 

[RayaniFoxmur]

Heh, I remember my senior year in high school the band was going to be making a trip to Disney. I wasn't able to go since I was going earlier that school year to the Florida Keys with my Marine Science class for 10 days (My mom made me choose one trip or the other... who wants to play instruments at Disney? ). They were fundraising and part of the funds you raised would go towards your individual trip. If you weren't going, it'd go into a general fund. I was sick of selling cheese and sausage so I looked my band instructor in the face and told him I wasn't selling. He called me the band member with the worst attitude and wouldn't talk to me for a week. Why? Because I wouldn't sell the damn sausage. Talk about pressure! But I refused to give in, and I didn't sell that year... and quite honestly? I'm glad I didn't. I don't think that any teacher should make a student feel bad if they choose not to sell but I see it more and more. And now, punishments? Ugh... things aren't looking good for my kids if that's the way it's going!

 

[ukwildcat]

I deal with people fundraising (ie soliciting) wares at my work/grocer story/home the same way I deal with telemarketers. I ignore them/close the front door.

I donate enough money to charities each year. No problem giving money to a school or sports team, but I don't want to be hassled at home/work or going into/coming out of the grocery store. DW says I need to have more compassion. Maybe so. I think the whole thing has gotten out of control.

 

[canwegosoon]

I so agree with everyone...but the sad thing is they are out there. I have made it known to every school board member that I would rather tuition go up $100-200 (or what ever) then sell these items. All we are doing is keeping these fundraising companies in business.

My boys have to each sell an item(from the gift wrap and usless crap-you have the same one) brochure and when the whole class sells at least 1 item they can have an ice cream party. They are 8yo...there is some prize for selling 20 or 50(you can tell I don't care)items and the kids get a ride in a Hummer to the local BK. Yuck!!!

This is on top of their Race for Education that raised 40K and their Winter's Night out which raised 80K. Plus we pay tuition of 8K for 2 children... And they don't pay the teachers that well and benefits are not that great.

On the other hand I am a Cub Scout leader(at the same school), and we have to have the kids sell popcorn (which I hate and I am trying to get rid of). Then we take that profit an sell wreaths at Christmas(which is actually a great fundraiser-because we get the wreaths/ bows at cost, and put the bows on, and sell them for the same price as local shops at our Masses) SO we try to triple the pop corn money. This year we are trying to increase the activity fee, and decrease the popcorn sales and take the extra activity money to buy the wreaths-if it works out at about the same I will try to eliminate the Popcorn next year.

I think there are just too many demands for money out there.

 

[EthansMom]

In the situation described by the OP, I would either (1) make a point of not buying any fundraisers anymore (just say, "I'm sorry, but if I can't buy from everyone so I'm not buying from anyone anymore.") and/or (2) keep some $1 bills on hand and "donate" $2 or $3 everytime a kid solicits for a fundraiser.

We just got the wrapping paper fundraiser paperwork home from DS's school (benefits the PTO which pays for field trips, educational enrichment, and many other worthwhile stuff). Thankfully, our school doesn't pressure the kids to participate. DS5 had no idea that the paperwork even came home in his backpack. I considered buying, but there wasn't anything I wanted to buy. I considered sending the form to work with DH in case anyone at work wanted to buy anything (no guilt or pressure), but then decided that DH's time is too valuable to waste in such a manner. Considered asking the grandparents if they wanted to buy something, but decided that they didn't need more junk any more than I did. So, we are not buying wrapping paper this year.

Our PTO does a dinner-dance auction in the summer and we will go to that. If I don't see anything I want to bid on, I may just make a donation.

 

[Chattyaholic]

I work in a restaurant and we often have kids walk in off the street selling stuff. Sorry, but I won't buy something from kids that I don't even know, and don't live in my neighborhood.

I don't buy from co-worker's kids either. I have grandchildren that I buy from and that's enough. So far this year (and school has only been in session for 2 weeks!) we've shelled out $62 for a candle, cookie dough, pizza, and candy bars.

I am seriously thinking that next year I will just make donations right to the school organizations that are having the fundraisers. Rather than buying the junk the kids are selling, just write a check for them, that way they get 100% of the money for the organization rather than just a small part of it, and we don't get stuck with candy and stuff we don't really want or need.

 

[Deb in IA]

My kids sold World's Finest Chocolate in elementary school. No punishment for not making a "quota", but they did certainly push incentives for the kid that sold the most, the class that sold the most, etc, etc. Thankfully, this is his last year of doing this, as only the elementary does it.

My niece is selling magazine subscriptions for her school.

I NEVER had to do any fundraising when I was in school.