To want to end annual fundraising for various charities in schools (these arent benefitting the school I believe, but extorting parents)

[HadrianHadALongWall23]

I'm starting to feel like its extortion. Red Nose Day...costumes for the day/ red clothes. Children invited to buy red noses in school, and be sponsored for a red nose hunt in the yard.
Then we have stuff for NSPCC, and World Book Day..We also have fair trade day, where we are obliged to send in some fair trade foodstuffs for the children to hand in, it is then raffled in each class, and one child, in each class wins it to take home...completely pointless excercise in my opinion..no charities benefit from this at all....the supermarkets do though and in a lesser way the fair trade companies. Children in Need day, another massive excuse to encourage parents to buy pudsey bear items, and dress up, dontate and sponsor...Why are schools being held to ransom in such a way by big business and orgnaisations ? Apologies I have a bad head today, but this is annoying me. I wondered if its only me who was fed up with it. ?

[MaidOfStars]

Do you think Comic Relief force schools to participate in events?

[comedycentral]

I think that it is great for children to get involved with charity events at a young age, these charities make significant amounts of money from these donations. You mention Children in Need and NSPCC, in my area we have many projects that are funded or run by these charities and they have a direct impact on our local community. I would hate to see this end in schools. My son really enjoys getting involved and it's great to see his enthusiasm for helping others at such a young age.

[TinfoilHattie]

So don't take part.

[LooksLikeImStuckHere]

No schools are being held to ransom. The participation in these charitable events is entirely at the discretion of the school.

[Flumpernickel]

Half and half, I think its a good lesson for children to think about special causes, however I believe that every school should choose just one, local nominated charity either permanently or per year. Then they can really see the result of their participation and hopefully develop a relationship with that charity going forward. Maybe a local hospice, nicu/animal shelter etc... all valuable causes where the kids get to feel really genuinly involved and not just caught up in a mass marketing excercise for the big commercial charities.

[LivininaBox]

I hate it too. I don't object to supporting charities but every other bloody week I am being asked to send in a pound for this or make a cake for that, it drives me mad. I need to sort out a big stash of pound coins. But by far the worst is Christmas jumper day, don't get me started on that one.

[MrsPnut]

Our school council choose three charities a year to support and they run an event each term. Autumn term they came to school in their pyjamas for Great Ormond Street Hospital, spring term they wore a yellow item for the local air ambulance and there will be one in the summer term. They don't dress up for world book day and there are still parents who complain.

[ShanghaiDiva]

You don't have to participate and don't see how these charitable organisations are forcing the school to get involved.
I do think it's important for children to get involved in charity events, particularly for my children as we live in a developing country.
However, I prefer just one or two larger events per school year rather than constant fundraising, bake sales and sponsorship forms.

[WyfOfBathe]

YABU. The schools are not being held to ransom - the school where I teach didn't do anything for red nose day, while DDs school had a non-uniform day with a suggested voluntary donation of £1. I completely forgot to give her money in the morning, and no-one ever mentioned it to her/me.

[countrygirl55]

I think most schools leave things open enough for people to participate as much/little as possible. Lots of kids go in mufti for World Book Day and say they are a "normal" character like Matilda or Horrid Henry. At ours, the rules are usually like "wear something red" or similar which (given that their Mum doesn't usually tell us in advance) are almost always achievable from what I can rustle up around the house. As long as the money goes to the cause and isn't more than a few quid I think it's ok. We support a few charities as a family through action rather than money, and I work for one too, so I hope it fosters an attitude of giving.

[Jellymuffin]

It's a quid you tight buggers! A quid that will help your child to feel part of something worthwhile! I bet you're the bastards who won't pay for school trips either

[Notso]

I don't mind donating to charity at all. What I do object to is when for example it's wear spots for Children in Need. My children didn't have anything spotty so I went buy them both a spotty shirt. They didn't need a new shirt each and they were £12. I thought it was ridiculous to spend £24 just so they could donate £1 each to charity. So they just wore own clothes and took in £10 each for CIN.
Same for Comic Releif but wear something red, the Christmas Jumper Day and I'm sure there was a onsie day for something. The local shops must be coining it in.

[lalalalyra]

@jellymuffin It's not just "a quid" though. DS has been "a quid" on 6 occasions since Christmas. Luckily for me I a) can afford it and b) only have one at primary school, but some people can't.

There are more and more occasions and schools seem to have totally forgotten that some parents simply don't have endless supplies of "a quid".

[lalalalyra]

And that's before he cost of costumes etc comes into it

[FlyingElbows]

You are not "obliged" to take part in anything your children's school organises.

[Jellymuffin]

You don't have to pay though, people want their child involved but don't want to pay. They are prioritising other things over this so own it, tell your child they can't take part. And £6 in 3 months. Unless you are literally living under a bridge I can't imagine who couldn't afford that!

[countrygirl55]

We had "wear spots" too. Took a bit of spotty ribbon and tied it round their ponytails. Eldest had it round her wrist. Job done. Otherwise I would have drawn a few spots on their noses with an eyeliner! Joining in doesn't necessarily mean spending loads.

[CaseyAtTheBat]

You are not "obliged" to take part in anything your children's school organises

Yes, because its no problem at all to tell your children that everyone else will be dressing up, winning raffles etc, but they won't because you don't like the school pushing you into it.
Not very fair, is it?

[manicinsomniac]

I think this is a bit mean spirited.

Our children choose 6 charities at the start of the school year and all our charity events are focused on raising money for them over the course of the whole year. They end up with hundreds of pounds each and the children benefit from a wide range of things from simple pleasures like a mufti day or a cake sale to things they actually have to work at like a swim or a hike to things that benefit the charity as well as the children like organising a party for the child service users of a charity or looking after the animals of a charity or gardening for the community of a charity.

It's all opt in, not opt out, and everyone benefits, imo.

[MycatsaPirate]

My DD's school pick three charities every year and then they raise money for them. They had Lush in to teach them how to make bath bombs and then we got to buy them (50p or £1 each) which was pretty good.

They have done cake sales too which the kids love.

On the down side, DD wanted to go and visit one of the charities which is an animal rescue place. We came home with another cat.