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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

to think non-uniform days are a lazy and boring way of fundraising.

78 replies

create · 13/02/2011 15:19

DCs have to wear either pink or blue (for valentines?) on Monday to raise money for the local children's hospice. £1 charge for the privilege of wearing your own clothes.

They wore spots for Children in need and often have a free choice day at the end of term, also costing £1.

I don't get it. The DC aren't particularly bothered about wearing uniform or not (unless their friend's aren't of course).

I may of course be oversensitive as DH has been unemployed since Nov, so every £1 counts. I'm sure the argument will be that it raises children's awareness of those less fortunate etc, but does it really, as so little effort is involved?

OP posts:
ApocalypseCheeseToastie · 13/02/2011 15:43

Not everyone has £1 to spare. There will some poor bugger scratching around looking for the money so each of her four children don't feel left out.

When dp lost his job not long after we bought our house we were so skint I used to fill dds pram bag with loo roll from public loos.

I would not have had £1 to spare, so yanbu.

Now I do have money to spare and gladly give it willingly where I can.

MorticiaAddams · 13/02/2011 15:45

You are not being unreasonable to begrudge that many. We have them at the end of term and that's it.

You are being unreasonable to say it's boring and lazy. Being on the PTA is a thankless task and people put a lot of effort into trying to think up new ideas and events people will want to come to. If you don't like it then either send the kids in in their uniform and don't pay or put in some effort and think up something yourself.

Ragwort · 13/02/2011 15:47

I would much rather send my DC to school with a £1 coin and wearing his own clothes than spend quite a bit of time shopping for, baking, decorating, transporting, setting up, selling and clearing up after a cake sale Grin - oh, and buying cakes for all the children whose parents have 'forgotton' to send in any money for them to buy their own.

Yes, give me a non uniform day anytime Smile.

BeenBeta · 13/02/2011 15:48

I'm just sick of fundraising in our school.

What the Heck has school got to do with fundraising for charities?

NSPCC sent one of their chuggers into DSs school a few weeks back, the kids were all wheeled into assembley while this person gave them the hard sell. Totally unfair on the DCs. We just refused to participate.

EditedforClarity · 13/02/2011 15:51

Boring I think I'd agree with. Lazy, no, unless you can offer better suggestions to raise a couple of hundred quid for charity with no initial outlay and no need to pressgang volunteers.

TrillianAstra · 13/02/2011 15:52

Boring?

Not when I was at school.

We liked having non-uniform days.

Why not think of it as something that the children enjoy, that is no effort or extra cost to you, and doesn't take teachers' time away from teaching?

TrillianAstra · 13/02/2011 15:53

If yo can't spare £1 then you couldn't spare £1 no matter how much effort had been put into the day's activities.

BibiThree · 13/02/2011 15:54

If you think it's lazy, join the parents fundraising committee and put your own ideas forward.

TotorosOcarina · 13/02/2011 15:55

true trillian!

piprabbit · 13/02/2011 15:57

I'm guessing that schools get involved in charities and fund-raising because it fits in with the aims of the National Curriculum:

"Aim 2: The school curriculum should aim to promote pupils' spiritual, moral, social and cultural"
"The school curriculum should pass on enduring values, develop pupils' integrity and autonomy and help them to be responsible and caring citizens capable of contributing to the development of a just society."
"It should develop their ability to relate to others and work for the common good."

TwoIfBySea · 13/02/2011 16:01

I just knew the OP would generate some sarky comments!

YANBU, they are annoying especially if, as a family, you have chosen what charity to support and cannot afford the constant forced participation because they know kids don't want to be the only one in uniform.

I'm perhaps not the best person to have on your side though as I am generally grumpy about these things and hate red nose day and the like! Bah humbug!

ChippyMinton · 13/02/2011 16:02

YABU
Mufti is great, even those with specific colours. It's the dressing-up days that annoy me (slightly). 3 x fancy dress costumes with a couple of days notice...

Ariesgirl · 13/02/2011 16:02

Whether or not it has anything to do with the National Curriculum, isn't teaching children about selfless giving and charity the right thing to do anyway? One of the (increasingly fewer) things I am proud of about Britain is the fact that people are so willing to donate to charity.

fedupofnamechanging · 13/02/2011 16:04

I think part of the problem is that non uniform days are no longer special. Schools seem to do them at the drop of a hat, so it feels like the parent is always being asked for money. Our school has a non uniform day every last friday of the month, to raise money for the school council. Lots of kids have stopped bothering, because it's no longer a big deal.

I don't think that schools should use the children to fund raise. They are there to be educated. The school doesn't know how difficult providing that money may be for some families and should be sensitive to that. The fear of their child being looked down on by their peers for being poor, is holding parents to ransom.

Sometimes it seems like the school view parents as their own personal bank account, to be tapped at will.

NinjaCuckoo · 13/02/2011 16:06

Back in my days (before the age of steam) we were encouraged by the school to get involved actively in raising funds for things like the Blue Peter appeal. Perhaps this is what the OP means by 'lazy' i.e. just asking the parents to pay a donation so their children can wear normal clothes.

It doesn't really teach the children that there is more to being charitable other than asking your Mum to dig out a pound coin so you can wear your latet outfit to impress the girls/boys.

Also, as a teacher up there ^ said it causes issues and creates a bigger divide between the haves and have nots (or the cool and geeky kids).

Having said all of that, I don't mind non-uniform days and it raises money for (but not always awareness of) worthwhile charities.

amberleaf · 13/02/2011 17:49

TotorosOcarina

No i dont begrudge a £1 to a hospice, but if i cant afford it that week x3 i cant afford it no matter hhow worthy the cause and tbh i like to choose who/if i donate any of my money to.

exoticfruits · 13/02/2011 17:55

It is much the best option, requires no effort and the DCs love it. Schools are going to raise money for charity, it is good to make children aware and people will moan whatever they do.

ChaoticAngelofAnarchy · 13/02/2011 18:12

YANBU

How does a child going to school in their own clothes and taking £1 in for the 'privilege' teach that child about children's hospices, or any other charity.

Catnao · 13/02/2011 18:25

It teaches them because they are aware of WHY they are wearing non school uniform and where their money will go and how it will help, is how.

At my school they all come in non school uniform and the donations are given by those who can afford it - do you really think that in a class of 27, I count up the pound coins and say "Right. Well I've got £17. Who hasn't paid? Hmm? Those children must now go home and change". Really?

Punkatheart · 13/02/2011 18:28

Agree - a little. But teachers are busy and the children do love it!

One shocking thing my daughter's school did was to do the uniform day to raise money for their bursaries. It is a private school and I thought this was an absolute cheek - the school should provide these from their own funds. My daughter, without any prompting from me, refused. She went to school in her uniform.

HappyMummyOfOne · 13/02/2011 18:30

YABU, if you dont like it then dont partake.

Its easy for the school and children get to learn about giving to others. Some families would never give to charity were it not for schools.

If you can think of something better for no outlay and little time i'm sure the teachers would love to hear from you.

I wonder how many of those that say the £1 is to expensive have broadband, computers, buy wine, chocolate etc?

Hulababy · 13/02/2011 18:47

If you don't like it, don't take part.

If some people do like it, let them take part.

At the school I work at the amount of donation is only a recommendation. We leave out a pot int he room and parents/child can chose how much or how lttle to leave, or can chose not to leave any at all. Noone is watched whilst this happens, and noone is judged. We don't ban children from taking part if they don't donate either.

But children IME do like non uniform day regardless of t being fancy dress, a given theme or just wear you own clothes.

ChaoticAngelofAnarchy · 13/02/2011 18:47

"It teaches them because they are aware of WHY they are wearing non school uniform and where their money will go and how it will help, is how."

TBH I never got the impression that my dd learned anything about the charities they raised money for through non uniform.

ChaoticAngelofAnarchy · 13/02/2011 18:51

Oh, yes, dd used to enjoy non uniform days (she's not at school now) and I used to send her and pay the pound. I just never thought that she seemed to know much about the charity.

exoticfruits · 13/02/2011 18:56

I think that they will be absolutely sure to learn about the charity in assembly-whether they actually listen is up to them but I am sure that your DD was given the information CAofA.