the hate school fayres?

[thebird]

Its that time of year again that makes me very grumpy - the school fayre. The weeks leading up to the Christmas and Summer events mean endless letters/texts/emails from school wanting money for raffle tickets, cakes, tombola items, jazzy jars, home clothes, book your slot on the boucy castle or go cart track forms. Its making me dizzy.

Then theres the joyful event itself. An afternoon of chaos and spending money buying other peoples unwanted toys and arguing with DCs when they want more money for candyfloss or a barbie with one leg. I've tried to be positive about these events but I just can't help but get annoyed. I'd rather give the school the money and do without the hassle - or maybe I'm just a grumpy old women!

it stops basically though (the hassle) in secondary BUT then the trips become super super even more expensive so i think it doesnt get better it gets worse im afraid

I have regularly suggested to our PTA that they have fundraising buckets outside the hall as I would gladly pay NOT to go! Actually the Fete is okay as it's outside, it's the Christmas Bazaar which is the work of Satan as 200+ people try to cram into a small hall and small children get trampled underfoot in the scrum . . .

I adore them so much that on Saturday we are going to the local CofE school's fair...we don't even GO to that school! Our own school is up the road a bit and we have our fair a week after.

I am in charge os Sand Art this year!

so they arent all for raising school funds then?

I really quite like the school fête.

my stall this year is for the charity my DH runs but the £6 or £10 some places charge goes to the school Ilove

I hate them and don't go. too many people pushing and shoving and fighting over 10p toys and other crap.

thats why i stand the other side of the counter

YANBU but YABU to get stressed about it, just don't go.

What annoys me more is the endless costs of school play costumes and mufty days and they are never real mufty days but fancy dress ones. We totted up yesterday that over the last 3 yrs of infants school we will have spent over £150 on various random outfits - and this is just for one child!

Tiffany - ours is 90% for the school. We usually have 1 charity stall (usually from a children's charity or something to do with the local commmunity). We don't "sell" stalls to individuals for them to make a profit, but some schools I know of do.

Tech - yep, try standing on the other side of the table one year - far less pushing .

then theres the 'programme of events'.....full of adverts!

anyone elses fayre themed?

I never contribute or turn up.

There are other school things I am happy to get involved in - organising school disco, going along on trips, volunteer reading etc. But standing around in the rain pretending that 'guess how many sweeties are in the jar' is fun ain't one of them.

Not fan of them (always donate mind) got roped in to help with Christmas fayre but we were on chocolate tombola so it was ok. DD1 has superb timing and arrived beginning of July giving my mum, who worked in school, perfect excuse not to have to attend as we lived 100 miles away and she was visiting for birthday etc. DDs birthday is on same day as DD2s fayre but can't use her birthday as an excuse anymore (she is 19) so may have to go

One small point to all the miserable, mean feckers. Who do you think all the money that's raised is spent on? Your children - that's who! Without these 'irritating'events your children would have far fewer resources in their schools. Plus the children love them so cheer up, cough up and stop being such arses!

yeah,but even going from the examples given,they arent exactly 'essential' to education are they?

makes you wonder who does the school buget if it gets to the point that things like this have to have prices hoicked up just to afford books!!

and we regularly 'cough up' throughout the year anyway

DS' school fayre was tonight.

Its not a large school farye with castles/ face painting as described above and is held in school hall and usually spills outside but not today in this weather.

Games 20p a go (name the teddy/ tombola/ hoopla the bottle etc) and cakes 6 for £1 and the 50p pocket monet stall.

Spent £8 including DS toy and tattoo, hotdog/drink and raffle tickets. Came home with bag of cakes, 2 bags of sweets, 2 bottles of pop and 2 large botles of bath stuff.

I actually enjoy them - even more so when I win.

Battleship, you are more than welcome to drag dds wheelchair round abumpy feild and tell her why she cant go on the bouncy castle. Enjoy.

riven....i wondered that....all packed in,how do wheelchairs get around!!

Its a nightmare. Another reason why we dont go. And people not letting dd see stuff.

Riven - it does sound as if they haven't thought about wheelchair users at your school fair and that is a real shame. I still stand by everything I said though.

I did my fair share lf fetes and fayres too. I am now old and other parents can man the tombola or do the hell that is face painting

Dd loves them, costs me a bomb, come back with more tat than I managed to donate but it's for a good cause so can't complain.
Mind you the tatty hanging basket that they were selling for a tenner that I bought anyway was stretching my goodwill somewhat but am useless at saying no when the kids ask so nicely and they have potted them themselves

"so they arent all for raising school funds then?"

Ours are. All the money goes towards making life nicer for the pupils at DD's school.

Riveninside Our summer fair is on the playground and is very wheelchair friendly.

yousankmybattleship I totally agree with your sentiments.

I notice a lot of posts moaning about the cost, especially those of you with large families. Sorry to point out the obvious, but nobody said that having a large family was the cheap option. Also, having a large family in the 21st century is a lifestyle option so you don't really have the right to complain.

Ducks to hide from the missiles.