To be mad at the school trying to sell toys to the kids...

[flyingspaghettimonster]

I am really cross about this. We got a flier home last week declaring the school were having a special assembly run by NED (www.thenedshow.com/) - apparently it stands for Never give up, Encourage others, Do your best.

I don't mind if the school wants some pep rally blahblah everyone is special event and I don't even really care if they use fund raised money to pay for that show. What I really resent is that the school chose to have the show appear for free, on the understanding that they would try their hardest to flog the NED merchandise to my kids for the next week. The NED program states that they will waive the $1200 fee for performing if the school sells merchandise.

We were sent home the forms a week ago - the prices are $15 for a yo-yo, $3 for yo-yo strings etc etc... I told the kids categorically that no way was I going to fork out $15 for a freaking yo-yo, that they would not be able to make do any of the tricks they had seen.

Despite this warning, my 5 year old has whined, cajoled, begged and cried for one all evening, and it is just day one of their 5 days of free advertising. I asked him what he learned from the assembly and as I expected, it was 'that I need a yo-yo'. My daughter, who is less materialistic and a goody-goody could recite all the waffle that she had learned, and understood that it is just a silly fad, but that doesn't make it easier for the kids at the school with all the other kids who have been allowed to purchase the yo-yos using them all over the place and showing off.

AIBU to think that school is for learning, not for advertising toys and that this is unfair on both kids and parents who feel obliged to give in... I won't be buying a NED yo-yo. Oh, and their website has this to say:-

A yo-yo assembly? Is there a string attached?

*We incorporate yo-yos in our show, along with magic tricks and dramatic speech, to deliver a VISUAL lesson that sticks with students. It?s unique, it?s unusual and best of all, it's absolutely unforgettable.

After the assembly, we offer items for purchase that prominently feature the NED Champion message, so that students have their own learning tools to reinforce the program. The message of our assembly literally becomes a hands-on object lesson that exceeds a 45-minute show.*

Does that sound like bollocks to anyone else?

Bollocks indeed! How strange!

YANDBU. Shysters!

(I mean YADNBU, not YANDBU. Argh.)

$15 for a yo-yo!! Oh dear God...

YANBU

I have vague memories of a yo-yo assembly .....

One of my pet hates is schools and their gimmicks to floggng merchandise on the promise of a couple of library books. The endless demands for money.I could rant but it's far to early to be raising my blood pressure.

No UANBU.

DCs' school had a yoyo assembly once, with yoyos for sale afterwards at £10 each. They were rubbish, broke soon afterwards etc etc. Parents kicked up huge fuss and they were not invited back.

YANBU. Your 5 year old will have (hopefully) forgotten about it next week. If you can see that far ahead. In the meantime can you go into school and suggest they don't do it again?

Are you in US?

We had the Ned show just before the Summer hols. Of course DD wanted a ridiculously priced yoyo. I said no - but that if she still wanted one when summer hols began I'd get her one.

Hasn't been mentioned since.

Oh, and of course she couldn't tell me what the show was about, except yoyos.

I promise you won't be the only one saying no. I'll bet we don't get the Ned show again, because it wouldn't have been worth it for them.

they are very very expensive yo-yos... much muttering and grumbling ensued in the playground, apology for the price in the next newsletter.

dd still remembered the theme of the assembly but still didn't get a yo-yo.

That is disgraceful,school should be about learning not about marketing to children.

The prices on their website don't seem too ridiculous (okay, this is UK prices)

25p for a pencil, £3 for a keyring, yoyo from £5

I have to say I resent the Book Fairs more - they charge full price for the books (which are available from Amazon/Supermarkets etc for a far reduced rate), encourage the kids to make up wish lists, and then ahve the book fair on during parents night

Glad I am not the only one who thought it was a bit off. I mean, if the show claims it costs $1200 (isn't that rather a lot for a 45 minute assembly?) then clearly they are expecting to sell A LOT of yo-yos. Yes, there are cheaper things like pencils - but who wants a pencil when the show's message was 'yo-yos are brilliant, you will look cool and do all these tricks to impress your friends?'

I already told the teacher that we wouldn't be doing their fund raiser this term, as it is the Innesbrook catalogue - the kids are told to go out with this catalogue and persuade friends, families and neighbours to purchase over priced wrapping paper and christmas cards (Really over priced - $7 a roll that you can buy in Dollar Tree). I object to it because it works on an incentive scheme - with a gift for selling to five people, a gift for 10, etc until if you make 100 sales you get something bigger. I told the teacher I wasn't happy for my kids to learn how to cold call their neighbours, but that we would happily be involved in any sponsorship or cake bake fundraising activities.

I also told the teacher I wanted her to be a little more careful in how she worded their patriotic classes (the school is apparently required by law to teach the kids patriotism at an early age) because it was giving my daughter the wrong impression of her rights in the USA - her test asked 'what is a person that lives in a country called?' and her correct answer was 'a citizen' which of course she is not. So I can't really mention this assembly as I am already a trouble maker and it is only the first month back...

Honestly, mostly I absolutely love the schooling over here and think it is a friendly, caring environment for the kids, but I do find things like permanent counseling staff at an elementary school and this NED thing irksome. Maybe I will buy 5 year old a dollar tree yo-yo and write NED on the side.

YANBU, I would also be cross with the school for the NED thing and the fundraiser. On the other hand, this is the USA and the culture is surprisingly different to the UK.