Better to raise £10 for Children in Need than to wear something spotty

[jollydiane]

I think the spirit of Children in Need is to raise money for children that need our help. I went to Asda to buy a spotty T-Shirt but they had sold out so I have a dilemma, do I buy something spotty (for a boy that's not easy) make something or donate a bit more money to the cause and let DS go in stripes.

My point is, we worry too much and forget why we are donating. Surely it is better to give more money than to waste it on spotty clothes. So, to any other stressed mummy out there who cannot find a spotty t'shirt don't worry, wear stripes instead.

old or cheapo cheap white tshirt - pack of felt tips and off you go

Can he not wear his normal clothes and just stick some cut out circles on to it? Or draw spots on his face with face paints?

He'll probably want to be the same as the majority won't he?

You can still give as much money as you want to the charity.

Sorry if I don't understand but what have spotted clothes to do with Children in Need?

They're learning to take part in the occasion of a fundraising event, so yes I do think there's a good point to the spotty clothes.

Wouldn't like to be the odd one out in stripes personally!

either old t-shirt and felt tips, or sew circles of offcuts on to a top (I am sitting here with large spots sewn all over my work sweatshirt - we are doing CIN all week at the preschool where |I work as some children only attend at the beginning of the week and all charity days are always on a Friday!)

alternatively buy a packet of circular stickers from somewhere like WHSmiths, and stick all over a top. We'll be doing this for children towars the end of the week if they want to be spotty!

My DS1 is doing spots for children in need. Last year I found a spotty ribbon and tied it round his wrist. This time he is going to wear my spotty scarf if I can find it or failing that a set of pudsey ears

Angel - spotty theme has often been linked with CIN.

We discussed today how any children who don't have spotty clothes could spend the first 5 minutes of school making some and sticking them on their clothes if they want to. Or have face paint spots.

yanbu.

I am not spending any money on clothes that will be worn for one day. I think DS might have an old white t-shirt I can draw spots on. I'm not buying new pens though, whatever is in the pen tin will be used.

I'd rather put some money in the pot and donate that way.

These are all good ideas (thank you) I hadn't thought of the sticker idea. . My point is that Children In Need should be about raising money and not a competative competition. There is no point spending £9 on a spotty t'shirt when the same £9 could have gone to charity IYSWIM

Where does competition come into it?

Why is it competitive? Is your school giving przes for best outfits or similar?

Otherwise I think the dress up is just about having fun and doing soemthing a btit silly for charity.

Wrong face, that was meant to be a ! Isn't it just about entering into the spirit of the day? Or is your school awarding prizes for costumes?

I bet more money is raised by spotty outfits (and daft TV) than just a series of collection boxes.

Just donate it anonymously.

I hate fundraising.

And before anyone take that literally and says "how do spotty outfits raise money" the point is that I reckon people will put more in the collection box if everyone has made an occasion of it, than if it was just someone rattling a tin and that was it.

Perhaps competition was the wrong phrase. I agree it is about having fun but before I posted I could think of a way of creating spotty clothes. With you help I realise how simple it would be. So thanks

Yanbu, no.

We've done spotty day lots of times (boys too) and I've never spent anything on the spots. They've worn and black and white spotty pair of socks (mine ) An old school shirt decorated with felt tips, a baseball cap with sticky spots stuck on. I've never found it competitve though (perhaps it goes over my head?) Last year the vast majority of boys went with the old shirt and felt pen option.

This year ours can choose spots or "something funny". DS2 has a t-shirt with a very poor joke (think Christmas cracker) on it and DS1 has one with a monkey in glasses. They both say those will do and I'm not arguing

YANBU I ended up buying various red clothes for red nose day and thought the same.
Mind you they came in handy on Friday for wear red for 90 years of the Royal Legion.

I had the customary two days notice of this last year, and you're right - boys do not own spotty clothes. When I say two days notice - I knew it was going to be children in need, but didn't know that boys' school were having a dressing up day as they hadn't the previous year.

We did old white t-shirts and sharpie pens last year, it was fine.

I luckily got over a weeks notice and ordered a metre of spotty fabric from Ebay and have made two spotty ties for DC! Handsewn tonight and will do jsut fine for £3 total (plus the £1 donation each)