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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

to resent forking out £7 for DD's framed artwork...

47 replies

grimblesmother · 02/03/2012 23:29

...at the school "art exhibition"?

Seven bloody quid? We are sooooo broke, but how can I say "sorry DD, we're not going to buy your picture?" A pound or two I'd cough up, but £7?

Bloody pita pta

OP posts:

workshy · 03/03/2012 16:16

cakes sales cost 50p

£7 is my lunch for a week
2 school summer dresses
a quarter of what I spend on petrol each week to get to work

x2 because I have 2 children in school

'why won't you buy it mummy? don't you like my picture mummy? all my friends are getting their's mummy

it goes on and on

I'm all for supporting the school but at our primary half the kids are on FSM and lots of us are only just earning enough not to get FSM

£7 is a lot of money to lots of people and if the choice is not having a picture or not having enough money to get to work I know which one wins

megapixels · 03/03/2012 16:17

DD2's school does this all the time. They're always turning the children's drawings into something and selling it to the gullible parents. Last one was the Christmas cards. I didn't buy it. We don't celebrate Christmas so had no use for the pack of cards and the picture certainly wasn't one of her best! We bought DD1s because (1). Her school doesn't keep doing this all the time, and (2) It was a picture she'd put a lot of effort into doing.

Don't buy.

Maryz · 03/03/2012 16:23

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

IUseTooMuchKitchenRoll · 03/03/2012 16:28

Of course it's manipulative!

How can it not be when the teachers make a big deal out of it and tell the children that it's special because they make such a big deal out of creating a gallery and inviting all the parents in?

No one wants to have to tell their child that they don't want their work, and even if some parents are ok with telling their child that it's too much money to pay, some aren't. No parent should be put in that position by a school. We all want our children to feel that we are proud of their efforts, and even though we can explain it to children and they may well understand, they are still likely to feel a little disappointed if their picture doesn't get bought and that they haven't contributed to the fundraiser. Even if they don't show it.

zipzap · 03/03/2012 16:34

We get all the pictures sent home at the end of each term...

What would they do with the pictures if you don't buy them - throw them or send them home u framed later?

Are they open to bartering - pound for the picture without the frame or whatever you can afford to give? Surely better for them to get something rather than nothing.

Inertia · 03/03/2012 19:45

If it's the same scheme I've heard of, you can ask for the picture to be returned to your child without the frame after the exhibition.

startail · 03/03/2012 20:35

Pester power is very useful in getting parents to events.
"but mummy I'm singing, dancing, running a stall" all have there place in encouraging Christmas and summer fete attendance.
However, I feel the framed picture selling and you'll get a pencil case if you ££ sponsorship are pushing it. They are especially bad for large families.

Book fairs are a pain too.

jellybeans · 03/03/2012 21:28

My DC school did this and with 4 DC it was over £30. Cheap frames. I complained and they reduced the price for 2+ children. I know lots of people couldn't afford it and felt bad. It's wrong!

TiggyD · 03/03/2012 21:40

The next piece of important paperwork the school want you to sign, sign it, frame it, then sell it back to them.

BeeBawBabbity · 03/03/2012 22:43

Don't buy it then, I didn't. The kids got over it.

Sandalwood · 03/03/2012 22:47

DD's school did this. I never felt any pressure to buy the art at all. In fact people who did were more seen as mugs.
Only £1 of the money went to the school. The art was the sort of thing DD knocks out all the time. And, best of all, you get the art work (unframed) in book bag at the end of term with everything else anyway.

Original poster

grimblesmother · 04/03/2012 00:30

Floggingmolly, it's nothing like bake sales or dress-up days. I can easily tell DD we're not going to the bake sale, and the dressing up thingy only costs £1. This is £7 for a framed painting that she has been led to believe is very important.

She keeps reminding me about the "art exhibition" and is very excited about it, I'd find it hard to tell her that we're not going to buy her painting, she's clearly very proud of it.

OP posts:

Himalaya · 04/03/2012 00:38

TiggyD

I think it is manipulative and a bit of a con.

Also, when they did this at our old school it was an outside company organising it. So out of your £7, £2 might go to the PTA, 50p is the actual cost of the frame so most of the money is going to he enterprising organisers.

magicOC · 04/03/2012 00:39

We had this recently too.

Wealthy area, but, at least they said they would send home the picture unframed if we didn't want to buy.

Ask the teacher to return the pic. Explain to your DC that you had seen the frames and they didn't really do the artwork justice and that you will buy a beautiful frame which will show the work off much better. (pond shop sells frames)

Then she will feel that little bit more special because she will have a better frame.

magicOC · 04/03/2012 00:40

*pound

NeshBugger · 04/03/2012 00:50

Are all primaries doing it? Had an invite to dcs' exhibition but didn't fancy dragging round a cranky baby to an evening showing to gaze at 2 pictures and no mention has been made of buying these works of art.

Can you pop a note to her teacher saying you've explained to a very disappointed dd you cannot afford to buy the 'art' but wondered if you could have the picture unframed for a nominal donation after the event? And then get dd to make a paper frame to go round it?

PfftTheMagicDraco · 04/03/2012 00:53

We did this the other year at the school. Nothing to do with the PTA, it's something the Reception year do every year.

nannynick · 04/03/2012 01:00

Oh look... there is a company doing this for schools Images. "Parents love their children's exhibitions. They enjoy touring the gallery and discussing the pictures with their friends and children. They say the framed pictures offer exceptional value for money, welcoming the chance to display and treasure their children's framed work at home."

Hmm, I think they need to revise that with a link to this Mumsnet Thread so that visitors to their website really know what parents feel about these "art exhibitions".

That particular company may (or may not) be involved in this particular case but it certainly sounds like it does the same sort of thing.

Why do schools do this? What is happening to this fundraising money? Local infant school I take/collect children from does fundraising events, not overly clear what the money goes on though. Even the sports equipment in the hall is not able to be used by children attending the toddler group, even though the parents of those children attending toddler group probably paid for the sports equipment... rant, rant, rant

Maybe schools should just say "give us £50" at the beginning of the school year and not have any fundraising events at all... some parents may actually far prefer that, than this constant book sale, cake sale, art exhibitions etc.

Rikalaily · 04/03/2012 01:08

My kids school have just had one too, £5 each so had to stump up £15, have still got thier framed art from a couple of years ago up, not sure where to put the new ones.

NeshBugger · 04/03/2012 21:45

Is this connected to the Royal Jubilee in some way? Had to sign a permission slip to say they could use dcs work in any way they wanted. In dcs' primary it seems to be a whole school event, never done before afaik.

WeeK · 17/05/2012 17:09

Just been to an art exhibition at my child's school. I thought money was going to school so didn't object to paying £6.50 for picture, but then spoke to member of staff who said"Oh no, we're not making anything out of this. It goes to the company who provide paper and frame the pictures." I am raging! This is manipulating parents into parting with money for a profit-making business under false pretenses. Is this not illegal?!

Ragwort · 17/05/2012 17:15

Why allow yourselves to be manipulated? If you don't want to spend £7 just say 'no'. If you have to, point out to your child that it would mean going without supper/trip to the sea/whatever. Just be honest. Or suggest they use their pocket money/birthday money if they are so keen on having the picture . I do think parents are their worst enemies if they can't just say 'no'.

It's a bit like blaming the supermarkets for putting sweets next to the till .

If you are concerned about the 'ethics' of fund raising, why not join the PTA and find out what they do, what works well etc.

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