Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Protection built in.

Meet the Other Phone.
Protection built in.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

I probably am being unreasonable...school Christmas cards...

88 replies

ICameOnTheJitney · 04/11/2013 22:39

Two forms came home today...one with each child of mine. A sample card came with each...designed by DDs....five pounds a pack of 12 cards...all the same design obviously...designed by the kids....money due in this Friday.

See...I love my DC artwork but this is obviously teacher led...so it's not got much of their personality in it at all....but both DDs are excited to get their pack of cards. That's a tenner which for me, at short notice is not simple.

I am on a tight budget....AIBU to think that this is a kind of emotional blackmail that schools should not indulge in? 300 kids...all paying a fiver each...that's a nice profit isn't it? I volunteer, give my time when I can...to raise money....I resent being pressed to buy these cards...I know I don't HAVE to...but my children will be disappointed won't they? Or think I don't like their efforts. I wouldn';t have minded so much if they'd given me another week to pay but the cash MUST be in for Friday or no cards.

OP posts:
Sirzy · 04/11/2013 23:05

Well at 9 she is more that old enough for you to explain why you aren't buying it anywy.

It's a good fundraiser for the school, lots of people buy them and like them but that doesn't mean you have to. Just say no.

NormanTheForeman · 04/11/2013 23:06

They did do the same design in class, but there was always the option of getting extra templates from the school office. We did this, and ds did a fantastic design of his own from that (he is really into lifeboats and did a lifeboat/Father Christmas design). We only ordered his own design he did, but it still contributed to school funds.

And £1 per pack if you have a lot of orders can add up. Our school has approx. 450 pupils and we have made approx. £435 profit from this scheme this year (some people have ordered one pack, some no packs, and some more than one). We haven't had any complaints from parents about the scheme either.

foslady · 04/11/2013 23:07

We normally get presented with this wonderful offer at parents evening......which coincidentally is the week that the book fair is held........cynical, me???

Original poster
ICameOnTheJitney · 04/11/2013 23:09

I also have a 5 year old Sirzy

OP posts:
bumblebeader · 04/11/2013 23:09

So 4 pounds for the company and 1 pound for the school. I'd rather just give the school the pound.

AShowerOfBastards · 04/11/2013 23:11

I'm always suprised at the attitude on these sort of threads "fundraising rip offs" etc, the schools need to raise money, they invest a huge amount of time in our DCs and are so often underfunded but we expect them function at top level. Of course they are going to try and raise money to continue to run the school, it's not like they're trying to line their personal pockets.

If you can't afford it say no, I agree that the way in which this particular circumstance has been arranged makes it tricky for parents but if you are genuinely struggling then you have to say no, and if not then you may just be persuaded to buy some and contribute further to school funds. Only you know the exact state of your own personal finances.

Not meant to sound so grumpy, sorry Blush

Sirzy · 04/11/2013 23:12

And? Even at 5 a child is old enough to understand no!

FunkyBoldRibena · 04/11/2013 23:15

I'd keep the sample, scan it in and make my own cards for them. But I have a scanner and decent printer.

NormanTheForeman · 04/11/2013 23:18

Agree, Shower, this is a bunch of volunteers (ds isn't even at this school any more as he is now 12, but we still support it) giving their time freely to try to raise extra money above the amount provided by the government so the children can benefit. There is never any intention that parents should be forced into buying stuff to support the school. In our school, we never would criticise parents who don't buy with this sort of scheme. It's great if they do, but we realise not everyone can afford it/would want it.

But please don't criticise us for trying our best to raise funds for the school.

Whatdoiknowanyway · 04/11/2013 23:20

Bet your kids won't be the only ones not getting cards. Speak to a few parents.
I resisted a £300 school trip in year 6 ( this was over ten years ago). Apparently everyone was going even through it was to the same place they'd all been to the previous year with a big price hike.
I spoke to 'everyone's parents' - we were all reluctantly about to send our kids so they wouldn't be the only one left out. Instead we said no and the school came up with a much more a manageable option.

Canthisonebeused · 04/11/2013 23:23

I don't get what the volunteers do in this case Norman? Correct me if I'm wrong however, if this is the cauliflower scheme then it's a corporation that send the forms to school. In dds school admin send out to teachers trays, teachers distribute to class give some time to get them done and job done. The teacher sends them out to parents.

steppemum · 04/11/2013 23:24

Our school did this and kids could do whatever design they wanted.

Norman, you may have put lots of time into it, but I really did not like this fundraiser and would not support it again, I felt totally pressured into it by dcs. Of course they want to buy the cards they have made.

They are expensive for christmas cards, and my dcs wanted to send THEIR cards from THEM and not from family, so some people eg Granny ended up with 4 cards from our family, one from each of the dcs and one from me and dh (because we weren't allowed to sign theirs)

I don't care if it is a fundraiser, I don't want to support it, but then I am made to look like the baddy.

Ashower - we support most fundraisers, but this one feels like emotional blackmail.

steppemum · 04/11/2013 23:25

BTW I am on the PTA and help raise lots of money, but this one I don't like

bubalou · 04/11/2013 23:29

I agree. I bought ds a card making lot for about £2 in the works shop last year and he made about 20 cards with it.

Tell them you had planned to make some really special cards together for them to send people that nobody else will have.

Wink
YesterdayI · 04/11/2013 23:34

This would be a no brainer for me. I would just say no because it would be wasteful to buy them. I don't like them and I wouldn't use them so I would be daft to buy them.

I also rarely bought school photos. They were never very good.

I would deal with the kids reaction as it happens.

manicinsomniac · 04/11/2013 23:36

I doubt you'll stand out by not getting them.

The (private - and pretty posh private at that) school I work in did these for the first and last time last year. So few parents ordered the bloody things that we all had to buy a packet or two to make up the minimum order and avoid disappointing the parents who did want them!

Ev1lEdna · 04/11/2013 23:38

I wasn't keen on my kids design in primary 1, read the guidelines for the design did another at home and was happy to buy that. I bought this years ones for the kids, I am on the PTA and I know what these cards are paying for. I am happy to buy them. However, I'm sure no-one wants someone on a tight budget to feel pressurized. While you may feel pressurized you have to remember the PTA have to fund raise with something people are willing and (often) happy to buy, hence; children's artwork. The school do need to raise funds but you can compromise with your children, they will forget pretty quickly that you didn't buy them, so don't feel you have to. Bills and food come first - just organise a craft day with them or something (and let them make cakes too - cake is always a popular bribe Wink

Original poster
ICameOnTheJitney · 04/11/2013 23:41

As someone else said, I'd be happy to give the pound to school for another fundraising idea. I'd even prefer a non uniform day for goodness sake! THe DC would too!

OP posts:
Original poster
ICameOnTheJitney · 04/11/2013 23:42

As it is, I am now lining the pockets of the card company to the tune of 4 pounds!

OP posts:
IHeartKingThistle · 04/11/2013 23:44

Ah, the evil profiteering schools, how dare they attempt to raise money for resources for your children's education? How dare the PTA attempt to bolster the inadequate school budget?

If you don't want to buy them, just say no. Hmm

steppemum · 04/11/2013 23:50

exactly - I would rather put the £1 in the pot for something, than give £4 to company and £1 to school

AmberLeaf · 05/11/2013 00:20

It isn't that the schools are 'evil and profiteering' its just that they sometimes just don't think that for some parents this is too much money, particularly those with 2+ children.

I am on the PTA and we always take into consideration the expense of things vs finances of many of the parents.

I spend hours of my time organising things, but do my/our best to pick things that won't break pockets/emotionally blackmail parents.

Coupon · 05/11/2013 00:46

YANBU

Caitlin17 · 05/11/2013 01:21

Don't buy them unless you really want them. I've never come across this, son's school didn't do any fund raising for the school. I suppose they thought there'd be little uptake on top of the fees. If schools are going to do this it should be done in a way that opting out is easy and can be done in a way that does not embarrass anyone, or taking part is set at a level which everyone can afford.

InMySpareTime · 05/11/2013 07:24

I'm sure other schools work tirelessly to find lovely ways to fund raise which are not rip-offs, but DD's school is especially bad for it.
They are a "healthy school" so you're not allowed a piece of cake/biscuit in a lunch box, yet the PTA have Krispy Kreme sales every few weeks at the school exit.
They had an exhibition of children's artwork in the hall which turned out to be a high pressure way to sell parents multiple copies of children's pictures at £8 each.
I offered a raffle prize to the school and they ignored me as it "wasn't worth much".
It's a very insular school, if you're not identikit you're nothing as far as the PTA goes.
The Christmas card thing is not in isolation, that's why I'm jaded about it all.
There are ways of fundraising where everyone feels they got a good deal. These card schemes are not one of those ways.
Schools could print them locally, charge less per card and still make more profit for the school.