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

[ICameOnTheJitney]

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.

To be honest, I find the idea questionable....taking MY child's art work and then sellling it back to me? No...ask for permission before publishing my child's work please!

We have done this at our school for a few years. Previoulsy the blank template was sent home so children could do the design at home and bring it back to school but hardly anone bothered. This year they all did their design at school and we have the card and form sent home.

I think it is a lovley idea and I am perfectly happy to buy the cards. It is also a great way to raise money for the school.

If you don't want to do it then you don't have to.

They aren't publishing your child's work, they are just giving you an opportunity to buy cards if you want.

I think YABU

Yanbu. Don't get roped in by this dubious shit. Don't buy the cards, vote with your feet.

If you don't want to buy them then just don't!

Last year I had already brought my xmas cards and so I didn't buy them. TBH I think DD just forgot about them anyway.

It's not a crime to tell children you can't afford something and certainly if you need the money to pay bills then that is far more important! Mine are 5 and 3 and they certainly understand when I say we are not having something because we can't afford it.

I think you still get to keep their artwork so make a fuss of that and put it on the wall and just do your own homemade cards.

Our school had the genius idea of encouraging them to paint white snowmen on black paper.

So, a class full of gloomy black Christmas cards.

To be honest, I find the idea questionable....taking MY child's art work and then sellling it back to me? No...ask for permission before publishing my child's work please!

I have a feeling you may be over thinking this somewhat. I would be surprised if they are actually publishing your dcs art work. Happy to be corrected of course. Are they not just offering you a chance to buy your child's work?

Take a photo of the design then send the cards back. The children can have their pictures up on the wall if you can print them out and then you'll save yourself the £10- win win.

If you don't order anything they don't publish it. You have to send the artwork with the order.

Anyway, just had the e-mail from school today to say that our cards have arrived. Will spend a few hours tomorrow checking them in and distributing them to the classes.

Don't buy them if you don't want them, it really is that simple.

I happen to like them so I will buy a couple of packets. £8 for 20 cards (and the school gets £2 of that) is only slightly more than I'd end up paying for some from the shop anyway (the charity ones are never 'cheap' and the actual 'cheap' ones are always horrid bendy things!). Some cards are much more expensive, I always wonder who buys those! People with only a few friends that they really really want to keep I suspect .