To ask as school summer fair and fete season starts

[NynaevesSister]

You volunteer to help, if you can of course, with the fair/fete at your school? I would say, put your name forward, be clear about what you can do/time you can do, and finish when you said you were going to.

But please so pitch in, even if to run a stall for an hour. Maybe the fair looks chaotic, maybe a few stressed people don't necessarily seem friendly on the day! But please don't let it put you off. Children love getting to do something in their school that isn't actual school, and the money raised does help. Especially these days.

Let me set up a direct debit for £5 per month for each child and quit with the incessant demands

you're really in the minority there! at our school they no longer even ask for school fund of £5 at the start of the year because so few would pay it as they (I assume) see it as paying for nothing. But it would mean a reduced price for transport on trips etc.

Most people seem to have the money to buy cakes and sweets and BBQ and raffle tickets instead though, but that's different as they see that as "a good night out" and family fun.

I agree with the OP - our PTA desperately needs new volunteers. The same few do all the work.

Actually no the kids don't want to help out, infact they don't want to go.

I've had two in tears this week being forced to participate in sports day, one in tears as she doesn't want to go to school camp but all her friends are going so she feels she should.

I know it's the LEA who fine, but I bet they don't fine the school for taking them out for a week for a school trip.

I would argue that fundraising doesn't detract from teaching as often my kids come home saying they have made banners for this and that, they have gotten sports halls ready for fundraising evenings or they have been made to run round a track to raise funds.

Schools should stick to teaching children, in the real world I don't get to go to work and shirk my responsibilities in order to fundraise for a new swing or slide, I actually have to work.

Perhaps parents should be given the option whether to pay by direct debit. We have little enough time as a family together to be wasting it spending more time at the school giving even more money.

I can't remember a week in the six years I have had kids at school that I haven't put my hand in my pocket to give the school money.

And no, I know I don't have to and I can and do say no as I am happy to explain why I am saying no. However I have many friends who sacrifice money from the food budget to pay for these things.

What has the fact that your children don't want to go on the school camp or participate in sports days, got to do with parents helping out at school fetes Gorja?

Don't worry Gorja I can say with confidence that your PTA is fine without you. Carry on. :)

I was replying to damnBamboo Bowlers.... If you care to read the thread that would have been obvious.

Ooh, prickly, Gorja. My question still applies, having read DamnBamboo's post twice now to see what you are telling me I've missed.

Think the OPs right though. The PTA will be a better place without your charming social skills.

This is why I feel strongly about helping the PTA :
I posted on our school mums page asking about help with funding for school trips, asked if the PTA could help and was asked how I thought they could. Replied saying I thought there was some kind of scheme.
All fine.
Bloody cow started a new post saying if 'people' want help they should pitch in and support the PTA.
So, never spoken to me, no idea how many fucking cakes and sponsored walks is stumped up for, just a bitch dig.

Bitchy

YANBU. We help at most events at school and preschool, organising some of them too: it's tiring, but great fun.

DH has spent nearly 8 hours at our school today with the summer fete. He's shattered after putting up marquees and then dismantling them after running a stall for 4 hours too, but he's delighted that all the children seemed to have a great time. I took the DC and helped out by packing some stuff away, picking up litter and opening gates for vans etc.

Even if you are "only" donating or buying a few things that is still helping your school. It's fun to chat to everyone, especially parents of your DC's friends.

This time my DC have enjoyed spending their own money, as well as spending mine

The reason the PTAs know each other-is because they are always the ones getting together for meeting, planning and organising events! Do you think they all knew each other before they got involved with the PTA? That they all appeared having been to PTA school together so walked right into the role?! If you go to meetings and volunteer to take a role on, or give suggestions about how to do or not to do something, then you're in! If you sit there and expect everyone to come and introduce themselves and make polite chat about how your day was-it's not going to happen. Because many of them have been working, have kids and partners to get home to, maybe even a nightshift to head off to, or kids to pick up from clubs, the teacher liaison (if present) has probably not been home yet. Take it from me-half or more of them don't really want to be there either because they are busy, but they are there because they are that way inclined.

I've manned stalls/set up/cleared away in the past. (DH, who would probably win if he was on The Apprentice loves manning a stall/bouncy castle - and indeed they make record amounts when he does )

This year, I won't even be going (two better offers).

I'm actually a bit with the current PTA. Their behaviour has made me question whether I actually want my DC in the same school as theirs.

This year I will be bringing in donations of bottles and home made cakes and buying raffle tickets. But I would rather suck lemons than attend, or even help at the summer event this year.

I am also concerned the PTA have held very few events so far this year, so will be considering making a financial donation, as I'm sure their funds must be down....or maybe they need to learn from this.

Well for me it was all about my dcs. I had 4 so have done years on PTAs and decided for dc 4 I
Had done my bit.

Never found PTA movers either bitchy or nasty as we were all working too hard. I worked a 10 hour working day too so wasn't a sahm.

What really really pisses me off though are twats who loudly declare they wouldn't ever do the PTA thing as of course they mean they are far too cool for that mummy crap.

They are usually moaning at the events and criticising while doing fuck all.

My kids all loved school and fetes etc so I took them
And helped out.

It's a really tiny part of your child's life as past 12 they don't really happen.

You are right op.

I am also concerned the PTA have held very few events so far this year, so will be considering making a financial donation, as I'm sure their funds must be down....or maybe they need to learn from this.

It isn't a job. There aren't targets and appraisals to meet. Maybe the current bunch are rubbish at it. But I always say that there is NO way to be rubbish at the PTA because it is voluntary and if you are doing a job that wouldn't get done if you didn't, then you're doing a GOOD job.

Last year we didn't run any quiz or bingo nights because the people that had run them were no longer able to, and no one else could or would step forward and take it on.

Is a huge shame as they are fabulous community builders. But you can't ever complain at a PTA member or members for not working hard enough. That's daft.

This is my response from the other PTA thread (about the OP not wanting to too involved in school life).

My son spends enough of his life at school (including after school club a few times a week). I prefer to spend my time and money actually spending time with him and investing in extra curricular activities. I pay my taxes for his education. If the optional extras didn't exist, so be it. We could all volunteer to at our local hospitals too, after all do we not all want better health care? My son is my utmost priority, not his school. If people want to volunteer and donate that's fine but don't expect everyone else to share your values. That's not how it works.

Amazing that people can't even find an hour a year!?!

That's a bit like saying there is no way to be a bad friend. Any friend is better than no friend as it's not a job.

It isn't a paid job, but if you take it on, it is indeed possible not to do it well. I have been on the PTA committee, and certainly didn't exclude other parents when it came to events....I went out and recruited parents to help man stalls. If the PTA don't do this, and many other simple things handed to them all written down by the previous PTA , then it's a shame.

One HT of the school basically ran the entire PTA, along with me and three others for two years. We didn't let the "we can't find any body to stop us" because that HT had the attitude "If you want to work here, or send your children here, you are part of the community and you need to contribute." Having spoken to a TA who worked for her, they said they didn't mind putting in lots of extra hours unpaid f because she was such a great person.

Of course there are targets to be met! It should be decided at the beginning of the year what money should be raised for, and how much is needed for it. It's no good saying "Oh, lets have a disco if march, and charge children 50p entrance", and then when the totally sum raised for the year is £200 wondering what it could be spent on.

Freckle toes - I don't want to find an hour. I've already posted why. I could if I wanted, so no need for sarcasm. I do not want to do this. For the many reasons I have posted. If you do, go ahead, I won't stand in your way.

At out school it is really hard because it is always the same few parents volunteering to help. If more people volunteered we could all just do an hour each and not feel so shattered at the end of the day.

The first PA meeting I attended I was really nervous about going to as I felt like I was going to walk into group of people who wouldn't want to meet me or listen to my ideas.

I couldn't have been more wrong, they were friendly and happy to listen to everyone's idea, and were really grateful when I put my name down for helping at my first event.

I love the fetes and for the last three have been running a class stall, which raised money for a particular class - unfortunately class stall have had to be stopped as some classes wouldn't or couldn't run one and the Head Teacher felt it was unfair that they always missed out on the extra money.

It is strange through, the school always has far to many volunteers for class trips, but not picking the firework litter off the school field after the annual school fireworks display.

I am really not judging the other parents, I don't know what else they have on, I just wish people wouldn't judge me for helping and being involved.

I'm organising DDs school summer fair.
Please, parents, get involved. This isn't about you. It's one day out of 365 for you to work as a team and make a contribution towards improving your child's education.
I'm fed up of the apathy towards investing in your child's school.
If you are in the state system: the state can't pay for everything. For your child to get the most out of the school you should be expected to pay. And you should pay. You are getting everything else for free!
If you are in the independent sector, like DD is, the state gives us nothing. We've already paid taxes, we get no rebate or anything to put towards our child's school fees, which I think is really unfair. Parents have to raise money to give our children the extras they want and need, otherwise the fees will have to go up.
The last Labour government has only succeeded in creating an entitled generation who think the state has to cough up for everything. You have to change your mindset.
In fact some of these anti PTA, posts on this thread and the other are laughable.
IF YOU DON'T WANT TO HELP PTA OR PAY A BIT EXTRA THEN PLEASE HAVE THE GOOD GRACE TO TELL THE TEACHERS AND YOUR CHILD THAT THE CHILD IS NOT ALLOWED TO USE THE EQUIPMENT THAT PEOPLE WHO YOU BITCH ABOUT HAVE TAKEN THE TIME AND EFFORT TO RAISE THE CASH TO PAY FOR..
or better still you could grow up and lose the entitled attitude and stop whining about everyone else.

Stop waiting to volunteer!

I moved DS2 into a new school in Y2. The chair of the PTA came up to me a few weeks into the term, said "Hello Lynette (how she knew my name I've no idea) introduced herself and asked if I would like to help at the next event. As it happened, I wanted to help very much, but would never have thought to volunteer.

I love a school fete. The traditional ones...not the ones where outside fairground rides and candyfloss stalls and professional caterers are brought in. If there aren't enough people on the committee to run everything recruit some parents to help out!

Wow funLovin has convinced me!

IF YOU DON'T WANT TO HELP PTA OR PAY A BIT EXTRA THEN PLEASE HAVE THE GOOD GRACE TO TELL THE TEACHERS AND YOUR CHILD THAT THE CHILD IS NOT ALLOWED TO USE THE EQUIPMENT THAT PEOPLE WHO YOU BITCH ABOUT HAVE TAKEN THE TIME AND EFFORT TO RAISE THE CASH TO PAY FOR...
Argh, this is exactly the attitude that puts people off.
And I say that staunch PTA supporter. Secretary, trustee of the charity etc.

Another PTA thread really ...
Am I missing something ? Is there now an official start to the PTA season ?