To think the PTA are being a bit high handed?

[nothingcomestonothing]

Today DD (aged 5, in reception) brought home a paper bag, with a typed note stuck on it saying 'please fill this bag with goodies - sweets, toys etc - for us to sell at the school fete this weekend, thanks the PTA'. Tonight I got an email from the school entitled 'cake sale' which read 'tomorrow your child will be bringing home a plate each. Please fill it and return to school by Friday for the fete, thanks the PTA'.

I'm a working lone parent to two DCs with additional needs, I haven't got the spare time to be baking cakes or the spare money to be buying cakes, sweets or whatever else to fill paper bags with. Plus I do my food shop on a Friday when I finish work earlier, and haven't got a load of stuff in to give them now anyway. AIBU to be annoyed at these pretty last minute demands? The date of the fete has been booked for weeks, with notice I could have got together some bits of sweets, or bought some cheap buns and iced them myself or something, but it'll be a PITA to get them together now and DD will be very stressed if she thinks she's supposed to bring something to school and she hasn't got it. Is this normal? DD is my eldest so I don't really know.

[hettie]

It's not about not supporting the PTA/kids it's about how. I am stupidly busy (poor DC ate already neglected). If there was an option to give a cheque at the start of the year I'd jump at the chance to swap that for endless requests for cakes, to sell raffle tickets, buy/do things....

[TheoriginalMrsDarcy]

I wouldn't worry about it at all. At my daughters pre school nursery, which is attached to the infant school, every year we get the same requests to bake a cake, fill jars with sweets, donate a teddy, donate prizes. We get a weeks notice. I usually just do a couple of these things. Never have I baked a cake because my baking skills is just awful. They don't keep a record of who has donated what and when. They've more important things to do than keep a pointless list.

And like some of the others, I asked my PTA friend why we couldn't just all donate £10 at the beginning of the year, this would help the school immensely and save having to run around trying to fundraise. She queried with the headmistress, who said it wasn't just about the money but to bring the community together. Plus if it was a voluntary donation, some parents might not put any money into the pot, which would be unfair to the ones who had.

[TheNewStatesman]

Just bung a 10 pound note in the bag OR tape it to the plate. Done.

Bake cakes if you WANT to and have the time. Otherwise, give them a bit of cash and be done with it.

[TheNewStatesman]

"And like some of the others, I asked my PTA friend why we couldn't just all donate £10 at the beginning of the year, this would help the school immensely and save having to run around trying to fundraise. She queried with the headmistress, who said it wasn't just about the money but to bring the community together."

Sorry, but that doesn't even make sense. Nagging people to do things they don't want to do is not community-building, it's just annoying. Why not just offer people an option--bake cakes or donate a bit of cash?

[kickassangel]

Less than 50% will send in stuff. Reassure dd that it doesn't matter. Are you going to the thing on Sat? Turning up and spending some pennies is actually more important.

[ICanSeeTheSun]

I refuse to do it, there is no PTA but the teachers think of fund raising ideas.

No way am I spending £5 on goodies to be sold for 50p-£1.

I rather non school uniform and pay £1