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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To want to cry at all the school demands for money??

189 replies

BrieAndChilli · 18/07/2017 17:36

Most of it doesn't have to be paid until September but still...

£220 for DS1 year 6 residential trip
£100 for DDs overnight trip
£18 x 3 for fruit snacks for next term
£55 for mincraft club that DS2 wants to do
£2 each for trip to ruins ( in our small village so we have been to a million times (no exaggeration!)
£1 each for the priviledge of leaving thier shoes at school on the last day and coming home barefoot!

Not unrelated but £10 for each classes teacher collections = £30

Oh and DS2 needs to dress as a big on Thursday!

Oh and for the first 2 weeks of the holidays they are going to holiday club for 1/2 days which is going to be £500 ConfusedShock

Oh plus need to buy new uniform/shoes too, even buying cheaply is a fortune (and DS2 shoes that we bought 2 months ago from deichman cheaply have already got holes in the soles)

Kids are going to have to play in the garden all summer and eat bread and water!!!

OP posts:
LovelyBath77 · 18/07/2017 20:08

and that is without uniform costs which were over £350.

LovelyBath77 · 18/07/2017 20:09

Just buy bag of apples and give one a day. That is cheaper.

Henrythehoover · 18/07/2017 20:14

Do i win my 12yo is going skiing for £1200. Luckily my family are helping with the cost.

Cary2012 · 18/07/2017 20:16

The teacher's contribution is way too much. I have a drawer of homemade cards from my time in Primary, that I treasure. It really is the personal touch, not a pricey gift, that matters.

And buy bags of fruit, much cheaper.

Awwlookatmybabyspider · 18/07/2017 20:19

So what happens if the parents can't afford snack day trip money.
Does the school just leave a child go without or tell them they can't go on the school trip.
I thought under inclusion laws
. They couldn't single and leave a child out, or Penalise them for their parents hardship.

Bluntness100 · 18/07/2017 20:23

I might be missing something on the fruit, it's 6 quid each for the term. What's a term, twelve weeks approx? So that is 60 days, so about ten pence a day for fruit for a kid. Seems reasonable to me.Confused.

I can't imagine complaining I was spending ten pence a day for fruit for my child.

And clearly you don't need to donate the shoes if they are still good. Why is someone up thread shouting they NEED them?

Yes kids are expensive, but all these things are optional. Minecraft? Hardly a necessity ,

coddiwomple · 18/07/2017 20:27

So what happens if the parents can't afford snack day trip money.

people get a lot of help in this country, instead of giving cash to the parents, give a little contribution directly to the school, so the kids will never be left out. Technically, there's no reason why child benefit could not go directly to the school for example. It's all in the interest of the children (and not to be forgotten during school holidays!)
Its not fair either to limit outings and activities because some families cannot afford them.

PovertyPain · 18/07/2017 20:29

How do some of the posters on here walk without squeaking, they've bloody well yanked their judgey pants so high? The OP wants a moan, that's all. She's not running down to the school screaming at the teachers.

SteamTrainsRealAleandOpenFires · 18/07/2017 20:31

Your pet bringing home a love mouse - you chose to have a pet

I hope that'll still be in its wrapper/box? Grin

Original poster
BrieAndChilli · 18/07/2017 20:38

To make it clear I'm just having a small moan, all these things will be paid for, we can afford them if we prioritise over other stuff,
it's just all these requests came today and it seems to have been a relentless couple of months with endless requests for attending school assemblies to showcase kids work with 2 days notice, class violin concert again with only a couple of days notice, bring a bottle for the tombola,make some cakes for the fete so you can buy them back again, fill an envelope with money for the money tree, come to the hog roast, buy some raffle tickets while you are there, dress up as Harry Potter day, Harry Potter potion making contest, dress up medieval day, last minute trip to a castle to pay for with 1 days notice, £3 eachfor a tshirt to decorate, make this, buy this, do this....

OP posts:
RainbowsAndUnicorn · 18/07/2017 20:39

Child benefit amount going to the school instead of parents would be great, their education experience would be so much better and the money would be spent on the actual children.

TheFirstMrsDV · 18/07/2017 20:40

Technically, there's no reason why child benefit could not go directly to the school for example

What a stupid idea

Co1onelblimp · 18/07/2017 20:43

Wait until they're teenagers. You won't know what's hit you! Kids cost money, and they cost more the older they get.

NameChanger22 · 18/07/2017 20:44

You could move to a poorer area with a poorer school where there are no residential trips or expensive clubs. I'm guessing that's out of the question.

limon · 18/07/2017 20:45

What I do is as soon as the letter comes in I divide the total by how many weeks from now until it need to be paid then I pop that amount into a envelope weekly and then it's covered and it helps just finding a few pound each week rather than say £400 one month.

Youre fortunate thatnyou can do that - not everyone has spare money after living expenses are paid.

Co1onelblimp · 18/07/2017 20:46

Having said that I'm glad I don't have kids in primary school. All that dressing up crap, and making stupid costumes.

limon · 18/07/2017 20:47

You could move to a poorer area with a poorer school where there are no residential trips or expensive clubs. I'm guessing that's out of the question.

Wow. Really? I live in one of the UKs poorest areasand theblocal comp school trip was to China last year. Think you're making massive assumptions about poor areas.

MrsMeeseeks · 18/07/2017 20:49

Why on Earth would the children walk home barefoot when they have donated their shoes? Why wouldn't you give them a spare pair to change onto?

Co1onelblimp · 18/07/2017 20:49

I know lots of schools in poor areas that run amazing trips.

angelgirls · 18/07/2017 20:56

limon it's not fortunate it's a necessity, I'm a single mum of 4 and have no financial help at all from the dad another story with over 25k CSA arrears I have to plan every penny I spend hence why I budget and save for things long term I.e a few pound a week over a long period as I could never just find even £100 to just pay a trip.

I vowed when I left my abusive ex with nothing but the clothes I was standing in my children would never go without (despite being a abusive arse he provided for his family, I had a nice home, plenty of money etc) and they don't, they go on every school trip, do every activity they are interested in etc, I have to work my arse off cleaning houses everyday to do that

upperlimit · 18/07/2017 20:58

Oh and for the first 2 weeks of the holidays they are going to holiday club for 1/2 days which is going to be £500

This is just extortionate. Sod the cost of fruit, what craziness is this?

Co1onelblimp · 18/07/2017 21:01

Is that for three of them. If so, I' D say it was a bargain!

Electrolux2 · 18/07/2017 21:04

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

magichamster · 18/07/2017 21:06

The main problem seems to be that everything has come at once, even if it is sort of expected. I'm a primary teacher and even though its a small school we don't always know what trips other teachers are planning.
I would, however, be horrified if I thought parents were contributing £10 each for a present. Definitely do your own thing there.

upperlimit · 18/07/2017 21:07

Really?

I guess there must be some significant regional variations. My dc are going to forest school at £20 each/day for a few days in the holidays. And dc1 is going to a sports club run by his school for £25 for an entire week.