Junk food obsessed PTA?

[GirlofInkandStars]

My DCs school PTA is obsessed with junk food fundraisers. I know things are limited in lock down but it has always been like this.

Jars of sweets, cones of sweets, massive boxes of donuts at the end of term. And now contributions for an Easter egg for each child.

I struggle with my DDs teeth. Other DCs in her class clearly have issues with weight. I know others who have specific dietary requirements.

The school is supposed to be a healthy eating school and polices lunchboxes... but apparently this doesn’t apply to the PTA?

AIBU to think this is not on it am I just a grumpy old party pooper?

@DebbieGetsTheJobDone

Parents who are unable to say no to their children and have such a ridiculous and unhealthy attitude to food are a worry.

If you raise your children properly and feed them right, no one will suffer because there's a bag of sweet for sale at school. No need to stuff your face, present the sweets as an evil treat..

and more importantly, suggest alternatives.

I agree with this 100%. This is what causes so many unhealthy attitudes to food.

I have suggested alternatives.

And if it was once a half term that would be fine. But it was getting to be once a week quite often. That's a problem. Not so much for me because I do know how to say no. But for all the children whose parents don't say no, some of whom are already obese.

Do they not find the novelty wears off doing so much of the same? A half-termly cake sale (pre covid of course) is an exciting treat that's well supported and hard to object to but if they really are doing the same things that often then surely that's shooting themselves in the foot a bit?

Why do you struggle with your DCs teeth?

The constant money making things can be a pain but I wouldn’t worry about the cake sales etc.
My grandparents had sugar filled puddings after their meals everyday and sugary teas with biscuits and had very healthy teeth/no weight problems.
A couple of years ago salt and then fat was the worst thing in the world, now it is sugar.
Everything is fine as long as it’s in moderation.

I bet the PTA love you being 'that parent'

Some bright spark suggested selling fresh food instead in my school.

I believe the PTA sold 1 apple and 1 banana that day. The ice cream van parked opposite the school made a killer on the other hand.

I think it isn't unreasonable to request that a PTA stall is removed from directly by the main exit if it is causing ongoing problems with lots of parents feeling 'obliged' to buy stuff. Just like the 'no sweets at the tills' campaigns at supermarkets.

On the other hand these quick wins are by far the most time-profit effective thing. A few years back when mine were in primary we could raise £80 at a small school with less than an hour's work from setting up to clearing down. The school fair raised at most £1600 so 20x as much, but for way way more than 20x the effort and stress.

Why don’t you join the PTA and “be the change”?

Are you the OP @MiddlesexGirl?

Every week? They have a stall selling sweets every single week? That's very unusual.

I'm not sure why you mention that you struggle with your DDs teeth and then say that it's not a problem for you because you know how to say no? Is your concern your daughter's teeth or the children that you have said are obese?

I can't imagine many parents would approve of this every single week. Have you spoken to the Head?

gosh, suggest a fun run fundraiser instead, or for PE equipment.

I used to hate this when my DDs were at primary. So much crap - why is it always food based? Same sort of people who used to bring cakes into the office all the time, for any occasion, and then in the next breath complain they were fat. YANBU!

So the children get a treat at the end of term (once every four months?) and an Easter egg at Easter? If that’s the case then yes, you are being a party pooper.

It's awful how Easter eggs are forced onto young children.
I am quite happy to take mine to Tesco's to have a look at them, but no way will I buy them one, no matter how much they plead and cry, however I do let them have a free choice in the veg isle.

They'll thank me in the long run when they have decay free teeth in later life

During non covid times my dc's school pta give the kids a selection box at Christmas(the fair has lots of sweet things for sale, candy floss etc too), an easter egg at easter, sweeties are for sale at the two discos the host a year and they have a cake stall in the play ground every Friday during the spring/summer terms. It's fine, If I don't want them to have one I'm completely comfortable telling them they're not allowed. Sales like these raise thousands for the school.

@VeganVeal

It's awful how Easter eggs are forced onto young children. I am quite happy to take mine to Tesco's to have a look at them, but no way will I buy them one, no matter how much they plead and cry, however I do let them have a free choice in the veg isle.

They'll thank me in the long run when they have decay free teeth in later life

yes dear, of course you do

@VeganVeal wtf, that’s awful! You actually take them to look at them but you’ll never let them have one? How cruel is that?

@VeganVeal

It's awful how Easter eggs are forced onto young children. I am quite happy to take mine to Tesco's to have a look at them, but no way will I buy them one, no matter how much they plead and cry, however I do let them have a free choice in the veg isle.

They'll thank me in the long run when they have decay free teeth in later life

Oh that's good of you.

You do realise your children will become independent and then rebel against you and have no boundaries or control with food?

I agree that as a school there should be consistency and so the PTA should be similar.

Raise it with the PTA or via the school if the PTA are led by people who would not respond to a parent in a constructive way (some who are involved are shall we say, precious or busybodies, however welcome their involvement is).

@VeganVeal

And this why I love our £10 month (voluntary) donation. All cake sales etc sacked off, probably cheaper over a month for 2 DC and no issues.

The easiest fundraiser that the dses' primary school did was a Hundred club. You sell shares in the club at, say, £1 per month, and parents can buy just one share (so £12 per year), if that's all they can afford. Every quarter, half the money raised becomes prize money - there is a draw of all the shares, and money allocated for first, second and third prize. The other half of the money goes to the school fundraising.

Obviously you can have more or less than 100 members of the hundred club - but the more members you get, the higher the prize money and the higher the funds raised.

Parents at our school responded really well to it - partly, I believe, because it involved so little effort from them - no jars to fill with sweets, no meetings to attend, no stalls to man at the annual Fete Worse than Death, no cakes to bake, no costumes or fees for non uniform day to remember - just a monthly direct debit.

All our children have chrome books because the PTA. The children from poor families have free school coats and shoes. Stop blathering on about sweets and cake bakes and get some back bone. Buy or not buy. Join in the fundraising or not. OR come up with some of your own ideas and help out to put them into practice.

@idontlikealdi

And this why I love our £10 month (voluntary) donation. All cake sales etc sacked off, probably cheaper over a month for 2 DC and no issues.

in many schools it doesn't work. Either parents don't contribute at all - whilst they would spend money on cakes etc.. - but they also complain loudly about schools being "free" and how outrageous it is to ask for cash.

Pretty sure every single parent is free to give a yearly or monthly donation. Most people are completely against the idea.

Brooke yes indeed. 100%

@MiddlesexGirl

I have suggested alternatives.

And if it was once a half term that would be fine. But it was getting to be once a week quite often. That's a problem. Not so much for me because I do know how to say no. But for all the children whose parents don't say no, some of whom are already obese.

Something sugary almost once a week makes fuck all difference. What's your real problem? You want someone else to blame for your child's dental hygiene?