To be frustrated with the school about the Easter egg situation?

[FrustratedMum2025]

So, the school sent home a note last week about the “Easter egg raffle” they’re doing, asking for donations of Easter eggs for the kids to win as prizes. Fair enough, I thought, seems like a nice thing to do.

But here’s the issue: they want each child to donate an Easter egg by tomorrow. Fine, except… my children have been having Easter eggs since early March because, well, they’re kids. The idea of giving yet another egg just seems so unnecessary to me. I’m already drowning in chocolate from my own absolutely brilliant planning of Easter, and I’m not sure I want to add to the pile just for the school raffle. Plus, when I mentioned it to a few other parents, it turns out they all feel the same!

It feels like they just don’t get it. I already pay for everything (I’m talking school trips, PTA fundraisers, fancy dress days, the whole shebang) and now it’s Easter eggs as well? I’m all for supporting the school, but they never ask for things in a way that’s actually affordable or considerate of family budgets. AIBU to feel like this is just another example of unnecessary school demands?

Also, they’ve made it clear that if you don’t donate, your child might not get to participate in the raffle. I get the whole “voluntary contribution” thing, but when it’s linked to something like this, it just feels a bit much. Honestly, I can’t be the only one who thinks this is all a bit tone-deaf.

Am I being unreasonable or is it just another case of the school not understanding how much we’re all juggling at the moment?

TL;DR: AIBU to be frustrated that the school expects us to donate an Easter egg on top of everything else, and if we don’t, our kids miss out on the raffle?

🙄 of all the things to moan about. Why have your kids been having Easter eggs for weeks? You win, most stupid post of the day if this is real

👏👏👏

God forbid other people do things so your kids have a nice childhood while you're too "busy" to even do the bare minimum. I still remember some of the fun things that I did at school, sad that you don't, but hopefully your kids will.

I can imagine OPs house being full of nibbled eggs and egg packaging, it's bad enough just for one day.

My children's school is constantly asking for stuff too. If I don't feel like donating to it I don't and no one has ever called me out on it.

How does it raise money though? I understand donations for a tombola and then selling tickets to win an egg that has been donated. But if parents are all being asked to donate an egg and then the children get one back, where is the money coming from?

Sorry edited to acknowledge I missed you said you do ask for money donations too. I am not sure how Easter eggs acknowledges the religious occasion though.

It may be tough to swallow, but have you considered that those parents didn’t ask you to organise this stuff?

It’s forced on parents, and they either have to get stuff sorted (at inconvenience to them) or risk looking like the bad parent that doesn’t bother participating (& risk upsetting their child when they’re the only one without XYZ).

Children don’t NEED an easter egg hunt at school. That’s what families and home life is for. Schools these days are trying to do too much.

You're supposed to do the TLDR thing at the start of the post, not the end...

My children have an amazing childhood, thanks. We do an awful lot with them OUTSIDE of school.

I also had a great childhood in the 90s, and - like I said - schools didn’t do about 90% of this extra stuff that takes place now during school hours.

What we really need is for schools to be funded properly. Then they could do fun things and have the equipment they need without the need for the last minute raffle requests.

(I think in this case it's more of a "family engagement" thing, which is great, but it also sounds like a last straw).

Just don't participate then and be the bad parent given you can't be bothered? Why should everyone else have to miss out because of a few killjoys. Yes having children is exhausting, but it's only for a short time so why wouldn't you want them to have as much joy as they can.

Children don’t NEED an easter egg hunt at school. That’s what families and home life is for. Schools these days are trying to do too much.

Ask yourself why this is? Have you missed the fact that so many kids live in poverty these days that without the the school they might not get an Easter egg at all? These days you can’t just assume that this will all happen at home.

Also on your logic, children don’t NEED trips, clubs, star assemblies, house points, sports days, shows, music lessons, concerts, residentials, DofE, nativities etc. But this misses the fact that all of these things plus some “fun” (like Easter egg raffles) are part of the cultural enrichment which lessens the social divide and makes children hopefully turn into decent members of society.

If you are drowning on chocolate and you've been feeding your children easter eggs for the last month, donate two eggs per child.
That way, a child whose parent cannot afford to donate will be able to receive an egg - and it could well be the only egg they get.

It’s not “can’t be bothered”. I have a full-time job.

In the last week at my kids school we’ve had four separate events during the day for parents to attend (mother’s day breakfast, Easter bunny breakfast, easter bonnet parade, music concert). We’ve actually managed to attend 3/4 between DH and I, but it’s still TOO MUCH.

You can’t “nip to poundland for a chocolate egg after school” if you’re in client meetings. Plus everything is communicated across several stupid apps rather than straightforward email or letter in schoolbag.

I’m actually sick of it. And I do think that people who love these endless events through school need to get a life.

1-2 things per term is plenty of cultural enrichment.

Considering the weight of the amount of chocolate and price per kilo in an Easter Egg, makers of the eggs are laughing all the way to the bank.

Here's an idea, if you're drowning in eggs why not donate a whole load of them to the school/charity/kids hospital...your kids don't need anymore eggs. We've (work) just done Easter egg donations to 2 local SEND schools and a kid's home, do something like that

Yes! I have never heard of anyone giving their DC Easter eggs before Easter! Your budget can’t be that tight if you’re doing this, surely?

I agree with you on the stuff parents are expected to attend. That's insane amounts of stuff you've had and it's far too much to expect any parent to attend.

Sending them in with something you can pick up from a variety of shops at any point in the day is so what different.

If your kids have been having Easter eggs since early March, buying one ot two for the school raffle isn't going to make much difference to you!

Agreed. Who on earth feeds their kids Easter eggs before Easter? My 6 year old wants Easter eggs now. Guess what? I tell her no.

I don't mean to sound naive but why the heck have your kids been eating Easter eggs for the past six weeks? It's not Easter! You know you don't have to buy them and eat them just because they're in the shops. Surely that takes all the fun out of Easter, like saying my kids have been getting presents everyday in December because they're kids!

I am not sure how Easter eggs acknowledges the religious occasion though.

Eggs symbolise new life and for Christians are symbolic of Jesus’s resurrection.

Eating Easter eggs is a very expensive way of getting your chocolate fix.
That’s why we only have them at Easter weekend.

It's interesting you think other people need to 'get a life' because you don't like something. I doubt any parents love it, I certainly don't, it's often a pain but I do appreciate people putting the effort in for the children and the children enjoy it. As I said, just don't participate. I hear you re the multiple apps, perhaps you can make a constructive suggestion to the school if you can think of a better way for them to manage this and suggest things are communicated earlier so there is time to plan for it. I have a printed out calendar on my wall which I find the easiest way to handle it all.

Exactly the same as our school… Our easter bingo was today 😉