to think that DS2's school is being unfair?

[mumoftwo37]

DS2 attends a small primary school, only one class per year group. This year the school have decided to take all of them to a local amusement park. They say that as everyone is feeling the pinch at the moment that they will heavily subsidise the cost of the bus but we will all have to pay the entrance fee for our child(ren) - Fair enough no problem with that.
This is the bit I think that is unfair - every family has to pay £2.50 towards the bus regardless of how many children you have got. I disagree totally with that, why should I pay as much for one seat as the family down the road who will use 4? It is not the cost it is the principal. Dh says just pay it but I disagree.

LOL happystory

LOL happystory

I think you are being unreasonable. If you were asked to pay more to cover someone else, then you would have a point.

However, you are getting all worked up because someone else has to pay less. Which is nothing to do with you. You would still have to pay the same regardless.

Have you told these families with multiple children how you feel to their faces?

It's all right,happystory, I'll send the whole £2.50. Don't you remember that thread in December when I only posted once but read all 93 posts and laughed at lots of them?

"No wait, some of posted several times... you send 10p, I'll send 3p......."

Maybe the school should have just put the coach seats on eBay, and let everyone bid for how much they thought they were worth?

One thing is for sure, the school will think twice before subsidising trips in the future.

Gift horses, mouths, and all that.

Sod the principle! Be grateful the school is contributing. Would you be happy if children in a family of 4 couldn't go because they couldn't afford an extra £7.50?

What is your problem with people with more than 2 children?

I think it is great the school is aware of people's situation atm and are helping big time. I see you point but it is swings and roundabouts. Pay the £2.50 with good grace or don't let your child go.

Maybe you should start a campaign to make the other 3 children walk? Maybe you could ties a rope to the back of the coach and drag them along? Mind you, that increases drag and therefore fuel consumption....they should pay 36p each for the joy of being dragged along on their faces.

I have read the whole thread (although don't think I've been nasty). And it shocked me that the OP got together with some other parents, and actually went to the head to suggest that they might club together to warrant a reduction on a trip that has been organised with the best of intentions. Wonder how the Head felt afterwards.....

I'd expect more than swings and roundabouts for me money, notabanana!

id be embarrassed to be part of a group of women going to head asking to club together! how EMBARRASSING!

but i have to say, linepainterjane, your post was a bit OTT

yanbu - should be per child on the bus

I have 3 kids at school & would feel it wrong that the price is the same for my kids as it was for a parent with one going.

I bet this will be last outing at this school for a long time. Blimey, what a palava...

I feel quite sorry for your DS, I would have been absolutely, completely and utterly mortified if my Mum had gone to the head of my school trying to team up with 2 other families over an issue of £2.50.

I can see your point and if larger sums of money were involved then sort of fair enough, but we are talking two pounds and fifty pennies here, there are times to make a stand for principle but this most definitely is not one.

I'm not being spiteful. I think people who post in AIBU ought to be ready to be told that they are!

also, if one child doesn't go that doesn't reduce the total cost of the coach which will be fixed however many seats are taken. I doubt that many families would choose to send only one of their children so splitting the cost between families is actually fair in this instance.

The marginal cost of each child is zero so paying only for the "extra cost" of your child doesn't work.

Agree. Some people have said they see her point but that's it not worth the fuss.

Pick your battles and all that.

What's OTT about it nailpolish? Just suggesting helpful ways in which the OP can make sure that she gets full satisfaction from making another parent feel as if they are doing something wrong.

Because clubbing together and going to the head to complain that someone else paid less will get back to this parent...and how do you think they will feel?

how utterly ridiculous.
Its 2.50 fgs

The school are subsidising out of their goodwill.
If they subsidise then surely they can CHOOSE to subsidise the larger families more if THEY want to!

If I decided to give £100 to charity today and gave £20 to charity 1 and £80 to charity 2 then I'd be pretty pissed off if charity 1 complained to me about it not being fair!

Maybe they have already worked it out to be fair to everyone, big family or not...