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.

damn I'll have to pay up an extra 5p

[gurn]
[groin]

What a lot of fuss about £2.50, FGS.

It does look meanspirited.

god you would have hated my old toddler group that charged per family rather than per child there.

YABVVVVVVU.

ConnorT - please carry on with those anecdotes, they made me LOL whilst waiting for OP to come back!

Ok it is only £2.50 so it seems silly getting so bothered about it, and even mentioning it to anyone else.

But...it's also the principal of the thing. My dc go to three different schools, and in each one if there is a fund-raising event its always a set amount per family. So I pay for 3 and others who have all boys of similar age for example, pay once. A small sibling discount is reasonable I think, but not one payment for all. (When my boys were in the same school I often gave each the couple of euro as I felt the school needed the funds.)

Well I am outraged! Think of all those hard working childless people whose taxes go towards subsidising these school trips!

Why should they have to contribute to those of us who cant control ourselves and keep popping out sprogs left right and centre.

ohmyflippinggoodlordabove!

I went to a playgroup the other day with my baby and I had to pay A WHOLE POUND and the woman who came after me only had to pay one pound fifty and she had TWO children with her. That ruined my day that did.

£2.50?

Just pay it.

You could get principled about many many things, but there is a line between principled and petty and you have crossed it.

Where has the OP gone?

Oh well one more for universally challenged.

Ex friend loves to socialise but would never commit fully to plans in case something better came up. When she did use to come to the pub you could tell if there was a possibility a better offer in the pipeline for later on that night because she would save her pennies and only buy a glass of squash (for 35p) and make it last about 3 hours.

FFS a 30 year old woman sat in the pub sipping ribena.

Yes where has OP gone?

Think I am the odd one out here, but I suspect the real issue is that OP doesn't think the amusement park is a very good value trip for her DS. Most posters have missed the point that she did say that everyone is having to pay the entrance fee for each child.
I'd not be happy to pay entrance fee to a bl*dy funfair for a school trip. If I had several at the same school, I'd be even less happy, because for the cost of 2 children, you'd be close to the price of a family ticket and a whole day out. If money is tight, many people would prefer to spend it as a family, rather than on a trip like this.

Life's too short to sweat the small stuff

the same friend the whole time?!! mine seem so boringly "normal" compared to her - she is priceless!

Yup - same friend.

Cut her off about four years ago, maybe I should have kept her on for anecdotal purposes Would have had to set some rules about onion rings though

If the school is heavily subsidising the cost of the bus, then you are getting most of your child's seat free.

So what you are complaining about is that soneone else might be getting a bit more free stuff than you ... just pay it, and be happy that your child is having a nice day out.

Life is not fair, but it's nice of the school to give consideration to the fact that you might have financial difficulties. They are trying to do something kind, and this is the attitude that people take.

Why not pay the full cost of the outing, and then you know that your child is getting exactly what you have paid for, not a penny more and not a penny less!

It is unfair because people have chosen to have more than one child- so they jolly well should pay for it. Ah, but hang on, what about my friend who had twins? Surely she should be allowed to count them as one? life is complicated.

choccypig on Thu 05-Jun-08 22:41:13
"Think I am the odd one out here, but I suspect the real issue is that OP doesn't think the amusement park is a very good value trip for her DS. Most posters have missed the point that she did say that everyone is having to pay the entrance fee for each child.
I'd not be happy to pay entrance fee to a bl*dy funfair for a school trip. If I had several at the same school, I'd be even less happy, because for the cost of 2 children, you'd be close to the price of a family ticket and a whole day out. If money is tight, many people would prefer to spend it as a family, rather than on a trip like this. "

School trips are not compulsory. She need only tell the school that her ds will not be going and she'll have nothing to complain about. That's no reason for grudging other people a good day out.

Weeeell, I sort of think differently.
I am skint, I mean really skint and have many a week where money runs out and I have a few days with an empty purse.
For that reason if it were my DD's school I'd rather it be charged per child to keep the cost as low as possible. I fully appreciate that it has been subsidised though and would be grateful for that.
I'm still proud enough not to ever ask the head if I could group up with other Mum's with onlies for a reduction but I would think it unfair if I was having a bad week financially.
That's my only reason for thinking it though, I'm not remotely mean spirited and doubt I'd think anything of it if the money was there to easily pay.
I don't like thinking this way but I do as I have so little I think about money, or lack of, constantly

Muggglewump, I think your case is different. The OP stated from the off that the actual amount was not the issue, so presumably she could afford to pay. For her, it was the principle. However, I think it would have been better if she'd reserved her principles for something a bit more weighty, instead of coming across as unbelievably petty. LIFE IS NOT ALWAYS FAIR!!!! Get over it.

It is nice of the school to subsidise the coach so it seems mean spirited to fuss about the way they are doing it! A price per family is a nice gesture-I think for £2.50 you can afford to be generous.

is this the first recorded case on mumsnet of a unanimous Yes, YABU verdict?

Muglewump - the OP's point is that people should pay per child - so if you had 4 children you would have to pay £10 - I think the way that the school has done it is much fairer - and would make it easier for people in your position. It looks as if the school has done everything it can to keep the cost as low as possible.

Price per family seems like a really nice thing to do.

Why can't you enjoy the niceness of it?

Surely you could channel this outrage into something that actually matters?

mumoftwo37

Over here......

I have been down the back of the sofa and found:

£1,
two paper clips,
a piece of orange peel,
the DS stylus that just disappeared into thin air
and half sucked sweet werthers original ....>

Now if you can give me about half an hour, I will go and have a root about in my car, sure to come up with some more.

I should just enjoy the niceness of it, to try and make one family pay £10 to be 'fair' seems very mean.