AIBU to be baffled a mum had no idea the school fayre was happening?

[xAwaywiththefairiesx]

Today my daughter's primary school had a spring fayre after school on the school field. Ice cream van, face-painting, various stalls with games, the usual. All arranged by the PTA to raise money for the school.
There was a mufti day today, and the children were asked to bring a donation to the school as an exchange for the mufti, something like cakes to sell or a teddy for the tombola or a bottle of wine as a prize or something.
One mum wanders onto the field after school, with both of her kids in mufti, looking around bewildered saying "What's this? Is this a new thing they're doing? Will it be every week?"

And this is so weird to me because the spring fayre has been organised for months. We have lots of emails asking for donations, several more asking for volunteers, we've had at least three leaflets home about it, and she obviously got the memo about mufti, the whole point in which was for the school fayre!

My phone own child has been banging on about it for three weeks.

How can she get so unaware? I'm not judging, honestly, I'm just baffled how it got past her.

Is it just me? Could you miss something like this after all that communication?

But why? Do you not care what’s happening at the place your kid spends over half his week?

Yes, fayre I know. But mufti? Nope!

You might be right; I'm 53, Scottish and I've never heard it either.

We had non uniform days and a fair - the only time I've seen 'fayre' used is for twee medieval theme events and suchlike.

Why was it on a school day? School Fayres need to be an opt in, not when they have to be there.
An ice cream van on school grounds is fine provided that lunch boxes aren't scrutinised, not if there are food rules.

And wine, or any alcohol, as a prize, or for any reason, should never be on school premises.

We both have our lives, his is school. Mine is work. His dad is at work, too. Once home, we do things together & DS tells us about his day, school etc… I never look at emails, apps really unless it’s to do with work.

Probably too busy.....................on mumsnet

Never look at emails or apps which help to organise your/your child's life..... but plenty of time to post on mumsnet. Make it make sense

It was after school. Nothing stopping anyone heading straight home as normal if they don't want to stay.

Alcohol as raffle prizes is totally normal. Including on school premises. It's not like running an open bar.

That’s really strange, because I’m also from the south east and it’s been called mufti day at every school I’ve been to, and at DC’s school. I asked DH (different part of the SE), and he said it’s been mufti day at every school he’s attended also.

I suppose MN is a nice leisure activity…
Teacher tells us anything that’s important.
Haven’t thought about it too much TBH

🙄
These events takes months of organising and planning. You need all the vendors to be available on the same day, and preferably on a day where they are cheapest, so not a weekend. It's also run by volunteers who have their own lives and families.

The fair is optional.

Lunchbox rules do not apply. Children are accompanied round the fair by their parents, who are responsible for making choices for their children outside of school hours, just as they are when they take their children to any other event.

The OP said this small after-school event raised £600 for her school. That's commendable, and unless you are going to put in the hard work it takes to raise cash for a school, then you've really no business nitpicking others who give up their time to do just that.

Totally this! I am baffled by some parents.

What?

bottle tombolas and alcohol in raffle prizes are totally normal at school fairs.

our school xmas fair has a mulled wine stalls and the summer fair has a bar with Pimm’s and Prosecco.

Totally and utterly normal.

This thread is wild.

Thank you xx

I've just been told (because the committee members are still up and working on everything) that £600 is not the final number, we still have to count the sponsorship money from local businesses and it's most likely going to reach £1k! Whoop whoop!! 🥰

Lovely to see that you're now supporting. I mean this.

Yep, we sell baileys hot chocolate and mulled wine at our Christmas Fayre and it's a best seller, we make tonnes from it.

Especially popular with the nans after they've grabbed a mince pie from the cake stall

I know the word, but I've never heard it being used in a Scottish school. (I taught for 40 years.)

It used to be possible to do that in our LA, but then we were told that alcohol could no longer be used in case it somehow passed the lips of someone under the age of 18.

ETA I offered to bring in some bottles of wine as tombola prizes and was told 'No!'

Our deputy head would be fuming. There's a running joke that's he's always got his eye on the bottle of whiskey on the raffle, and he'll rugby tackle (he's a rugby player) whoever wins it!

The PTA is largely a suck on women’s time.

If membership were 50/50 mothers to fathers, I’d consider joining.

I have done my bit but it’s largely thankless. Men join the more prestigious BOG and women get stuck on the thankless PTA.

Fucking hell why can’t they just say ‘home clothes day’ - our school does 🤣

I always look forward to that mulled wine and mince pie, the xmas fair is usually quite early like late November so it’s usually my first mince pie / mulled wine of the season

What is BOG? we have two dads on ours, but it is mostly mums

Now that I've learned the colonial origins of mufti. I really don't like it.

Board of Governors.