to wonder what the point is in the school cake sale...?

[Ladyanonymous]

Three kids at three schools.

All have numerous "cake sales" throughout the year where we - the parent - are sent a paper plate with a little note on it from the plate itself requesting that we - the parent - fill the little plate with cakes and send it back to school to be sold at the "cake sale".

We are then requested to either take time out of work or whatever one afternoon to attend the "cake sale" or send our child in with some money to buy these cakes back.

Can we bake these cakes with our darling DCs at minumum cost to ourselves? Of course not, its against "health and safety" regs apparently.

So AIBU to think I would just rather cut out the middle man and donate the amount of money its cost me - to buy the cakes and buy them back again for the umpteenth time - to the school - either by a regular monthly direct debit (and while I'm at it lump in the total of every other "voluntary donation" in that sum too). Than go through the facade of the bloody "cake sale".

As much as I would have preferred to send dd in with a cheque to cover the fundraising costs for the year, and not bother making cakes, I don;t think that would work in practice because all the other kids would ask why my dd was the only one who didn't bother bringing in cakes. So that wouldn't work.

I loathed making the cakes - I dislike baking and the cakes were probably vile, however the good thing is I roped in dd to help at a very young age, and she now loves baking and is very good at it. She now bakes cakes for me (result).

Thats the whole point though - we can't bake the cakes - we have to buy them.

sorry all but I agree with Ladyanonymous. I get really frustrated by fundraising attempts which are forced on me, and which involve a disproportional amount of work for a small amount of funds raised. It's incredibly inefficient. And what are we saying here - pay for cakes and buy them, or pay a direct debit? So either way the poorer pay the same as the richer.

I think the LEA should support schools more fully. "nice to haves" should be paid for if they are helping to educate the children, or left out if they are not. Personally I'd rather pay more tax or pay a school directly and not feel guilty for wanting to spend my family time with my family instead of baking cakes, walking 2k with a pram etc etc all to raise about £10 - less than the minimum wage for the time put in!

Why not make fundraising events and community building events for the benefit for those who are really in need - not for upgrading our own blackboards or trips to the theatre for our kids, but for those without true basics like food, clean water, or any education. This would help our children to realise how lucky they are to grow up in the affluent west where they get enough food, a "free" education and don't spend 8 hours a day walking to get water for their family.

I realise this is an idealised picture and in reality LEAs will probably never fund sufficiently. But I can dream!

hmm, does anyones primary state school ask for the children to bring in a regular donation. DD is in receptiona dn DS2 is in nursery and both are asked to bring in a "volunatry" donation of £1 a week to pay for "extras". In essence I do not have an issue with it, except for the fact that each child has a labeled pot and they pot the money in their own pot, therefore it is blatently obvious which child has not contributed so it's voluntary with a twist, your child will be obviously identifiable as a non contributer if they don't participate. (sorry for the spelling by the way).

I think perhaps I'm not understanding here - they do a CAKE sale with SHOP BOUGHT CAKES? ie you are not baking a cake to be sold?

If that is correct I'd say what is the point of that? WTF? - it's stupid. Forget the cakes just give them a couple of quid - why not just glue it to the paper plate?

you mad bints rowing over cakes

Oh come on Forlorn join in, you know you want to. You can't just sit on the sidelines and laugh at us all (oh, hang on...).

DD is only 2.5 so not quite at the bun sale age but seems to me the whole 'nut free' thing is a bit OTT... we had bun sales at school (I'm only 24 so not too long ago) and no one died. Generally the kids and school are aware of allergies, so mark cakes with nuts in and problem solved surely?

As for buying/making cakes then sending money to buy them back - again, from my own experience, kids earn pocket money / allowance from saturday jobs or chores around the house then choose to spend their own money if they want cakes additional to what mum gives them

I don't have much money, but cakes are relatively cheap to make (if you make wise choices) so whats the harm it it I think.

What I hate is endless sponsoring, it's little more than begging unless you're doing big things like race for life, marathons etc - not 'pick a smartie up with your nostril' or whatever it is... DD has a sponsorship form from NURSERY - I kinda think they feel I'm made of money!

....I wouldn't call it a row and its the wider issue too isn't it...there will never be enough money for everything the school needs - so when is enough enough?

I feel it puts emmense pressure and guilt on me a lot of the time when I can't afford to replace school shoes/pay for trip/pay the electric meter!!!

YOUA RE SERIOUSLY rowing over this arent you>?
lordy lord

look do the sale or not.
if 20p is that vital..

My gripe is not with making the cakes but with the way in which the Cake Sale achieves the remarkable economic feat of removing value from a product.

Usually, taking raw materials, adding labour, skill and time adds value to the product.

With cake sales, taking ingredients and making cake out of them leaves you with a product which is then sold for less than the cost of the ingredients. (Or indeed the cost of the cake if you bought one in.)

This enrages me every time.

has anyone said yet about letting the children experience handling money, part of ECM outcomes?

[legs it]

agree wiht baldy
ive heard of schools doing dragon den type htings where each class has to add profit to a sum they are given
,uch better

I hate cake sales. I don't play and don't feel guilty. They are not aimed at the parents. They are aimed at the mums. And on grounds of sexism I am quite happy to tell my children that I have more important things to do and if they can convince their father to bake a cake they can bring it in. Ironically, DH loves baking (and eating) cakes, but he would never dare send one to the gate for fear of being publicly emasculated.

I feel the same way about face painting.

So, basically, if the men aren't expected to do it, then they can leave me off their list too.

Not to ment the blatant hypocracy of telling me I can't put chocolate in a lunch box just so they can turn around and sell it after school.

your h is too scared to bake a cake.

ha
he has fed you a good one

No, he bakes cakes (and eats them) often. But, I'm not supposed to tell anyone, which probably means I shouldn't be posting it on the internet . And he wouldn't dare present one at the gate.

strix you have married a wuss

get him to brandish his buttercream, flaunt his florentines, move his muffins

I think the problem with all this is that schools are putting pressure on parents via their children, which is fundamentally wrong. Some schools are subtle when it comes to children whose parents have not contributed (for whatever reason), but some schools make it really obvious so the parent is effectively blackmailed because they don't want their child to stand out. I have posted before about book fairs and children being marketed to whilst they are at school and I really feel that this should not be happening. I understand that it is for a good cause, but while you can chose not to go to places that cost money at the weekends,you do have to send your DC to school. PTAs (and schools) could maybe approach parents directly and bypass the children, but won't as this is less effective. Also,I have heard that some schools are not buying luxuries with the money but are assimilating it into school funds to pay for things that the LEA should be paying for (broken windows etc). Schools don't know everyone circumstances and for people struggling to buy food, this is an additional stress they can do without

Pressure???!!! Blackmail?

Hadn't noticed PTA donning leather, jackboots and knuckle dusters. Not here anyway

Cake sale = opportunity for OPTIONAL fun, food, social. Plus some cash for school. End of.

I love cake sales. Most other mums bake so well and I always stuff my face love to try their creations.

However I think it's unfair on working mums who quite frankly are busy enough and hard on those who can't really afford the expense.

Would send back a smarties tube empty. Never heard of it but sounds v rude.

DS is only 8mo so I'm learning a lot about schools from MN - am confused though; so many threads about how only home-woven lentils are allowed in lunchboxes, and then more threads about school-enforced cake bonanzas??