Your child's school & money

[tasha41]

I don't know if things have changed THAT much since I finished school (I was in grade school still until June 2003).. but I feel like my daughter's school is constantly asking us to send in money etc.

- pizza days, optional, but the notes come in every 6 weeks on a Tuesday to be paid by Friday
- milk, every 3 months prepaid
- $2 dress down days (usually $1 to charity $1 to school council)
- field trips (2 for my daughter's junior kindergarten class already)
- asking for $$ donations for classroom books from the book fair
- sending in treats for: Halloween party, Jesus' birthday, and for decorating gingerbread houses
- fundraising, we just finished 2 major fundraisers
- Samaritan's Purse (asking us to send money or items to fill shoe boxes for Christmas for less fortunate children)
- food drives

it's only December, I feel like I get a note and asked for something every week. I don't mind paying for XYZ but it gets to be so much to keep track of, and I have to go out and get something all the time for school.. for JUNIOR KINDERGARTEN..

Plus the uniforms and hemming them. Ugh!

I know it is what it is, but we seriously did not have all of this stuff going on when we were in grade school or high school, same school board and like I said I finished grade school 10 years ago and high school about 6 years ago.

Do you guys have the same experience? Just ranting I guess about how unorganized it feels. Thankfully I only have 1 child and 1 class to keep track of I wish they'd just have us give them $100 at the start of the month or something.

 

[happigail]

It drives me CRAZY. Like we don't have enough financially on our plates.

 

[alicecooper]

There's lots of things for my kids' school too.

£65 for Lydia to go on an overnight geography trip
£1 a week for Alex to do baking
£6 for Lydia to do band practice
50p each for them to wear pyjamas for Children in Need day
50p each for them to wear non uniform for Red Nose day
£10 each for them to go on a school trip to the cinema

and so on, it just goes on...

Some of them are optional, like Lydia's geography trip, and band practice, but they always make the kids feel as though they'll be totally missing out if they don't do it, so it's emotional blackmail.

And then the other things like the cinema trip...the letter is worded so craftily... "It's a voluntary contribution of £10, but we'd like to make you aware that if parents choose not to pay the contribution then it is unlikely the cinema visit will go ahead."

I mean talk about a guilt trip!

 

[mummy2o]

There's lots of things for my kids' school too.

£65 for Lydia to go on an overnight geography trip
£1 a week for Alex to do baking
£6 for Lydia to do band practice
50p each for them to wear pyjamas for Children in Need day
50p each for them to wear non uniform for Red Nose day
£10 each for them to go on a school trip to the cinema

and so on, it just goes on...

Some of them are optional, like Lydia's geography trip, and band practice, but they always make the kids feel as though they'll be totally missing out if they don't do it, so it's emotional blackmail.

And then the other things like the cinema trip...the letter is worded so craftily... "It's a voluntary contribution of £10, but we'd like to make you aware that if parents choose not to pay the contribution then it is unlikely the cinema visit will go ahead."

I mean talk about a guilt trip!

And the ironic thing is the ones who don't pay still go anyway. I know this happened as my mum goes with DS on his school trips and the teachers tell her who hasn't paid, yet everyone goes.

DS so far has had one school trip, milk money every term, 2 non uniform days, 1 dress up day, snack money for break time toast and then they wanted money for a bake sale. Then we also pay for piano lessons at the school on top of that, which are optional I will admit and thats 6 weekly also. I suspect its was just as bad for our parents with all the hidden costs we don't realise as kids, just everything is more expensive now days and jobs aren't covering these extra expenses!

 

[Yo_Yo]

This month has been crazy with school things costing a fortune.

Someone must have complained, as a letter was sent out about it!

I'd rather they did these trips and events though, even if it costs money as its good experience.

 

[RachA]

We don't seem to have to send in that much money but i don't mind when we do. Daniel goes to a church of england school which is voluntary aided - if we didn't support the school then things wouldn't get done etc.

The children have a dress down day a couple of times a year - sometimes it's for charity and its usually a £1 donation. The one they've just had was a donation of chocolate to go in the tombola in the christmas thing after school one day.

They also have field trips but these are usually free until they do a 4 night trip away in year 5/6.

They do book sales etc and i will support them but they never make you feel like you have to be there.

They also do a film club once a term which is £3.50 for a film and snacks - there is a very limited number of places so it's certainly not something that would give you guilt if your child didn't go.

Most of the stuff we have to pay for is for things that i think it's good for them to do so i honestly don't mind paying.

 

[lindseymw]

Ours seems to keep asking for random donations.

£1 per week for something (I actually have no idea what for but there's a tin)
£1-2 for random days
50p+ for Maths Days, Craft Days etc
Prizes for raffles (including bottles of wine?!)
£30 per child for an over night camping thing (not even sure what the £30 was for since you had to bring your own tent etc?)

 

[kerrie24]

Because we live in a 'deprived' area,we dont get asked for much.Red nose day etc is normally 50p,trips are free unless its a few quid for transport.We send a plate of food each for christmas,summer and eid parties.
Dd has a fruit tuck shop 10p per item,I think thats it.

 

[Buggzxxx]

My DDs school is rediculous for asking for money, especially this time of year! Every Friday is non uniform day at £1 then theres donations for the christmas fair... Then money to spend at the christmas fair (buying back things which myself and other parents donated). Theres choir trips, charity days, party food donations, book fairs, christmas dinner day, fancy dress day... the list goes on! I understand it helps the school but they are asking for around £10 per week at the moment which is money I could use to do festive activities with my daughter myself! She did go to breakfast club for a while but at £1.50 per morning (for an hour) it was £30 a month I couldnt justify spending.

 

[JASMAK]

Yes...photos, hot lunch, field trips, fundraising, planners, and this is times two kids, soon to be three in school....!

 

[lola]

My dd started school this year and the first thing we were asked for was to 'buy a brick' to help build the new classroom........ The brick costs £1000...... It's a standard uk primary school btw!

 

[Dragonfly]

I think my sons school looks more like a business than a school. The amount of advertising they do for every one else and asking for money. Funds for this and that. Lucky not as bad as some of you but my sons only in primary 1 and I have been told it gets worse. I was a bit raging I paid £5 for nativity dvd which had an error and cut a piece out that had my son in it. They have only asked for charity donations for plays so far. And trying to sell peoples books off too.

 

[JJKCB]

100%

I was moaning about this the other day - they should change them from being called 'news letters' to 'bills' which is basically what they are lol

some examples of ours:

special meals for Christmas/Halloween and other random days (like fish friday???)
parties
a visit from santa
harvest festival
shoe boxes
a partial uniform day every week
clothes donations
dance classes
children in need
funds for firemen x2 (the school nearly burnt down)
teddies for children
tombola
church quire
cake sale
bring and buy
toy donation
school play

and this is all in under 3 months and im sure there is more... not to mention his uniform cost £30+ for 2 jumpers, a reader bag and a p.e kit

 

[Dragonfly]

news letter is 3 pages long back and front. We didnt have none of that in my day.