Last night David told me about an email he received from the PTA president. Apparently you can't head a committee if you are not an official, dues-paying member of the PTA. And it seems that we haven't paid our dues this year. Although the irony of this situation is immense, David volunteered to run the Fall Carnival and no one volunteered to do eScrip, so I caved in. Basically, since we were both guilted (not by anyone else, mind you, but by our own crazy selves) we now have to pay them so that we can donate a lot of our time. Now that I think of it, what's the PTA going to do? Kick us out? David is already done with the Carnival and it wouldn't break my heart if someone else took over eScrip. Not that I wouldn't normally fork over the $12 fee, but I completely forgot to do it. You see it got lost in the pile with all of the other organizations begging us for money. Here is a quick run down.
PTA dues
Classroom party fees
Auction classroom project donation
Auction Tickets (this one is biggie and we are opting out since we don't drink and we already pay tithing so we don't need a big fat tax deduction and now we are poor since we have to participate in all of these fundraisers)
Sally Foster wrapping paper fundraiser
3 book orders
Cheesecake and cookie dough sale
Make-it plates
School t-shirt order forms (from both kids' schools)
Wreath sales
Soccer fees
Soccer Party and Coaches gifts
Soccer pictures (one 5x7 team pictures for Calvin's soccer- which isn't even a team, it's a class- was $16!)
School pictures
Fall carnival tickets
Calvin's birthday
8 (!) birthday party invites
It has finally happened-I started to say NO! I remembered that I am on the "We're not gonna Take it Tour 2008" It's been touring here in the Pacific Northwest for a few months now and I remembered that I am capable of saying-
No Thanks! I don't need cookie dough, can't you see that I already gained 7 pounds from Halloween alone?
I cannot possibly fit another t-shirt into my drawers.
I'm sorry, I have no desire to own a "team" picture of a bunch of 3-4 year olds who aren't really on a team.
We just paid good money for family pictures and the photographer got GREAT shots of each of my kids, so I don't really need a million school pictures of them, either.
We can get books at the library (although I do love book orders).
And please STOP making me feel bad about the auction! I wish I had endless supplies of money, but after we pay $100 for tickets and $50 for a sitter, we can't spend anything anyway, so you have basically received nothing from us, since all of the ticket money goes to the hotel and we are out $150. I think we'll just keep donating our time.
I have decided that I will just write a check donating a small sum if I find the fundraiser ridiculous or something that I don't need. I'd rather give the school $5-10 than get a bunch of wrapping paper and realize that the school only earned $3 from my $10 order.
Lest you think I am completely disenchanted, I love the schools that my children go to. I realize that just about every school has to do these things. I know that I am not alone, but if we all stand up together, maybe we can get rid of all of this useless junk and just get back to what really matters-
our time and 100% of all proceeds go to____school.
(why do we settle of 30%?)
To my family, I apologize. After I finish the first 3 months of school you might just be getting a school t-shirt and a tub of cookie dough for Christmas. But don't worry, it will be wrapped in fabulous paper.
17 comments:
My kids participate in ZERO fundraisers (the only exception I've made is to buy one $14 tub of brownie dough for aspen's band trip fundraiser. I have to pay the balance in March when they go anyway.)
Anyway, I too would rather just donate $20 at the beginning of the year. Our middle school did that kind of fund raiser last year and promised that if everyone donated $10 then there would be no other fundraisers because they got ALL of the money donated.
But, I have held firm, NO FUNDRAISERS.
I love your Halloween costumes from this year--so creative and I love family themes.
My mother-in-law has a food storage room, too (two of them, actually). Someday, I tell myself, someday *sigh*.
Good luck with the food storage and fundraisers!
Maybe that is why he was minimally thanked in the newsletter . . . (guffaw).
Robbie and I were cracking up at this post. I just can't wait to have elementary school aged children!
Honestly. It feels like they need money every week for something. At my daughter's school, they have the book fair right around parent/teacher conference time. Plus, they take the students down during class time to make a "wish list." Ugh! Thanks, teach! We limit our daughter to 1 book on the list.
Oh, and the Sally Foster. I just go to Target.
Our PTO fee is only $5 and I did the same thing. Volunteeres without first paying my fee. When I mentioned it to the Pres (who I've known for years) she told me not to worry about it. They'd rather have my time than my money.
Having been somewhat active I see what the point of all the fundraisers is. To find something for everyone!! Not for everyone to do it all!!
We do a no fundraiser - excpet if the kids want to ask grandma (they are the ONLY grandkids on Jeff's side) they can, but we don't do it.
escript is different in my eyes. I'm going to spend the money and if the school can get some, then that's great - because I didn't spend anything I wasn't going to.
Okay, this got long. Hope things work out - and don't feel guilt. Time is MUCH MORE important than money!
I'm glad to hear We're Not Going To Take It Tour has hit the Pacific Northwest! Its still going strong down here! I think we should all carry calling cards in these situations where instead of being rude you can just hand them a card with the simple inscription: Just because I'm
young and nice does not mean I'm a pushover. Thank you.
with the weblink to www.werenotgoingtotakeittour.com in tiny letters on the bottom.
The best advice you ever gave me was wear a fake tattoo and tank top to church my first Sunday after moving in. ( = I didn't listen and then a year later they made me RS pres. We had to move, we were gone in another year. I'm loving your We're Not Going to Take it Tour idea. I'll have to remember it for next year when my grade school experience begins.
ah...someday i'll know what this is like.
sometimes i feel that way anyway (although i probably shouldn't) with church responsibilities.
for now i am enjoying the "just had a baby" excuse.
mom told me she was still using that excuse when noah was 9 months old.
Finally our school got it together last year and did ZERO fundraisers and sent around a paper saying that if you want to donate, it was tax deductable and anything was appreciated. I have no problem with this. This year, the kids had a "change" contest and you brought in your change to fill cans. I liked this one as well because I HATE fundraisers and don't let my kids do them either.
I am totally on the we're not gonna take it any more tour(you already knew that) so I say "screw it all". that's right. Quit sending home all of these garbage things you want me to buy - I DON'T want them. Leave me alone. how grouchy does that sound?
Let the fun begin. Phoebe, I feel your pain. Your list is very similar to mine. I too have learned to just say "NO". Your PTA dues story is so funny.
I've joined every year, except last year. For some reason having 3 kids at the same school, all coming home with the same fliers didn't seem to produce one single PTA application. I didn't even realize it until January when I was trying to find the school phone number list. PTA membership comes with a phone list. Needless to say we were not in the phone list. Which actually resulted in being invited to fewer b-day parties - kinda a perk I thought!
Maybe I should be happy that my kids don't go to school right now. Although, now that I think about it, maybe I should do a fundraiser and all of the proceeds could go to me!
PS. Unfortunately, I really can't wear heels.
Makes me Almost want to homeschool!
I too have been saying no
no to fundraiser
no to bad pictures
no to drugs (this one is easy)
no to fall carnival (plus we are sick so thats even a better excuse)
no spring pictures will be had
and definately no spring fundraising!
I still caved and spent a ton of money for classroom supplies for the teachers and they know that if they send a note home with a request I have no problem sending in things throughout the year. I also help for parties and such when needed!
Last year we just made a donation but I am skipping this year!
I did pay my dues for PTA but I have never really understood what that intitled me!
Good luck on NO!
I just finished reading Elder Perry's talk from conference... one word, SIMPLIFY! I think it sounds great, no? Thanks for the laugh and best of luck.
I had so much to say on this one, I had to do a post!
Thanks for posting this. I've been feeling like a dud when it comes to all of the school fundraising stuff, but I just can't get into any of it.
I would've written a post about my own school woes, but you did it for me (and are much funnier, too.)
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