Overwhelmed by School Fundraising Catalogs!

Back to school has been going well, the girls went back to school on August 10th. I wished that school would’ve started back after Labor Day weekend so they can enjoy the last days of summer, but at least they’ll get out of school at the end of spring.

The girls like their new teachers and enjoy seeing their old classmates as well as meeting new ones. Seems like we got the whole routine of going back to school down pack but going to bed on time and waking up early is still in need of a little work, but it’s improving.

Homework has started and Lauren does her homework at childcare while I’m at work, and Michelle does hers at home after I pick them up from childcare since her class is doing all their assignments online this year. I’ll need to find out if these assignments can be completed on her tablet so she can complete her homework at childcare as well so she doesn’t get home trying to rush through it since we don’t have a whole lot of time in the evenings.

During the second week of school, my girls told me they already have their fundraiser catalog and you should’ve seen the look on my face when they told me this!

Photo Credit: Tumblr

You see, I hate these fundraisers, yes I said it, HATE THEM! It’s like the school has these fundraisers almost every month! A catalog filled with crap that no one wants but yet the school wants parents, I mean kids, to beg people to buy things from their catalogs so their class can win an ice cream party or some useless toy from a list of prizes. And the kids can forget it even trying to win the grand prize which usually is a game system or a bike; you pretty much have to sell your soul to get one of those!

Like I was saying, the kids are not the ones doing all the hustle work to get people to buy from these fundraising catalogs, it’s the parents! I’m tired of begging people to buy things they don’t even want or need, plus it is overpriced anyway. Also, 9 times out of 10 the people I’m begging to buy from these catalogs are in the same boat as me, trying to get people to buy from their child’s catalog.

I understand that these schools need funding but there have to be a better way about raising money. I know my daughters’ school has sponsors and do several activities like fall and spring festivals that we pay to get into.

Here are some fundraising ideas:

• Have a raffle.

• Put these kids to work and have a car wash.

• Have a craft sale.

• Gift wrapping during the holiday season. I would pay for this because my gift wrapping is horrible!

• Movie night at the school. Better to pay to see a movie at the school than paying high prices at the movie theaters.

• Parents Night Out because we parents can use a break away from the kids. My daughters’ daycare does this over the holidays so the parents can do their Christmas shopping, and during Valentine’s Day so parents can have a romantic night out.

• Do a talent show and charge for admissions. With a parent’s child being in the talent show I know they would be more than willing to pay.

• Fun Run races. Best way to get the kids active all while raising money.

• Have a garage sale at the school. Parents can donate stuff they don’t need to the school and the school can sell the items. Also the school can sell items they don’t need too.

• Sell children’s artwork. Children can have their artwork placed in an exhibit at school and people who are interested can buy the artwork.

So you see, this catalog fundraising throughout the school year has to stop! Maybe do it once or twice during the school year, not every other month! There are so many different ways to raise money instead of bugging the living daylights out of people!

What are your thoughts on school’s catalog fundraisers?