Saturday, October 07, 2006

Am I right to be a bit annoyed?

At her dance class?

I mean, I do pay the tuition, and the fee, and buy my supplies through there......So you know, I don't mind supporting the school, because its pretty good.

But I'm annoyed. They handed her a fundraiser, to raise money to build a float for the St Patrick day parade. In a different town than we live in, that we wont go to. Or participate in.

I don't mind raising the money for the school(they have a cell phone and ink cartridge box, that they turn in and get money for), to be used for something at the school, but I'm I a bit wrong thinking "ok enough is enough" for something that isn't going to benefit my kid in the school?

Thoughts?

8 Comments:

Anonymous Anonymous said...

NO you aren't wrong..I wouldn't waste your energy being annoyed about it nor would I bother getting into a discussion with other parents re; the bad taste of it..... just simply say .. no thanks , we are unable to participate in this fundraiser, perhaps another time.

Trust me , have been involved in 3 karate schools now and have seen how one persons good intentions on policies etc. have come and backfired on them and they end up feeling completely unliked/or just plain uncomfortable..those things can really get blown out of proportion..

so take my little piece of advice....you are correct it is a business you pay for your child to be taught and for her to enjoy it. The rest is their business's responsibilities not yours!.

6:02 PM, October 07, 2006  
Blogger carmachu said...

Hey can you drop me a line and explain teh karate/good intentions thing? Now I'm curious...

8:51 PM, October 07, 2006  
Blogger Flawed And Disorderly said...

I'd have to agree with Quinn, and I'd use that exact wording about "no thanks...perhaps another time." Sounds good to me.

I hate fund raisers! There's no way I'd put my effort into something like that if my child weren't going to benefit, but I'm selfish like that.

12:19 AM, October 08, 2006  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

HI carmachu,
WEll, there are many examples but I will give you the one that affects us the most.
This will be long winded....sorry ....
in 2003 my oldest made team canada to go to the worlds and compete. There were about 8 or 10 others from the club we were attending at that time that also were going. It was to Ireland and so would be very expensive and cost each family alot of money. Even though we tried to book group rates etc.
All of the families of the members wanted to try and do fundraising to help offset costs and every one was in agreement.
Well we spent every single weekend of our summer doing fundraising, sometimes car washes sometimes selling chocolate bars, sometimes just asking for donations for the team.
Then we would go back to the club and count the money and it all went into an account to be divided at the end of the summer between each team member.
However, alot of team members did not help in many of the fundrasiing efforts they were away at cottages or sleeping in or well,,,having a wonderfull summer.
but when the fall came and the trip came they all got their share and off to ireland everyone went.
( I even sold my dining room set to help us fund my son because it cost like 6000 dollars to get him there.)

Anyways, last year we were at another karate club and my youngest son made the canadian team and would be off to the worlds.
WEll, the parents at this club all started talking about wanting to do fundraising etc. to help offset the costs etc.
Well, having been through it all once I had some issues obviously about how some people say they will do fundraising and then they do not and yet they are included in the funds. I explained how that lead to alot of bad feelings between alot of people and that if we were going to do fundraising we should do it on a weekly basis and the funds get divided that day not at the end of the summer.

Ie) if 8 team members and their families come out and help fund raise the money is divided evenly by how many people work.

if we have 12 people its is divided 12 ways.. if one team member brings 5 people out to work then they get 6 shares ....it really is fair..it makes people more committed and only those that work make money for that team member. And the money goes home with that person that day.

WEll, they all thought that was just great when we first got going and I thought it would be good so that you didnt have people who didnt work get money ..but oh ....people are weird...after a few weekends, some people didnt want to go and some would and if they had a really good weekend...like we did some good bottle drives on long weekends etc. and we would make alot well then they would be mad ....duh.....they missed out...well...not my problem they knew how it worked.,....

so you can't win for trying....they end up being angry at you because you decided to not enjoy your summer sitting and relaxing but walking up and down streets doing bottle drives or doing carwashes..and now you had more.....Those people held a grudge with us that lasted right through the world competition and when my son won a medal and it only got worse...so well...after 6 months later we left that club.From now on we won't even bother trying to do things as a club if that happens again we will just do what we need to do for ourselves and not get involved.

That is just one example but there is alot of that kind of crap in those places.
It is best to just ...remember that they are running a business and you pay for them to teach your kid and for your kid to enjoy it.... the rest is not your concern and it is best to just stay out of it....Cause no matter what you try to do you will not please everyone and someone will end up being pissy at you.

10:59 AM, October 08, 2006  
Blogger carmachu said...

My wife and I slightly disagree, but since she picked up teh forms and is going to do it, its nopt a problem(which will likely be hitting grandmas and sisters and work and such, not getting crazy).

But its funny, at her work, which I dropped off today, her boss agreed with me and she and another employee there have done or are doing one now for some event.

I dont mind SOME fundraising: for specific good uses: like at town little league to raise uniforms. Its a very specific purpose that has a direct benefit for the kids.


Sarah COULD go to the float, but really, will she? Probably not.

1:29 PM, October 08, 2006  
Blogger carmachu said...

Sorry, I should have added:

Quinn, that definately sucks. You should be annoyed. Eqwual work, equal pay....if you rather go play, no share for you.

1:33 PM, October 08, 2006  
Blogger Deb said...

Fund raisers Suck! I absolutely hate seeing people come into work with stuff for there kids to sell. But thats just me.

10:34 AM, October 09, 2006  
Blogger Attila the Mom said...

You have every right to be annoyed.

We have a deal with a select few friends and neighbors. We'll buy something when their kid is selling crap, and they'll buy when it's our turn.

That's it, the end. I'm not sending my kid door to door, but at least he will have contributed a little something.

If it's not going to benefit your kid in anyway, there's nothing wrong with saying, "maybe next time".

12:03 PM, October 10, 2006  

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