The "Fun" of Fundraisers

I have never had a Tupperware party, a Pampered Chef party, a Creative Memories party, a Mary Kay party, or any other party of that sort in my home. I have gone to many. Probably too many. But I have never been able to bring myself to invite my friends into my home to spend their money. I don't know why. I guess I am just uncomfortable when friendships get into each other's pocketbooks. I know, the parties are fun and harmless and no one forces you to buy anything. Like I said, I'm glad to attend one at a friend's house and spend my money so they can get a discount for whatever.

I bring this up not because I have a friend in one of the businesses that wants me to hold a party, but because another issue that has to do with hitting people up for money has come up. Most moms are probably familiar with it -- the school fundraiser.

Today all four of my school age children came home with packets full of great things to sell, from wrapping paper ("which you'll need anyway Mom.") to chocolates. All four of them, having sat through the assembly explaining how great it would be to sell this stuff because if they do "you get these great prizes!" And of course all four of them want to sell ten things each so they can get the "ten things sold" level prize. This would translate into me footing the bill for forty rolls of wrapping paper or hitting up twenty or more of my best friends (do I have that many best friends?) to support the cause. And most of those poor souls would also have to buy stuff from their own kids.

I know it's a good cause and the money goes to my kid's education. I can realistically afford to buy a couple of items ("cause we'll need that wrapping paper anyway"). But I am not comfortable soliciting my friends to help out, partly because if one of my friends kids came over and asked me I would probably find something to buy even if I couldn't afford it that month. I wouldn't want to put a friend in that position.

So I'll probably do what I usually do. I'll put the packets at the bottom of the junk stack on my counter and conveniently forget about it until the fundraiser is over. I will later find the packet, feel guilty for not supporting it, but glad that I did not have to choose which kid to buy what from, and that they didn't bring home any junky prizes that would most likely end up in the bottom of my foot or shoved under the bed.

Or the kids will remind me the day the packets are due, I will hurriedly write a check for something and hand it to whichever kid is standing closest to me and tell the rest of the kids not to complain that I didn't order anything from them because it' s not a big enough order to get a prize from anyway.

Then I will forgive myself and go on supporting the school in ways that I can, like with my time in the classrooms, supporting school activities with my involvement, and my efforts to help my children succeed in school.