How much is too much?

I do not have a child. However I dont think that you should feel obligated to donate things. Just pick one or two things to do and do them. If they look at you badly then thats thier problem. If you dont have the money to do it, then they should understand that. If they dont then those are not the kind of people that you want teaching your children. Just hold you head up high, and do what you can. Have a great day.

My child's school does require a lot from the parents, in fact most of the activity in the school is through parent volunteers. The one thing that is different from all the schools my nieces and nephews go to is that we have to pack all the lunches and snacks. They prefer the food to be organic if possible but definitely healthy and nutritious. This excludes a lot of the typical foods and snacks that most people use when they pack children's lunch. The idea is good for the health of the children but not always the easiest thing to do financially. They we have a lot of fairs (like the big one we are having tomorrow) and we are expected to come and work as well as spend money. Again, I don't mind but right now for me this is to hard to commit to. Like you, I don't want to refuse because I don't want to disappoint my daughter or feel like I am not a team player or that I'm the poor family that can't ever participate. I could pull her out and place her in a school that does not require so much, but I love so many other things about the school that I continue to persevere.

Strewth my friend do they want the clothes off your back as well? Why don't you remortgage your home whilst you are at it, I still don't think that will be enough. I remember when I working in a primary school the amount of 'begging' letters that went home, nearly every week! Asking for handouts, money, etc, etc, etc, there was book club week where children had to bring in money for expensive books! Bring and buys, sales, charities, that aside not mentioning the school trips and they didn't come cheap and when like your good self have 3 children, it's a bit much. Schools should be aware of this and it does become very expensive, where does it stop, if ever! So I fully understand where you are coming from, there has to be a limit!

why donot you think of changing schools?????all the schools may not be so unreasonable.

If you are finding it hard to make ends meet, I would have a word with your school head. I am sure that he would be reasonable not to as your son to contribute to every collection that the school organises. My son is in the school choir. So we are expected to buy the CD which is a bit pricy. But it will help the school funds. We are also expected to buy the school Christmas concert photos. © ronaldinu 2008

I don't normally get asked for much. Last year the teacher asked parents to send in either some applesauce or some cinnamon to make ornaments. I sent in both, since I knew some parents would either not be able to afford to or not really care enough to send it in. If they are asking you to do all of that then I would say it is way too much. My son's school usually asks for you to do one thing out of a list of things.

Kids nowadays would ask for practically anything when they are young. Just wait until they reach adolescence and they will ask for only the same thing but super excessively. By the time they get to earn their own money then their brain tells them to save on money. Just goes to show that there is a cycle that keep going on in human life.

Hi Humbug, I think all school seem to ask for things these days. In the last few weeks I have had to pay money towards juice at snack time, money for mufty days to raise money for the school, donate as many items as I could for tombola and raffle for the school fayre, sell raffle tickets for the fayre and also they had a Pudsey Bear day where we also had to donate for Children In Need. I don't mind but I like you am a single parent and even though they say voluntary donations if you don't your child is made aware of it buy 'Oh didn't mummy give you anything to bring or did you forget it?' Condensending that some of them are grrr, Oh and also we have Christingle service too to donate for. Huggles. Ellie :D

Hi Humbug. It's just the same here. Requests to make cakes for the Christmas concerts, paying for calendars for the poor, collecting toys, i don't mind, but sometimes it is very hard on the purse i agree

Just keep patient,when your children asking too much, give them smile

I think the schools are asking for far too much these days, our school is always asking the children to bring things in, its getting beyoud a joke. We pay taxes so surely that counts. I don't always send things in now.

My theory (and this works for everything from activities, to volunteering, to housework etc) is that YOU CAN'T DO EVERYTHING. There is not enough time, energy, or money to do everything that is out there. You have to choose a few things that you CAN do. Do those things and then simply let the rest go. Don't worry about what others think (maybe they think I'm poor, lazy, uncaring etc) and simply do the things that you feel "called" to do. I use Jesus as my example. He did not heal everyone. Did not visit everyone. Did not meet everyone. Did not feed everyone. We are not required to do it ALL. Only the things that are laid upon our heart. No one else should tell you what those things are. Stress shouldn't be a holiday tradition!

That does sound like a bit too much in my opinion. I don't think the schools should ask all of this. There are a lot of familyies who just can't afford much this year with the prices of things nowadays. And like you, some are single Moms and have more than one child. I think they are asking too much.

In my neice's school, they ask for canned goods, noodles, money, newspapers, bottles, milk, coffee, chocolate drinks, etc. They give it to a public school in Payatas. I don't think it's too much, it is if you have and it's voluntary, and they give you a grade in Christian Living if you have given something.