Today is an "and stuff" day. I was watching TV and the main plot was a battle between 2 parents to see who could sell the most candy bars for the school. And it got me thinking, I remember a friend who used to work for Boy Scouts telling me that the Girl Scouts get something like 15 cents for each box of cookies.
Those cookies are over $3 a box!!!
Who is making money here? Not the girl scouts, it's the cookie company.
And then the schools start sending home stuff too, selling cookie dough, pizza, or really expensive (but equally junky) gift stuff. And how much does the school have to sell to get enough to cover whatever they are raising the money for?
Honestly, why can't we give the money directly to the school or the scouts? They are valid programs, the money raising is usually for valid reasons, but why are we allowing the kids to be little salespeople for these companies? When the kid doesn't get paid, and the school doesn't make anywhere near as much as the company does.
I'm sorry, am I the only person who sees this? Or are people so cold they wouldn't donate $5 to the child's program but are happy to blow $20-$40 on useless junk they don't need? It's wrong, and it's a sneaky way to violate child labor laws as well. How many kids are sent out into neighborhoods as little door-to-door salespeople? And then even worse, are the parents hounding their co-workers. What are you supposed to do when half the company has kids selling stuff? I just had to make a no buy policy for myself.
What do you think? Am I alone that it would be better to donate cash than this pushy, guilt ridden fall sale-a-thon?
Not alone. I agree. I didn't like selling scout cookies when I was a kid and I didn't like the baggage that went with it. Baggage like the one up stuff, the icky sales issues, the parents trying to make sure their kid WON. I do try to support places though and still guilty of giving in when a kid is "selling" me something. I spent 20 bucks on a bag of Lite Butterscotch popcorn for a neighbor boy scout. A lot of people don't want to give unless they get. A lot of people only want to get junkfood. So that's my take on it.
ReplyDeleteI'm with you, Angie.. I used to *hate* having to sell those things as a kid. I hated how I felt obligated because everyone else was doing it. My mom was not a supporter of it, either.
ReplyDeleteI think there has to be a better way to raise money for programs in schools, for the scouts, etc... I remember when we used to collect money for UNICEF at trick or treat. I didn't mind doing that at all. I felt like I was helping out and people didn't mind throwing some change into my litle UNICEF box.. I wonder if there couldn't be a donation like that.. have the kids create their own jars (school project?) and then ask them to either put them in the house and have family donate loose change or ask neighbors etc... make sure the school sends an official note so people know it's real, but honestly that makes more sense to me.. Well said, btw! Great blog!
I don't do it, even when my own kids bring things home. I let them know that they might not get any sales because of the economy and people are hurting for money. (That crap is for the choir)
ReplyDeleteOn the flip side though, their school does a walk-a-thon every year and the kids get pledges. The money, ALL the money goes straight to the school! And the kids get a chance to get out of class for the day to walk around and hang with their friends!
Lilith, that's a great idea. CW's school also does a bowl-a-thon, and the kids get to go bowling (their one and only field trip) and the money goes toward (well probably that) and the parent activities.
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