Wednesday, October 7, 2009

Looky, Looky it's a Cookie, Cookie

I don't think I've ever mentioned on the blog that I pulled Parker out of the charter school and went with public school. I was not happy with the charter school on a number of levels. In fact, it was an awful experience.

Despite having heard lots of bad things about our district, I didn't have a lot of options. When we used to live in Columbus, the school we would have sent our kids to was a run down building on the corner of a busy, lousy intersection. But come to find out, they've built a brand new building on a residential street. Ahhhh. The building is incredible. And Parker's teacher is fantastic. There are less kids in his class PLUS a teachers aide. Though it's not my dream school, I've been pleasantly surprised. Parker is much happier here (as am I).

So we've hit the dreaded point in the school year... Parker came home Monday announcing with complete excitement that he gets to sell cookie dough. BOOO!

What could be worse than guilting your friends and neighbors into buying an outrageously priced item from your kid? And unfortunately, it's cookie dough...He can't even call up his grandparents expecting an obligatory purchase. We can't mail frozen cookie dough across the country.

So at FIFTEEN DOLLARS a bucket (GASP!) I'll buy one over priced bucket o' dough so he can get his tacky prize and call it good. Or maybe I'll make my own cookies, buy him a tacky toy and save myself $12. OR better yet...I'll make my own cookie dough, sell it to friends at a fraction of the cost and make enough money to purchase my own bucket from his school.

Anyone want to buy some cookie dough?

22 comments:

Danielle said...

We are privileged enough to sell wrapping paper...who uses wrapping paper anymore anyway?

Eric said...

Ha Ha! You're so funny! I don't think my kids have ever sold anything at their school, or maybe I don't participate so I don't remember. Good luck with the selling!

Lauri said...

And the fundraising companies are so good at getting the kids excited about all of the prizes they could win. Unfortunately, the younger kids don't understand that they have to bring in over $1000 to get any kind of worthwhile prize.

Don't buy a bucket of overpriced cookie dough or you'll set a precident you don't want to keep up. Don't do it, don't do it!!!!!

Heidi said...

LOL! I am NOT excited about that time. fortunately its not for a while!

Kris said...

FIFTEEN dollars!!!! Ugh...it has gone up a tad since my kids sold cookie dough. However.....if I lived near you, I would buy some....for sure!!!
Good luck!

Sheryl said...

you are hilarious!

Kelly said...

i'm laughing over here! some neighbors i had never met came over to sell me dough. i couldn't say no. but $14, geeez. i like my dough better! good luck!

Genn said...

Wow, that is a little steep for cookie dough! Although, if I lived closer and got to see your cute little Park comin to sell me some dough, I'd probably buy some too. Good luck!

Promenade PTO said...

Ok...I have to step in here! As a PTO/A President. I realize that the cookie dough is overpriced but only 30-40% of the profit goes back to the school. Most PTO/A are now having to fund more activites with the recent budget cuts to schools. Some of the activites that they fund are field trips, art programs and family nights. I know that if we did not have fundraisers the kids would not get to do alot of these extra actvities. So you may have to look at it like this. This money that my kids are raising is going to help the school provide different activites for my child. Maybe that will make it a little easier to purchase that overpriced cookie dough! Sorry about the long post. I just know that a lot of parents are not informed properly by their schools. I know I wasn't till I got involved.

Promenade PTO said...

Ok for some reason it put it under our schools blog. Katie this is Christi (Eynon) Postoian that made that last comment.

Traci Elizabeth said...

I would buy it from him just because he is so darn cute...too bad i live a little too far away!

Nicole said...

That is way overprice but I also understand where they are coming from. Although, it may be hard to convince other people to spend that much money on dough that we know costs way less. But don't you think they'd choose something else to raise money? Like Tony's school is doing a Walk-a-thon in a couple weeks. I'll definitely contribute to that fundraiser! Plus, it's a lot healthier than the dough.

everyday katie said...

I agree Nicole...I'd rather donate to something like a walk-a-thon when I know ALL the money goes to the school. I'd even pay the school $15 dollars and get no cookie dough. Knowing that the school only gets 30-40% irritates me even more. I could pay the same amount and give more money to the school. I don't have a problem donating to my sons education, but I DO have a hard time paying $15 for cookie dough and asking my friends to do the same.

Christi said...

I agree! We are going a jog-a-thon this year so that the school gets all the money the kids raise!! We still give prizes to the kids for certain $ amounts that are raised. Katie you might want to ask your school if you can just give a donation instead of buying the cookie dough. I know that we would have rather parents do that.

jeanine said...

I totally ditched out on the fundraiser this year. There was no way I was going to pay some outrageous price for something I could make myself (and better tasting)!

Autumn said...

So our neighbor came asking us if we'd want to make a purchase. I have to say he was SUCH a saavy salesman that I seriously couldn't tell him no (and I have when before when I really cannot buy anything). I didn't have it in me to squelch him. The cookie dough though-I couldn't bring myself to pay that much when I was thinking of how much it actually costs. Thankfully he had a magazine subscription offer which was much more reasonable. I'm VERY into your idea of selling your own--I love it so much I would buy some-handmade from the Smith fam.

Kelly said...

OH, I soooo hate fund raisers!! I hate selling, so, yeah, we don't do it! I refuse to sell and partcipate- I just donate the minimal amount to the school directly. Teachers hate fund raisers, too, by the way...
just a poor way to sucker money out of people who don't want to buy crap!!! Think outside the box, PTO people!!
Sorry, it's a bit of an issue with me, but I stick to my guns, and we don't buy nor do we sell ANYTHING for schools!!
There, I said it!
Have fun!!

Amanda B. said...

I agree with you and Kelly (and most of who have posted here....) I hate fundraisers as well and wish PTO's would think a little more creatively. I mean, really...... I have had that cookie dough before and it really doesn't even taste very good. I don't do fundraisers either, generally. Every year, there is a fundraiser in the beginning and the proceeds help pay their camp fees. I usually try to sell a little for that one- but we even let time pass this year and missed it already, so I have to fork out all the $$ for their camp. Oh well. No one wanted the cheap candy, wrapping paper or nick nacks anyway. ;)

J, E, S & L said...

Don't feel bad, we were the kids growing up that never got any of the prizes. We didn't care and we came out ok. I get pelted ALL THE TIME from people here at work selling things for their kids. It's hard to ignore, I feel bad, but I'm at the point where I just have to say no....

Christi said...

All the the above are valid points. If you want things to change at your child school you need to get involved. Just complaning about all the fundraisers doesn't change anything. There are ALOT of other things out there that school can do to raise money other than selling what I call CRAP. We are doing a Jog-a-thon this year. I don't agree that you just don't do the fundraiser because then you are getting a free ride for your child to attend field trips, assemblies and famiy nights alog with other things that the PTO provides. We donate over $10,000 a year to the school for these activites. Where do you think this money comes from? Not from the state or the school district but from doing fundraisers. I agree they are a pain but without them the kids would not get ANY extra activites.

Natalie said...

I so do not like fundraisers... I have decided to just donate money to the school PTA or to my kids classrooms and therefore they get 100% of the proceeds and I don't get overpriced junk! Problem solved!

Megan said...

I hate the funriasers too. Just wait until you have 2 crazies at the school and you have to buy a bucket from each of them!