I Can See The Headlines Now...

[SRL]

MOTHER PUSHED OVER THE EDGE BY SCHOOL PERMISSION SLIP

Is anyone other than me going crazy with all the end of the year extras for school and extra activities? It's not even May yet and we get out a week later than usual for snow days but it's already begun.

Money, you ask? Why there's the Band trip $20, 2nd band trip 50, parent entry fee for band contest 3 per person, ballet recital costumes 80, ballet recital tickets 15 per night, summer math books 6, gift card donation for junior high teacher's appreciation week 10, donation for school carnival 15, athletic fee for track 75, required donation of soda and snacks for home track meet 10, request to donate to band scholarship fund...

Gee, and the spring field trips haven't even started yet.

And then there's the variety of forms--permission, information, misinformation, noninformation, or some combination. My personal favorite was the disaster preparedness coloring book sent home by FEMA to schoolchildren. If you missed it you can go to their website where you will read "You can get posters, videos and other fun things for free from FEMA."

Bet that set the taxpayers back a few billion or so.

Here's the one my 7th grader shoved at me 5 minutes before walking out the door that about sent me over the edge. Teacher gave it to him yesterday--due back today (4/24).

"I am giving my permission to video tape my daughter/son during the math lesson on Tuesday, April 24 and Thursday, April 26. I understand that ___ University graduate students will be doing this for the ___ project."

Now isn't *that* informative? What is the ___ project? What will be done with the videotapes? Who even uses videotape anymore? What provision will be made for my son to learn math on these days if I don't sign this form?

Tra laa laa...spring has sprung. Cheers everyone!

SRL

 

[bby31288]

I can't agree more. I have laid out $16 for graduation gown. $15 for Cinco de Mayo party in Spanish. $45. 8th grade trip to Philadelphia. $36. for 7th grade trip to Brox Zoo. All in the last 2 weeks. UGH.

 

[realangel]

School doesnt finish till the end of July for us but already we have had £7 for a seaside trip, £45 for camp, £20 for rugby club and thats in the last 2 days .... theres still easy child's 2 and 3 to come yet...

 

[mattsmom27]

This kind of stuff drives me crazy. easy child's class seems to be the worst this year. It has gone on all year. Nothing too pricey but such consistent smaller amounts that all told I've spent a couple hundred dollars this school year for attending plays etc. We have not been told yet about end of year class trip which is usually around $50 plus send spending money for gift shops etc. So about $100 on average (meals additional out of spending money) for a grade 2 class trip.
difficult child, well his situation is a double edge sword. Keeps me from forking over hundreds more a year because he wont' participate in social outtings with school, not even electives like snow boarding, skiing etc. His school trip is to Niagara Falls for 3 days, I'm sure it's very expensive. I'd have paid it no problem but he has no interest. Had he participated in all school activities, his costs for social stuff at school would have ended with about $500 spent this school year. This is grade 8!
My neice is going into grade 10 next year. Her school trip? 2 weeks in Italy! Are you kidding me? It is nearly two thousand dollars a student, BEFORE spending money. Who sends their kid to a place like Italy without money to spend? I could never afford a trip like that. This isn't a special trip for those who want to go, it is the class trip for the year. I gaurantee only a blessed few will be able to afford it. If my kids encounter trips like this in high school I am going to be furious.

Melissa

 

[SRL]

Last year they charged $100 for a 6th grade activity fee and I about choked forking that out. The amount was to cover misc activities throughout the year and then an end of the year "science" trip to Six Flags amusement park. I complained but in the end it turned out easier to shell out in one amount than to nickel and dime parents throughout the year. Plus what really shut me up was that the team was led by one of those ultra creative dedicated hands-on type teachers a child is only fortunate enough to have a few times in their life. It was much needed after my son's 5th grade experience and what I knew was coming in 7th.

As for the educational part of the Six Flags trip...cough, cough....

 

[donna723]

What happens if the parents just can't pay all this? I'm sure there's a lot of them that just don't have this kind of money! On top of all of this, a lot of our kids are required to bring classroom supplies like hand soap, toilet paper, paper towels and Kleenex!

:shocked: And if you think this is bad, all I have to say is ... JUST WAIT TILL THEY'RE A SENIOR!!!! Just give up and sign your paycheck over to the school!

 

[Big Bad Kitty]

Dudes.

difficult child just started cheerleading. $85.00 for 10 sessions. Not too bad.

But if she wants to participate in the competition at the end of the session, it will cost another $30.00. That's for the competition hall and trophies. And of course she will want to go to competition. The entire course, she will be learning a dance cheer that they will be performing there. Plus what kid don't want a trophy?

Oh, also, if they are competing, they have to purchase a uniform. $140.00.

She is six friggin years old. This uniform will fit her a year MAYBE.

 

[TerryJ2]

OMG, I love the headline! I know exactly how you feel.

by the way, I've torn out the page from a desk calendar that someone gave me a cpl yrs ago. It's my all-time fave and I glance at it on the wall daily, sometimes hrly.
It says,

(actual comment written by a dr on a patient's chart):
"Patient has two teenage children but no other abnormalities."

 

[busywend]

Hate to be a downer....but, I would LOVE to have these problems. I get 0 slips of paper from school and $0 are required for anything because difficult child refuses to get involved.

It is so sad.

 

[SRL]

Originally Posted By: busywend
Hate to be a downer....but, I would LOVE to have these problems. I get 0 slips of paper from school and $0 are required for anything because difficult child refuses to get involved.

It is so sad.

True. Thanks for putting this into perspective, busywend.

 

[bby31288]

Can top that all 3 of my girls do Competitive Allstar Cheerleading. Monthly tuition $250.00, 3 Choregraphy (sp) Camps. $175.00 each, 3 Stunt Camps $175.00 each, 3 uniforms $265. each, (thankfully we will use the same uniform for 3 years. But difficult child has gained weight she needs a new one), 3 Warm-ups $150.00, Comp Fees, travel fees, hotel fees (we travel to 4 out of state competitions) plus locals, Grand Total....about $12,000 for all 3. But I wouldn't stop it for the world. They love it. For the most part, keeps them out of trouble, not hanging out on corners etc. learn team work.

Busywend, yes thanks for putting it in perspective.....

Originally Posted By: BigBadKitty

Dudes.

difficult child just started cheerleading. $85.00 for 10 sessions. Not too bad.

But if she wants to participate in the competition at the end of the session, it will cost another $30.00. That's for the competition hall and trophies. And of course she will want to go to competition. The entire course, she will be learning a dance cheer that they will be performing there. Plus what kid don't want a trophy?

Oh, also, if they are competing, they have to purchase a uniform. $140.00.

She is six friggin years old. This uniform will fit her a year MAYBE.

 

[SRL]

$12,000? Ding, ding, ding!!! We have a winner!!! :bravo:

I agree, there is something said for having kids involved in something. I don't think I ever mentioned this here but I became the Chess Club sponsor at difficult child's school this year. My easy child's are involved in a number of other activities but this one was his only one and the previous sponsor moved on. Midyear it became clear that no one else was going to take it so I stepped in, reluctantly because I have minimal knowledge of the game.

Imagine my shock when I was expecting about 12 kids like they'd had the previous years and 50+ showed up. I regretted not charging a small club fee because with that scenario we were short on everything except parent help.

 

[JJJ]

bby - I can top you LOL. I have two that play Tier I ice hockey, base fees for this coming year about $8K each. Another $500 each for uniforms, warm-ups, and other required clothing. Add in 20-30 nights at hotels and the related travel fees. Thank goodness for fundraisers or they'd never be able to play.

busywend - you are right that this is a good problem to have. My 8-year old refuses to participate in anything because his anxiety is so high. It makes me so sad to see him look at the other kids with such longing and to hold him when he cries cause "I just can't do it"

 

[hearts and roses]

Originally Posted By: SRL
MOTHER PUSHED OVER THE EDGE BY SCHOOL PERMISSION SLIP

Is anyone other than me going crazy with all the end of the year extras for school and extra activities? It's not even May yet and we get out a week later than usual for snow days but it's already begun.

Money, you ask? Why there's the Band trip $20, 2nd band trip 50, parent entry fee for band contest 3 per person, ballet recital costumes 80, ballet recital tickets 15 per night, summer math books 6, gift card donation for junior high teacher's appreciation week 10, donation for school carnival 15, athletic fee for track 75, required donation of soda and snacks for home track meet 10, request to donate to band scholarship fund...Gee, and the spring field trips haven't even started yet.

SRL

Yep. We have senior prom & yearbook coming up, senior field trip (which is a 3 day out of state trip), and graduation costs coming up in the next two months. IF difficult child graduates, all the above will apply. If not, I will be off the hook for at least the graduation costs. Ugh. It adds up!! difficult child has agreed to pay for all prom related expenses and I told her she could have an after party at our home.

Then easy child called me from college last night - someone stole her knife set and bag!! That's at least an $800 expense we were not expecting and she needs them replaced ASAP. And that doesn't include all the things we bought on our own to add to the set, valued at another $200. Yikes! She's speaking with her head chef today to see if there are any 2nd hand sets available. I would never have believed that someone would steal that set - it has her name engraved on every peice.