How much should I as room mom harass parents for $?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I hate and won't donate for a "group gift". I've seen too much kitschy, cutesy stuff purchased and I have no say about (but they have my money to buy). I do gift cards and the teacher can buy whatever she wants. No amount of emails, letters, or prestamped self-addressed envelopes would change my mind.

OP here - this is what the general room moms sample letter suggested we do. I'm a bit fan of giving extra to the teachers, and I'm sure I will, but to not give $25 in addition to a group gift because you think it's "cutesy" is, IMO, ridiculous.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Room parent had teacher stick in an envelope in the Friday folder. Easy.

Would this be a bit weird for the teacher - putting the envelop into Friday folders for their own gift? Just asking - as a new room parent with the $$ job myself. Thanks.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Room parent had teacher stick in an envelope in the Friday folder. Easy.

Would this be a bit weird for the teacher - putting the envelop into Friday folders for their own gift? Just asking - as a new room parent with the $$ job myself. Thanks.

OP here- it's a class fund, not just their gift, so I don't think it's weird. Some parents have put an envelope in their kid's folder that says "for OP - via OP's son" and the teacher moved it to my kid's folder so I received it.

[Anonymous]

Um...explain why teacher gets a group gift? For doing his or her job?

[Anonymous]

OP you will not get 100% participation, send out one more communication and be done.

[Anonymous]

I wouildn't put any of your own money in beyond your family contribution. You received plenty to work with.

[Anonymous]

My neighbor and room parent finally had to send a badly stated email to the whole class saying that she didn't have enough funds for X and Y and that she really needed parents to step up. Not fun to have to send that kind of message, but I suppose it worked because the kids did end up having both events that year as promised.

Frankly, fundraising is why I never take on certain tasks at school, either directly at classroom level or PTA Board level. I get into niches that don't require asking people for money

[Anonymous]

As a non room parent, I'm happy to get reminders even after I've contributed. "Thank you to all who have contributed....". It would made me send some extra to cover those who didn't/couldn't contribute. Our class collects a class fund that is used throughout the year for decorations, gifts and supplies. And, it's getting the paper reminder after the emails that gets me to finally remember to write a check.

[Anonymous]

PP here, our teachers only get a gift at the end of the year, even if the money was collected to put in the fund earlier in the year. It's an ongoing collection for a fund to use for multiple things throughout the year, if that makes sense.

[Anonymous]

It is because I forgot. Because each week I get a gazillion requests and I can't keep up. An envelope would be helpful as some are bad with emails. Also - you don't need it all up front. If I get to it in a month or so that is fine. You have parties all year.

[Anonymous]

People, OP IS NOT collecting for a group gift. She is collecting for class party supplies, like food, etc. She is not collecting for teacher appreciation, or Christmas, or end of year, etc group gift.

OP, I've been a room parent enough times to know you are lucky to get even 50% participation. Some parents just won't give no matter what, and it is always surprising who won't and who will. It's never who you initially thought would, and it doesn't matter how good of friends you are with th family. Some people are just funny about money. Perhaps you can do one more email, requesting kids bring in money to the teacher or even set up a PayPal account. After that, eat the cost, pay for it yourself and see if you can take it off your taxes (my kids go to a nonprofit private, so I can just get the 501c3 letter from the school for my taxes).

[Anonymous]

If you harass me, I'll just block you.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:
My neighbor and room parent finally had to send a badly stated email to the whole class saying that she didn't have enough funds for X and Y and that she really needed parents to step up. Not fun to have to send that kind of message, but I suppose it worked because the kids did end up having both events that year as promised.

Frankly, fundraising is why I never take on certain tasks at school, either directly at classroom level or PTA Board level. I get into niches that don't require asking people for money

Oops, just re-read my post and this was supposed to say "baldly".

[Anonymous]

I disagree about settling. This is for the class fund, and should be 100% participation. That's different than just a group gift, so all those nasties who don't think teachers deserve anything can zip it.

OP, just either ask a room mom in a different class how they handled it at your particular school, or simply do envelopes with the ones who haven't participated with: LARLA, CLASS FUND $25. Due by Monday. Please drop in LARLO's box if you don't see me. Thanks, LARLO's mom.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:
My neighbor and room parent finally had to send a badly stated email to the whole class saying that she didn't have enough funds for X and Y and that she really needed parents to step up. Not fun to have to send that kind of message, but I suppose it worked because the kids did end up having both events that year as promised.

Frankly, fundraising is why I never take on certain tasks at school, either directly at classroom level or PTA Board level. I get into niches that don't require asking people for money

I'm a PP. This is why everything - EVERYTHING - is in the sign up genius for each event. All food, all crafts, all decorations, etc. It even has slots for set up/clean up volunteers, etc. Each donation item costs a minimal amount of money. (I just bought a case of bottle water for DD's Halloween party for $2.10 at Target.) At our school, the class party sign ups are completely FULL within 24 hours of being sent out.

Clearly the bulk of the $25 is going towards the teachers gifts. The parents know it, and I'm guessing that is why some of them don't give. OP, are the parents at your school involved time-wise? If not, that may be the bigger issue. Our district is UMC but not uber wealthy (townhomes and homes $500-$900k, not crazy McMansions) and it is truly an embarrassment of riches in terms of parent volunteers. There aren't enough volunteer slots to go around.