Why do schools ask us to do so much extra crap?!?

[Anonymous]

I have a preschooler and I hate the last minute-ness more than the requests. They’re usually fun— bring in muffin liners and the kids make bouquets— but I can’t drop everything to run to the store. I asked her new teacher to email me the supplies in advance and she was happy to do so at the beginning of each month.

For things like Valentines and St. Patrick’s my sister teaches elementary school and so we freeload on hand me downs— they may not always be the perfect size but I get my A for effort.

[Anonymous]

This thread makes me sad. Bringing in a flower led to a 20 minute drive? Do you live in the DMV? Cut a daffodil or camellia near your house. “Wear green” leads to a Target run? Just open your closet and wear your green raincoat or whatever might be silly but green. Twin day gives you angst? It’s supposed to be your kid talking to a friend at lunch and saying that they will wear leggings and headbands tomorrow. When you make all of these activities consumer-centric, then yes, it’s not that fun. Teach your kid to just make or make do in a more creative way.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:This thread makes me sad. Bringing in a flower led to a 20 minute drive? Do you live in the DMV? Cut a daffodil or camellia near your house. “Wear green” leads to a Target run? Just open your closet and wear your green raincoat or whatever might be silly but green. Twin day gives you angst? It’s supposed to be your kid talking to a friend at lunch and saying that they will wear leggings and headbands tomorrow. When you make all of these activities consumer-centric, then yes, it’s not that fun. Teach your kid to just make or make do in a more creative way.

This 100%. Unless it’s classroom or party supplies (which we get plenty of notice and a signup genius for), I don’t need to shop for any of these things. Everything doesn’t need to be Pinterest worthy - that’s your issue.

[Anonymous]

Totally agree! Luckily, my kid hates these things, so he usually doesn't do any of the dress-up stuff, not even PJ day. With things we need to bring in, I do usually buck up and do it, though.

My favorite was one we were told by the preschool to bring in a certain kind of container for a project, so we were supposed to watch the fridge for the next month in case we ran out of something to reuse the container for it. I swear the description was so confusing. I saved two separate things and brought them in. "This?" Nope. "This?" Nope. Finally, I ended up just having to buy one!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:This thread makes me sad. Bringing in a flower led to a 20 minute drive? Do you live in the DMV? Cut a daffodil or camellia near your house. “Wear green” leads to a Target run? Just open your closet and wear your green raincoat or whatever might be silly but green. Twin day gives you angst? It’s supposed to be your kid talking to a friend at lunch and saying that they will wear leggings and headbands tomorrow. When you make all of these activities consumer-centric, then yes, it’s not that fun. Teach your kid to just make or make do in a more creative way.

It's privilege to think that everyone lives on Wisteria Lane and has flowers growing outside. Plenty of us don't, and the few flowers around are the property of our neighbors, not ours to steal.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I’m confused by why you had to buy a flower? Just pick one on your way to school? There are lots of flowers blooming at the moment. For colours/themes, only make an effort with stuff that’s already in their wardrobe. Wear green can be green leaves on a shirt with a picture of a flower.

WTF you can't just pick flowers!! Not in people's property and most wildflowers are protected!

I live near a school and hope they never do this activity. Can you imagine classes worth of kids picking your flowers? Please let me know which holiday this is for so I can have someone waiting outside with the garden hose.

[Anonymous]

I am a mom with ADHD and holding down a job and dealing with the basics of two kids with special needs (both physical and learning) filled my plate and then some. Random and arbitrary “wear a red shirt!” “walk to school cross-eyed and backwards!” “dress like your favorite superhero!” tipped my cup from “full to manageable” to “I am going to have a nervous breakdown”.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:This thread makes me sad. Bringing in a flower led to a 20 minute drive? Do you live in the DMV? Cut a daffodil or camellia near your house. “Wear green” leads to a Target run? Just open your closet and wear your green raincoat or whatever might be silly but green. Twin day gives you angst? It’s supposed to be your kid talking to a friend at lunch and saying that they will wear leggings and headbands tomorrow. When you make all of these activities consumer-centric, then yes, it’s not that fun. Teach your kid to just make or make do in a more creative way.

I will do this once the public school system meets our family’s educational needs. Right now, we are busy making them provide a free and appropriate public education. By focusing on nonsense like “twin day” or “pick a flower” reinforces that you all just do NOT get it. Also, it means my brain is a bit crowded trying to work the education thing and shore up deficits, so I have to prioritize.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:And we are well off and money is non issue. I can’t only imagine how burdensome it is for people where these extra costs might make a difference in their everyday living.

The school will say the day before, “don’t forget to wear green.” My daughter doesn’t own anything green the same way my friend’s son may not have anything red to wear for Valentine’s Day. Maybe schools should tell us everything in advance instead of the day prior.

This. I'm glad people who are well off are beginning to see what poorer families/ families with less resources experience.

School *USED* to be fun for children.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:This is a wealthy school district issue. My guess is bored SAHMs drive these things- they like getting the pictures, they like coming up with "fun" things to do at school, they like forcing ridiculous fund raisers and events so they can sponsor over the top assemblies, they like throwing elaborate school parties that require parents to either contribute a lot of money or sign up for something dumb. Social media drives it too. I went to a top public school in the 90s and we didn't do any of this and our mothers weren't making chalk posters for us to hold on the first day of school.


Again, just a guess. High(er) FARMS schools don't do any of that. Likely bc it will be ignored by most parents.

FARM schools do engage in this.

[Anonymous]

There's one benefit of having a middle schooler who thinks everything is "lame"- no longer need to worry about this type of nonsense.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I’m confused by why you had to buy a flower? Just pick one on your way to school? There are lots of flowers blooming at the moment. For colours/themes, only make an effort with stuff that’s already in their wardrobe. Wear green can be green leaves on a shirt with a picture of a flower.

WTF you can't just pick flowers!! Not in people's property and most wildflowers are protected!

I live near a school and hope they never do this activity. Can you imagine classes worth of kids picking your flowers? Please let me know which holiday this is for so I can have someone waiting outside with the garden hose.

There is not a single spot in the DMV that someone would legitimately need to drive two miles to get a flower. I just do not believe that. Sure don't cut your neighbors tulips, but come on the DC area is basically exploding into bloom.

[Anonymous]

Sometimes you need to learn to have a little fun in life, participate in the activities that build communities. Not everyone is going to love it, or so it, but building traditions builds community and memories. And lots of kids look forward to these things.

- grumpy non PTA mom of 3 who musters up some enthusiasm when provided a reasonable amount of notice and explanation

Don't turn your kids into lifelong debbie downers, you don't have to spend a fortune to help them at least appear to participate.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I’m confused by why you had to buy a flower? Just pick one on your way to school? There are lots of flowers blooming at the moment. For colours/themes, only make an effort with stuff that’s already in their wardrobe. Wear green can be green leaves on a shirt with a picture of a flower.

WTF you can't just pick flowers!! Not in people's property and most wildflowers are protected!

I live near a school and hope they never do this activity. Can you imagine classes worth of kids picking your flowers? Please let me know which holiday this is for so I can have someone waiting outside with the garden hose.

You school/nature strip doesn’t have dandelions? You don’t have one flowering weed in a pot/your yard? A cherry blossom hasn’t literally fallen on your head in the last week? I wasn’t advocating for raiding someone’s nice landscaping or damaging plants, I was merely pointing out that flowers do not need to be purchased. I live in an apartment and the last time my kid’s preschool sprung “bring a flower” on us, she got a sprig of lavender from the window box. Not pretty perhaps but it’s a flower.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I’m confused by why you had to buy a flower? Just pick one on your way to school? There are lots of flowers blooming at the moment. For colours/themes, only make an effort with stuff that’s already in their wardrobe. Wear green can be green leaves on a shirt with a picture of a flower.

WTF you can't just pick flowers!! Not in people's property and most wildflowers are protected!

I live near a school and hope they never do this activity. Can you imagine classes worth of kids picking your flowers? Please let me know which holiday this is for so I can have someone waiting outside with the garden hose.

Yeah, some of our neighbors have flowers in their yard. I’m pretty sure they would be pissed if my kids went to their yard and started picking their flowers.