Sounds to me like you don't budget very well.

This. If after you collected contribution you saw that only 55% contributed why did you go ahead and spend until you only had $25 left? You should have scaled back the parties at the beginning of the year.

I was involved in the PTA and was shocked at how so many parents had no financial sense and would just go shopping. The whole concept of budgeting was lost on them. We had to be firm that there would be no reimbursements beyond the budgeted amounts for anything. We had to make a rule that funds would not cover decorations beyond balloons and streamers. Some parents wanted to buy expensive Halloween decorations and then store them at their houses.

Ways to save money

1. No pizza, get inexpensive snacks from Costco, doughnuts from Krispy Kreme or cupcakes from Giant.
2. Find an artistic creative parent to plan the arts/crafts and don't buy the craft kits from Michaels or Oriental Trading. There are many things you can do with inexpensive materials.
3. Focus on games that don't involve buying lots of props and materials.

Anonymous wrote:Thank you so much for including my daughter in the class parties, she loves them. Her dad is suffering from debilitating depression and isn’t working now. Every 2 weeks we end up using all of our bank overdraft just to get through.

I hope you wouldn’t be able to tell how bad we are struggling just by looking at us or being aquantices with us but we are.

Again, thank you for your generosity, hopefully I’ll be able to pay it forward one day

^this OP

Anonymous wrote:You need to scale back the parties and or split/itemize donations.

Do one collection letting parents choose to pay for all at one time or just contribute toward some events.

1. Class parties -keep it simple and cheaper.
2. Teacher gift- keep in mind that some parents want to give the teacher a gift from the family. Call it a class gift not a teacher gift.
3. Arts and crafts supplies -provide a box to donate $5 toward supplies and do an amazon wishlist for parents to donate supplies.


For the class parties - drop the pizza. Kids are after the treats.

Then why do they all eat the pizza and ask for more? They don’t care about the dumb crafts and games after 3rd.

You need to scale back the parties and or split/itemize donations.

Do one collection letting parents choose to pay for all at one time or just contribute toward some events.

1. Class parties -keep it simple and cheaper.
2. Teacher gift- keep in mind that some parents want to give the teacher a gift from the family. Call it a class gift not a teacher gift.
3. Arts and crafts supplies -provide a box to donate $5 toward supplies and do an amazon wishlist for parents to donate supplies.


For the class parties - drop the pizza. Kids are after the treats.

Anonymous wrote:Handing out slices of pizza is NOT easier than handing out a package of goldfish and a piece of string cheese to 25 kids. It’s not so stop saying it is. Cheaper and nearer as well.

You’re living beyond your means as a room parent.

No one wants gold fish and cheese. That is not a party. It’s my money so why do you care? Op does not get budgeting but you can do a really nice party for not much and even better if a few donate.

classic DCUM... OP posts silly thread vent showing lack of self awareness and respect for different opinions... DCUM chastizes OP... everyone sighs "that was fun!" stay golden DCUM, stay golden

Anonymous wrote:How are you spending $135 for pizza? You can get pizza for $10 each from papa john's.

It’s $5 from Pizza Hut.

How are you spending $135 for pizza? You can get pizza for $10 each from papa john's.

Handing out slices of pizza is NOT easier than handing out a package of goldfish and a piece of string cheese to 25 kids. It’s not so stop saying it is. Cheaper and nearer as well.

You’re living beyond your means as a room parent.

Why do you have parties?

I think the party food comes from someone who cares about party food. I do not, not in a school setting. Your school needs to readjust priorities.

Anonymous wrote:I am a room parent and we ask for each family to contribute a certain amount at the start of the year. This covers teacher holiday and end of year gifts, costumes for the school play and all crafts/food for parties. Pizza alone runs roughly $135 per party. We have about 55% participation yet 100% of the kids get crafts, fed at the party, and costumes for the play. We sign the teacher gifts from the class. It's January and we are out of money once I set aside for end of year gifts ($25/teacher). That means no more parties for the rest of the year. Do I email the class asking again for those who haven't donated to step up? For those of you who don't contribute, how do you feel about your child taking part in the parties, etc when you've not helped? And for those in a financial hardship, I get it.. but I'd venture in our school that is not the primary driver.

You don't get to decide whether or not anyone has a financial hardship. You don't get to pull parents' financial records and check. You don't get to decide that some made-up event at school is a higher priority than someone else's bills. You sound like you are asking for a pretty large sum from each parent if you are spending a few hundred on each event. I think you would have better luck asking for a smaller amount and doing less. Or nothing (which is what most people would prefer anyway).

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Because my kids have food allergies and can't eat the party food.

Because I generally think class parties are completely useless and a waste of time.

I don't recall having class parties as a kid (other than Valentine's boxes) and have no idea why every tiny thing has to be celebrated with a party and food.

Please do let the room parents know. I plan for nut allergies when I can (except when I'm paying 60-100% of the cost as it really adds up to do it nut free but I always make sure to have nut-free and other food preferences if I know. Our teachers refuse to tell us which is very frustrating. I know some of the allergies if I know the kids or mine tell me. No reason why your child shouldn't eat or you can always send stuff if it is safer)

And, you can contribute to a craft or game. Our parties are at the end of the day and we have an early lunch so most of the kids are starving. Most of the parents appreciate pizza from my experience as a lot of the kids are going to activities after school or after care and eat then, so it saves us from a meal in-between. I do it for my kid as I have to stay late to clean up (funny none of the parents ever help) and then run to an activity. Food is not a huge expense if you do it right/plan. Activities and games are far more costly as many teachers insist on multiple centers vs. one big activity.

So what are they doing all the other days that you're not buying them pizza?

Whenever my kid has had an early or late lunch, you send a snack in with them for the morning or the afternoon.

About 1/2 the kids forget their pm snack. Our teacher buys them snacks. I do send them and often hold back the snack food from the party if we get it so she can have it.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Why do they need pizza?

Shouldn't you be planning within the money you have?

I find it cheaper to do pizza and a few other things then tons of random snacks. Kids will almost always eat the pizza (in less a food allergy). I do it as a way to cut down my costs.

It isn't working.

You need to plan with the money you have, not ask for more. You don't need "tons of random snacks" either.

Sounds to me like you don't budget very well.

How is pizza ever going to be cheaper than asking people to bring in cheese sticks and fruit OR pretzels and fruit? It's not.

Because not everyone donates and often the parents forget to send it. I had one kid ask for it back as mom wanted it for lunches so we just sent it all home.

Anonymous wrote:Maybe some families are struggling and don’t feel it’s prudent to contribute to such non-essential nonsense. You do you.

Our school dictates the parties. I don’t care if you donate but yes, we see your the biggest house in the neighborhood and drive the fanciest new car and then scream poverty over donating some napkins from dollar tree. Your kids will have fun and be treated the same either way.