Last summer, the wonderful non-profit preschool my daughter attended for two years faced permanent closure due to the pandemic and low enrollment. With no returning board members, a small group of committed parents came together to see if we could save it.
Despite our lack of funds, we took a leap of faith, believing we could raise enough through fundraising efforts. Alumni parents were incredibly supportive, helping us get a significant portion of the way there. We organized multiple fundraisers, which, as anyone involved in fundraising knows, is a massive time investment.
It was exhausting, and the most disheartening part was the minimal participation we received. Honestly, I would have been better off writing a check for $1,000 instead of going through the hassle, as that’s how much it ultimately cost me personally—more than what we actually raised. It saddened me to see how hard we were trying to do something positive for the community, only to find that many didn’t even want to buy a raffle ticket.
I don’t blame the parents, especially these days; we are overwhelmed with fundraisers.
I have four children involved in numerous activities. In the past year alone, I was asked to sell items for their activities thirty-seven times—no exaggeration; I counted! And I’m sure I overlooked some. How can anyone manage this? It’s impossible to keep asking Grandma (who is already being pestered by her other nine grandchildren) or neighbors who are also juggling their own fundraising.
I understand the need to raise funds for significant causes, like school survival or trips to Disney. However, we’re often fundraising for home jerseys, away jerseys, warm-up suits, custom banners, personalized bags, and hair bows—things our kids honestly don’t need. Especially when this burden impacts every mother’s sanity, time, and budget. Let’s be real: we know who does the bulk of the fundraising work—us. So many hours wasted for unnecessary embellishments.
Our kids have given up so much this past year, and they’re doing just fine! They’ve shown they can thrive without all this excess. Perhaps our love and recognition of their achievements are sufficient? Imagine how much more time we could have with them if we weren’t endlessly trying to provide all this extra stuff.
Can we please return to simpler times when kids received just a t-shirt as their uniform? That was the home uniform, the away uniform, and a keepsake all in one. Then moms could simply attend a few games a week and volunteer at the snack bar occasionally. Doesn’t that sound wonderful?
Moreover, not every family can afford to participate in all these fundraisers. Where’s the inclusivity in that? It shouldn’t cost $600 a season for our kids to play basketball at school. Additionally, when kids genuinely want to raise funds for something truly important, they often can’t because we’re all burned out on fundraising.
Having gone without so much in the past year, can we take this chance to cut back on the “extra” elements we’ve added to their activities? I promise our kids won’t miss it. They’d likely prefer our time and attention instead.
For more insights on parenting and family life, check out this related blog post. For additional resources on pregnancy and home insemination, visit UCSF’s Center.
Search Queries:
- How to reduce fundraising stress for parents
- Simplifying kids’ sports uniforms
- Managing multiple fundraisers
- Affordable sports activities for kids
- Fundraising ideas that work
In summary, while fundraising can be a valuable tool for supporting school activities, it often becomes overwhelming and burdensome for parents. We must reconsider what is truly necessary for our kids’ enjoyment and focus on spending quality time with them instead of accumulating unnecessary items.