by Cher'Ley Grogg

Created on: April 08, 2010

I do not believe our children should be used as door-to-door sales people for schools. Selling door to door is too dangerous for children to do alone and in most families both parents are working outside the home so there is no one available to supervise them.  

Another hindrance, to our children performing door-to-door sales, is the many scams that go on. People are leery of paying up front for a product they may not receive and some people are apprehensive about solicitors no matter their age.

When our children are used as door-to-door sales people for the schools, often the family needs to take up the slack. In these suppressed economic times, people do not have $26.00 for a tee shirt or $17.00 for a tin of candy.

I am a grandmother with four grandchildren, plus many great nieces and nephews who live close to me; if I bought a tee shirt from six of the children; it would cost me $156.00. Then my neighbors' children would discover that I am an easy mark and they would expect their favorite neighbor to buy from them as well.

The schools now supply the children with mail solicitations to mail to their out of town relatives. I received this message from my great nephew, "I Picked You for My Extra Prize Super Sponsor." How precious. We do not live very close to my nephew and I have only seen this 10 year old twice since his birth. I doubt if buying the twenty-dollar magazine subscription will make me his favorite great aunt. Besides, I have enough unread magazines stacked on my coffee table.

Even though, I do not believe our children should be used as door-to-door sales people for schools, I do believe in fundraising for school projects. It's too much for parents to try to keep up with the cost of all the activities that children do. I believe in school activities that help develop well-rounded children.

There are several different ways to raise money other than using our children as door-to-door sales people.

1.  Car Washes are economical, fun and can raise a lot of money. Each child can donate an item to the project.

2. Candy Bars that sell for one dollar. Besides selling these to family members and other students, a table can be set up at the department stores and grocery stores.

3. Seed and Flower Packages are items that most people can use and afford. The schools mark up the packages and make a nice profit.

4. Hot Dog and Bake Sales still work well. Grocery and Department stores will donate a portion of the food products for these sales.

5. School Carnivals are always fun and the cost of the tickets needed to win the trinkets is affordable. In addition to the trinkets that    can be won, the food sold at these carnivals add to the profits and the families share a wonderful time together.

6. Chile, Spaghetti or Pancake Dinners are also a great way to earn money for school projects. Most families go out to eat at least once a week, so why not make their outing your schools source of fund raising.

Our children should not be used as door-to-door sales people, but they should have the opportunity to participate in raising the funds needed for their extracurricular activities. .

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