Monday, October 4, 2010

Six Dollar Magnets

I scribbled out a check for the amount of six dollars.

Again.

Why?

Well, because Tommy brought home another magnet with his drawing on it.

Again.

It started last year and at first I was thrilled to pay for a magnet with my son’s creation on it.

But then it happened again. (Happens TWICE in one year!)

And again.



How many magnets am I supposed to buy? And why are the kids given the magnets? So the parents can break their hearts and be all, “Actually sweets, I’m not going to buy it this year because my fridge is COVERED with your magnet drawings. Cool?”

And it WON’T be cool!

Well, at least it won’t be cool if you have an ultra sensitive kid like my son.

I pulled out his magnet and praised him on a job well done.

“You’re buying it?” Tommy wondered, sticking it on the fridge.

“Er...well, the thing is, I bought two others. I’ll gladly put the original drawing on the fridge and—”

“Don’t you like it?” (Picture sad blue eyes blinking up at you.)

“I love it. And as I said, I’ll put the original drawing on the—"(at this point, Tommy sniffed)—"you know what, sure, I’ll buy it.”

“Great!” Tommy said cheerfully.

(And I guess it’s a good thing that he only wants the magnet, because if you’re willing to shell out more money, you can get your kid’s art on a BLANKET! Thank goodness he’s never wanted an art blanket.)

I stared down at the latest magnet. Tommy said he drew himself smiling. The smile in the drawing looked forced and I let out a giggle.



Because it’s the same smile I wear when I’m surrounded by those mothers prattling on about how they feed their kids only Organic foods, limit the TV to one hour, and admit to passing out apples on Halloween.

So I guess it was six bucks well spent.

57 comments:

  1. What a neat idea! I guess they do it to raise money for the school?

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  2. that's very clever marketing. Send the magnet home without any previous communication...I bet it costs the school $1 and they make like 5 on them :)

    Tommy has a lovely smile ;)

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  3. Oh, this is very good. I'm glad you succumbed to those blue eyes. One day you'll look back and be grateful you bought it. This kid's Got Talent!

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  4. Definitely well spent. I couldn't have said no either. :)

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  7. at least your school doesn't flat out ask for money...like they do in france. Every couple months we get this 'slip' that you have to give back with your 'donation' for the 'cooperative'- which pays for school supplies and outtings and things. When you've got three kids, it gets a little annoying.

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  8. at least your school doesn't flat out ask for money...like they do in france. Every couple months we get this 'slip' that you have to give back with your 'donation' for the 'cooperative'- which pays for school supplies and outtings and things. When you've got three kids, it gets a little annoying.

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  9. I agree, you will look back and be glad you did it. Money well spent!

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  10. It is cute and I would have bought it too...while calling the school to tell them to let up already!!

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  11. You're a terrible mother for not buying the blanket. :)

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  12. Apples being passed out as Halloween treats should be a crime. It's Halloween for goodness sake!

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  13. those magnets look huge. are they huge?

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  14. Five dollars seems like a lot of money - I'm assuming the money goes towards the school. At least in the years to come you will look back at these magnets and treasure them.

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  15. I would have bought it too! :)

    So cute! He's quite the little artist!

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  16. HAHAHA! I love the smile..ITA, looks like the one I wear when all the moms are complaning about their age, and how much they worked out yesterday. I don't care...just smile and nod.

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  17. you could always start making them Christmas presents to grandparents!
    And... I still have my magnets I made as a kid! They are now on MY fridge!

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  18. I don't like school fundraisers, but I think this is a fun idea!

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  19. This is pretty cool, I must admit. However, it is NOT cool that they don't pre ask the parents if they WANT to buy said magnets before they send them home with the kids. Kind of wierd. And yeah, I'm with ya on the art blanket thing. One can only use so many blankets.

    In other news...this is my 2nd or
    3rd time today to comment directly after Kristina P. I'm feeling so in sync with my girl there.

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  20. Very sneaky of the school to handle it that way. How can you say no to your child's artwork? Tommy does have a great smile and now you will get to constantly see it!

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  21. Oooh, that's smart of the school. Annoying for the parents, but a smart fundraiser.

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  22. I love your description of the smile he drew. Very apt.

    As for the rest? I think the whole idea rates a 10 on the suckitude meter. The school pimps are using your children as prostitutes. How uncool is that?

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  23. They are cute, but seriously this company knows how to make a profit!

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  24. Love the drawing. I always hated fundraisers as a kid. And I don't look forward to them as my child will be heading off to school next year. You are setup for failure on this fundraiser though. I can't imagine a child who wouldn't get their feelings hurt if you sent their magnet back. Here's hoping next year he won't want the magnet as much. :)

    Stopped by from SITS.

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  25. Cool art work. Crafty putting the kids art work on magnets to force parents to buy. I couldn't say no either.

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  26. I love your little guys art work and feel your pain. My sons school did a fundraiser somewhat like this, but with $40 stamps and stationary. I almost wish they did the $6 magnet instead...

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  27. I agree with the other Cheryl. This is no doubt a fundraiser for the school. $6 is getting away cheap! My daughter's school does a stupid gift item fundraiser. You have your choice between nice, but VERY expensive wrapping paper or other doodads that are way overpriced and are garbage!

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  28. Ok...magnet was six dollars but Tommy's smile and the artwork are priceless...you'll get this when they are grown and on their own. You will never have these times back again. Enjoy!!!

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  29. I'll be writing out the same check and now w/2 kids in school it will be twice as much.

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  30. ok you have to admit -- it IS adorable, even if you already have 12 tee hee!!
    AND WTH?! organic food - really?! I wasn't fed organic food and I am doing just fine. And Someone please punch me in the face if I hand out apples or TOOTHBRUSHES WITHOUT candy at Halloween.

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  31. Very good picture! And of course you have to buy it. lol

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  32. Adorable pictures and the smiles definitely make you feel like less of a sucker :)

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  33. haha - well it is pretty cute! But you're right - what the heck are they doing sending it home and conning you into shelling out $6 each time? Sneaky!

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  34. Have they started the gift wrap/ candy sales yet?

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  35. Smart kid! Love the magnet, you should start an Etsy store for him. That way you don't have to buy them all. :)

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  36. They hand out apples so the kids don't come back. Saving on the candy bills= more money for magnets.

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  37. I am a tad bit confused. The kids draw something, the teachers put them on magnets and then expect you to pay for them without asking if you want them first?
    Kids would be totally heartbroken if mommy or daddy said no. Blackmail for sure Sheesh

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  38. We did something similar when mine was in grade school - only they gave you the option beforehand! We were also given different variations, including a magnet, a house flag, etc. Yeah, I bought them too.

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  39. It's not so bad ONCE a year. But when you have multiple kids bringing home magnets several times a year, that is just too expensive! I hate it when schools do that. Just ASK for money, for crying out loud...

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  40. There are definitely worse ways to spend six bucks. Making a child happy ranks pretty high in my opinion, as long as you don't need to buy another fridge to hold them all. ;)

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  41. Ugh. The PTA at our school is doing something similar for a fundraiser, and as one of the art teachers, I get tasked to have the students make "art" specifically for this fundraiser. I hate it. It's kind of a struggle to get the kids to make something that their parents will want to buy on mugs and magnets. And I don't think they quite get the concept that the art gets made, shipped to a company, AND NOT RETURNED, so if you want your work, your sucker parents have to buy it.

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  42. Of course you did the right thing-- six bucks is crazy, but then again it's nothing-- Smart mom!

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  43. May be you can market the magnets thru ur blogs and may earn some profit too ;)

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  44. I love my kids artwork, and I know that the PTO uses these things to raise money for important stuff, but if I have to buy another magnet or T-SHIRT(!) with my kids scribbles on it, I will murder a clown.

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  45. Non-organic moms like us need to band together against the madness. Also, I need to change my blog name.

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  46. Totally worth it!

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  47. Please please please don't let my daughter's school find out about this. That is PTA trickery at it's finest.

    I sent back a $25 coupon book this morning for which the school would have made $12.50. I would rather just give the school a $20. Do I look like I can remember to use coupons?

    I might as well face facts and start a fund for paying of the debts that come home in that backpack!

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  48. it actually is kinda cute and beats the $16 popcorn I managed to avoid purchasing over the weekend..

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  49. Three times a year??????????????

    My kids have these/do this. Once a year. I have 4 kids (3 who have reached an age where they produce these magnets) My flipping fridge would be paneled in these in my school did them more than once a year.

    Side note: My older 2 are now in High School. High School does not design magnets. I miss the yearly magnet drawing. :(

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  50. Hmm.. time to pre-empt this thing - buy tommy some cheap magnets and cover the fridge with his art so there isn't anymore room...

    Hmm.. nah, that probably won't work will it?

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  51. Sounds like Tommy is learning the art of the fake smile really early on!

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  52. That is a stunning self-portrait ... worth every penny!

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