3 Things School Fundraising Can Teach Parents

Surprising things parents learn from school fundraising.

School fundraising programs are doubtlessly unparalleled learning experiences for children and adolescents of all ages. But what about parents? They, too, have quite a bit to learn from a school fundraiser.

The whirlwind fun and excitement of fundraising doubtlessly come with a bit of pressure to help your child succeed and meet their goals.

Parents, trust us when we say that school fundraising will help you cultivate a greater sense of what motivates your child, what the greatest needs are for your educational community, and how to turn everyday experiences into teaching moments.

School Fundraisers Teach You What Motivates Your Child

What makes our children “tick” seems to evolve as they grow into unique individuals constantly. You may see your child thrive academically, seeking to get good grades. Perhaps athletics drive them to give their all. Fundraising, however, can uniquely highlight the strengths of your child’s work ethic by providing a discrete, rewards-based opportunity grounded in philanthropy.

When it comes time for your school’s following product or brochure fundraiser, listen to what your child says about it. Are they excited about the prizes? Are they happy to be making a difference? Or are they annoyed by something on their plate?

All of these are important cues for parents to pick up on. Pay close attention to how eager your child is to participate, and discuss the different incentives your school provides through the fundraiser to see what, if anything, piques their interest. You might be able to employ this later on, to get chores done or grades up.

Learn ten ways to motivate your child

School Fundraisers Teach You about Needs in Education

School fundraisers inherently mean that there’s a need for funding in your child’s school. The gap between public funding and the cost of education doesn’t seem to be closing soon, so fundraisers provide a great chance to learn about where your school could use a boost.

As a parent, it’s essential to understand what the fundraiser supports. You can use this information to discuss with your child and help them craft a compelling mission statement. It also makes you a better advocate for a good education in your neighborhood by showing how you can help outside fundraisers. Perhaps the school needs additional aides in the classroom, and you have some time to volunteer. Or, maybe the school needs some one-time supply donations, and you’ve got an in-kind donation connection.

No matter the need, asking your PTA/PTO and school administration questions about what the fundraiser will support is a valuable way to get more connected to improving your child’s education.

School Fundraising Teaches You to Teach Them

During school fundraisers, it can seem like there’s just one more thing to get done. This can make it easy to lose sight of the more excellent value of the experience and its character-building benefits.

Don’t forego the conversations with your child about the fundraising experience! We’ve shared various ways that raising money can help your child grow, and you must help point out the life skills they’re developing through this process.

Set aside time during and after the fundraiser to ask them questions about what they found challenging and rewarding. Help them connect the dots between selling products, taking ownership of their education, and improving their community.

Author Bio

Clay Boggess has been designing fundraising programs for schools and various nonprofit organizations throughout the US since 1999. He’s helped administrators, teachers, and outside support entities such as PTAs and PTOs raise millions of dollars. Clay is an owner and partner at Big Fundraising Ideas.