This morning at daycare I was approached as I was leaving. The staff member said, “Have you bought the graduation kit for CootieGirl yet? The deadline for that was last Friday.”
“Um, we don’t want to do that. She’s only been here two months – it’s a waste of money.”
“Well, it’s not really optional. All of the pre-K children are graduating and need the cap and gown.”
“My husband and I feel strongly that we do NOT need her to participate in any graduation and that we don’t want to buy a cap and gown.”
She hemmed and hahhed for a minute, then said she’d speak with the director and “see what can be done.”
Finally, I said, “Let me be clear – we can’t afford it. We already have difficulty paying your high daycare fees as it is – we’re not paying more money for a cap and gown.”
She backs off and goes back to her spot behind the front desk. I walk over there and finish filling out the paperwork they need for CootieGirl’s “summer camp” (which is really just daycare for the kids going to kindergarten next year). I give it to the girl (same one that asked about the cap and gown) and she says, “The registration for that is due on Friday. It’s $70.”
Now, am I the only one that thinks it is ABSOLUTELY RIDICULOUS that I need to pay ANOTHER REGISTRATION FEE when my child is ALREADY REGISTERED at the daycare (complete with a registration fee when we first started there)? I was so pissed at that point I let out a disgusted snort in response to her comment and walked out without another word.
Dude, I cannot WAIT until the day comes that we don’t need any daycare, after school care and what not. I pray for the day I become debt-free so that my full-time salary is not needed (can I just fast-forward to mid-2011 when I hope to have it paid off?). I pray for the day my husband gets a job that pays so much that I can quit working full-time.
AMEN to that.
(and yes, you do already pay MORE than enough without having to fork over another $70)
We have to “re-register” each year my my son’s preschool too. ON TOP of every semi-holiday when we’re asked to donate $20 for a group teacher gift. I flat out did not participate in the group teacher Valentine’s gift for ‘date night’ with their husbands.
cristan’s last blog post..My new Playmobil Toys!
And I pray for the day your mother’s tea business becomes so lucratic that I can join the family business and stop working for the man.
We had to do that too when our kids were at a daycare center. It always made me mad to pay the bogus “reregistration” fee. They had an annual registration at the Christian school we sent the kids to every year too.
And I’ve been told by a former elementary school teacher that it will only get worse when they get into elementary school. Great.
Homeschool.
Of course you have to buy the curriculum for homeschooling, too, but at least that makes sense.
Just so you do not feel alone…Grace has been in the same school since nursery school, she will graduate from kindergarten in June…$4,500 tuition, $450 in mandatory fund raisers, uniforms, $175 to register for 1st grade, the list goes on and on…but her graduation fee was only $40 🙂 so I get pictures which are priceless!!!!
This internet, explains why the Cooties moved out of NYC and why I have only one child!
Homebills.
Dude.