So, the Annual Cookie Dough Fundraiser

It seems there are several parents of students at our school (I don't actually know how many...perhaps it's just one or two...and I don't even have a name, so that's how well-informed I am...just picking up vibes on Facebook) who despise the cookie dough fundraiser. They get angry that their kids are being encouraged to sell something in exchange for "a plastic shark."

And they have every right to be. They also have every right to not participate. But I guess they don't want to hear their child whine about "so-and-so gets to sell and win sharks, why can't I?"

What a great teaching moment! Delayed gratification. Economics! Self-discipline. Everything-isn't-as-it-seems. So many valuable life lessons can be taught here.

Why does the school continue with this fundraiser annually? Because people support it to the tune of thousands and thousands of dollars, that's why.

The part that makes me chuckle is the complaint that the cookie dough is "way over-priced." Really? Like the company is going to sell it at cost or something? Of course it's over-priced...that's what a fundraiser is, isn't it? No, I'm so sorry, but that cookie dough is not worth that much. In fact, the actual cookie dough as well as the plastic sharks could be considered tokens of appreciation or consolation prizes.

The next cry is, "I would rather just donate to the school." Funny. Our school doesn't get thousands and thousands and thousands of dollars just donated in cash. If it worked that well, we would fund raise that way. The reason cookie dough works is because people buy it.

The items purchased with the profits go right back to the kids. Sorry we have to launder it through cookie dough, but if we went with straight donations, there wouldn't be much money to launder at all.

The great thing about all of this is that everyone can have their own opinion. God bless America!