Caught up on Blogtober

You know, blogging ain't what it used to be, and I think I know why.

It's about the mind. And mine is less focussed than it used to be. Too much stuff in my face in the morning. TV news is on. Kids are wanting to show me stuff, too many windows open on the computer. No wonder I can't think straight.

And I guess that's what Blogtober is all about. By forcing ourselves to write daily (or as close to it as we can), we can figure out why we stopped blogging daily. I mean, I had a good run going for a while, when I first started. It was easy, the subject matter came easily. Ideas flowed. It was cool and I liked it.

But enough about that. (Shuts down distractions.)

So Sonwun, the elder, came home last night intent on hitting the streets for Unicef. Fortunately, I had resisted an urge earlier in the day to toss his pledge sheet in the garbage. Yay me.

I guess the whole competition (the class that raises the most gets a fabulous prize) works for kids his age. Fair enough. Unicef has been at this for many years. I'm sure they know just how to suck the maximum amount of money out of school children and their victims.

One more negative. I just don't like this approach. Kids hit the streets and basically beg for cash. They're not selling anything. They just take their sweet little faces to the doors of my unsuspecting neighbours and ask for money.

Now that being said, I was proud of Sonwun. It's not easy to go door-to-door asking, essentially, strangers for money. Especially if your father's rolling his eyes and muttering the whole time.

But he did it. And he raised $47 for the cause. What's more, he filled up his pledge sheet and was hoping the teacher would give him another one today so that he could continue raising money tonight.

I admire his bravery. I admire his commitment. 

Still not wild about these folks using my kid.

Have a great Tuesday.

(See? One screen on computer, TV off, kids locked in their cages. So much easier to blog!)

Questions

So . . . October 4 and the Unicef envelope came home today.

Hmmm. What's the lesson here? We need to help those in need? We need to do what we're told? We need to bow to peer pressure?

I wanna be a good parent, I really do. And I think that means teaching my kids to ask questions. To understand what they're doing. 

When I was a kid, they handed out the Unicef boxes and we were supposed to take them around on Halloween and collect pennies. At the time, my understanding was that the money would go to little black kids in Africa. Forgive me if that sounds offensive. It's not meant to be. It was just my understanding as a child, based on the pictures we were shown. 

I didn't know how the money would help, how much of it went to administration and advertising, versus actual aid to those in the pictures. I didn't even know to ask the questions.

And now, in the package my son brought home, there is just a sign up sheet. Donate please . . . receipts will be issued for donations over $25. They ain't looking for pennies any more. 

I asked him what he was supposed to do with it. He said WE, his family, were supposed to pony up some dough. I hope he's wrong. 

I asked him what it was for. He told me it was for the people in Africa.

Sigh. 

I swear I'm gonna change the name of this blog to Cynical Old Grump. I know there are those who think it would be appropriate.

What am I teaching my son here if I just throw in some cash? What am I teaching him if I say no? I'll be honest. I lean toward saying no. Just because I do not like ANY organization to be endorsed by a school board, and then allowed to obligate my child to raise money for it. Without telling me why. We are all just supposed to follow the leader, be a good flock member, and throw in some cash.

Is there ANY due diligence taking place? Do we know exactly how much money is going where? My son does not. He does not know how much is being used to pay salaries of folks right here in North America. He doesn't know how much is being spent to advertise all the wonderful things Unicef does.

Maybe I just ask too many questions. 

Then again, maybe that's not a bad thing.