THE TOPIC: Kids Collecting

They come to the door. They call on the phone. They have booklets of flashy prizes, donation pages and links, and are consumed with meeting their goals…

But they’re not seasoned fundraisers employed for this role. They’re our kids.

THE QUESTION:

Should children be allowed to fundraise?

Kids collecting is…

…acclimating them to behavior that’s meant to induce bushah

I do not let my kids go collecting. Do they love me for it? No. It’s exciting, their friends do it, there are great prizes.

But collecting is meant to be something that is a little humiliating, something bushah’dig. Why are we acclimating our kids to that? Asking for money is not something I want to normalize for my kids.

Besides, they have absolutely no idea what causes they’re fundraising for. It’s just about getting the best prize, and the actual cause means absolutely nothing to them.

When you’re older and you’re fundraising for an organization or school or institution that you’re passionate about, great. But if you’re like me, when you make those calls to friends and family, you’re shuddering, it feels ugh. Because that’s what it’s meant to feel like. Fundraising is a naturally embarrassing, bushah-inducing act, and acclimating our kids to that behavior erodes their in-built sensitivity and bushah. No, thank you.