The high cost of raising children

This weekend was the early registration for The Boy's hockey league. You got $30 off if you paid in full. We've gotten several email notices and at least one mailer addressing this event. Also, for the first time, the league is collecting a deposit from each family - $150 per child but it is capped at $300 per family - to ensure that each family donates 15 hours of time to the rink. The notice clearly stated that AT THE END OF THE SEASON, IF YOU HAD FULFILLED THE REQUIRED 15 HOURS YOUR CHECK WILL BE RETURNED. They are not cashing the checks, but holding them in a safe.

See, our rink barely stays afloat. They count on the kindness of the families donating time to run the clock, help in the concession stand, coach, clean the stands, etc. so they don't have to hire it out and pay wages.

Oh the people had their panties all up in a bunch. "This hockey is the most expensive sport ever!" "No wonder we can't recruit new people!" and my personal favorite, "Whatever happened to good old fundraising? We could sell stuff like they do for soccer."

Look lady - I am tired of buying crap from all the neighborhood kids, and I don't want my kid selling any of the said crap.

What astounded me is that MFH spearheaded a fundraising event/opportunity to fulfill some of the donated hours this weekend. We had a national motorcycle hill climb event here, and we needed volunteers to work in four hour shifts checking coolers to make sure nobody tried to take alcohol on the premises. The hockey kids also sold programs for $1.00, 50 cents of which went to the league. We figured that we have somewhere around 300 families involved in hockey, and only 10 of those families stepped up.

It's the old adage where 20% of the people do 80% of the work. Nobody wants to give the cheapest thing to give - time.