I want to let you in on a secret, mamas.
There’s this job on the PTA that nobody else wants. But nobody will warn you about it, because they want you to sign up for it – so they don’t have to. (Trust me. I hope no other parents from my kid’s school reads this because I don’t want to get stuck with it again next year.)
They’ll sell it to you like this: “I was wondering if you would be in charge of Box Tops this year. I know you’re busy. But it’s really easy. You can just count them at home while you’re watching TV.”
Sounds OK, right?
You say, “Sign me up!”
And then you remember – you don’t even have time to watch TV. You’ve been trying to get through the Gilmore Girls original seven seasons for the past eight months and you’re still on season 3. Then the Box Tops start rolling in. And it’s overwhelming. And you tell your friends, and they all have one thing to say to you.
“Rookie mistake!”
Seriously, guys? You couldn’t tell a sister before she got in over her head?
The first box full of manila envelopes I counted had more than 1,000! That was after I sorted out the ones that didn’t belong and trimmed the ones that did. It took hours. And it was just the beginning. Even after refining the process, my husband and I were up together past midnight counting one night. Honestly, by the end, I was kind of happy to see expired ones because it meant I could toss them without trimming them.
But the bottom line is: We all love Box Tops and the money the program provides to our schools and someone is going to have to be in charge, so can we all agree to help each other out? I have some tips for you to make life easier for that naive parent who volunteered for this thankless job.
Turning in Box Tops
- Trim the Box Tops before you turn them in to the school. There’s a handy cutting guide along the border for you to follow.
- If the school is collecting Box Tops, do not turn in Labels for Education (and vice versa). Do not turn in Little Caesars Proof of Purchase. Do not pass Go. Do not collect $200.
- Do not turn in expired Box Tops. (Someone please tell me who are the people who have been hoarding Box Tops since 2007?) Don’t cut off expiration dates. Don’t cut off the product acronyms.
Chairing the Box Tops Committee
First of all, don’t volunteer to chair the Box Tops committee. Second, if you do, be explicit in your instructions for how you’d like the Box Tops turned in (but don’t expect anyone to follow them). Third, you will need the following supplies:
- Scissors
- Plastic Baggies
- Wine (ice cream is an acceptable substitute)
- Netflix
- Unlimited amounts of free time
- Children old enough to count to 50 and be trusted with scissors
- Mom friends whose kids go to the same school
- More wine
If you’re listening Box Tops, don’t be mad. I love that you give money to my kid’s school! But having you ever thought about putting Box Tops on wine? Seems like a win-win …
