Growing Up Online

Better Than Bake Sales: How to Raise Real Money with Virtual Events

By Carolyn Jabs

Times are tough not only for families but for schools. As a result, parents often face a stark reality. If they dont raise funds for library books, Smartboards, team uniforms, field trips or other events, their kids will go without.

  For some groups, online fund-raising has become a secret weapon that takes less time and produces better results. Once an organization makes contact with them, online donors can be exceptionally generous. According to Network for Good, the average contribution is several times larger for online than offline donors.

  Online fund-raisers also allow groups that have exhausted local resources to reach beyond the borders of their communities to raise funds from alumni, grandparents and retired teachers. Perhaps most enticing, online projects can bypass the hard work of running a carnival or a carwash and avoid the risk of having kids go door-to-door asking neighbors to buy things no one really needs or wants.

Searching for funds. At Goodsearch.com, its easy to enroll any non-profit that qualifies for 501 (3)c status. Then people can list that organization as their beneficiary so that each time they use the search engine (which is powered by Yahoo), a penny or two goes to your group. That money really starts to multiply if you can convince teachers, parents and even students to do their searching on your behalf.

Shopping for a Cause. Rather than sending kids door-to-door selling candy, wrapping paper and ceramic doodads, many groups now encourage would-be donors to shop at online malls where a percentage of what they spend goes to their cause. Schoolpop.com is an online shopping site set up specifically to benefit for schools. Others sites such as igive.com, charitymall.com and mycause.com allow you to shop on behalf of any non-profit you designate.

Going, Going, Gone. Auctioning off donated items is a time-honored way to raise money. Adding an online dimension simply increases the pool of potential bidders. A school, for example, can appeal to alumni, grandparents of students, retired teachers and so on. Ebay sponsors a special section called missionfish.org, which allows non-profits to register and benefit from auctions. Cmarket.com runs a site called Biddingforgood.com where schools and other groups can easily list items and win a worldwide audience for their auction. The trick, of course, is to get the maximum number of bidders by publicizing your online auction through MySpace pages, blogs and e-mails to family and friends.

High-tech Recycling. Recycling cell phones and print cartridges is both lucrative and good for the environment. The Educational Technology and Conservation Program is behind a website called fundingfactory.com that helps schools and related organizations set up and manage recycling programs so they can earn cash or points, which accumulate towards athletic and technical equipment.

One-of-a-kind Designs. Thanks to new digital services such as Original Works (www.originalworks.com), parent groups can sell customized items featuring artwork created by kids. Young artists create vivid, colorful artwork that is uploaded to a website. Then your organization can sell parents everything from magnets and notecards to tote bags and aprons featuring the designs.

Paying for Pixels. The Million Dollar Home page was started by a British college student who didnt want to go into debt to pay for his education. He sold pixels for a dollar a piece on a page that looks like a wall filled with graffiti (www.milliondollarhomepage.com). Some non-profits have been successful in creating similar pages filled with good wishes from supporters. Although several companies will set up such sites for a fee, the original software is now available free at www.milliondollarscript.com.

Blogging for Bucks. Odds are, someone in your organization has a blog or, at the very least, a page on MySpace or Facebook. Ask them to tell a heart-warming story about why your organization needs funds and who will benefit. Encourage them to link to the donor page on your website if you have one. Admittedly, lots of people are doing this now, so its harder to get noticed, but the right appeal to the right network can raise real money in a hurry.

Virtual Events. Several large organizations have experimented with "events" that occur only online. One of the most successful was an American Cancer Walkathon that took place on SecondLife.com and raised more than $80,000 without anyone lacing up a single pair of real sneakers. This sort of event requires imagination, technical skill and, in all likelihood, the cooperation of a few network-savvy students. Still, if youre fed up with the legwork of organizing real world events, this is an interesting alternative.

Even those who decide virtual fund-raising is beyond their technical capabilities can still use the Internet to find innovative ideas that, as they say, put the "fun" back into fund-raising. Websites such as www.Fundraising123.org and www.Diyfundraising.com may help you find just the right project to make people open their hearts and their wallets to do something good for the kids in your community.

Carolyn Jabs, M.A., has written about families and the Internet for 15 years. Read other columns at www.growing-up-online.com.  Copyright, 2008, Carolyn Jabs. All rights reserved.

By Sheila O'Connor

We all need a night out from time to time, and the kids can always learn a few life lessons in the company of others in the form of babysitters. But once youve decided to have that night out, its not always easy to find the best sitter out there. What's a parent to do? Obviously, giving out a good wage is one way to go, but there are other strategies available. To make sure the best babysitters choose your family as the one to sit for, just follow these 10 tips and you'll beat out the competition hands down.

1. Don't Give Them All the Dirty Work

Yes, you're tired after a long day and the last thing you want to do, no doubt, is to have to deal with the kids. But your babysitter is tired, too, whether it be from a hard day at high school or endless studying at college. So be fair. Don't give them all the heavy lifting, such as feeding and bathing. Have some of it done already. It's important not to overwhelm the sitter. Let her spend time playing with the children or reading them stories instead. Everyone will be much more relaxed. Even better is if you can prepare anything in advance. Or, if you are really that tired, why not let the bathing slide for one night?

2. Write Down Any Necessary Information

If you have a certain set bedtime, then write it down for the sitter. Children are great at telling the babysitter what time mom and dad let them stay up to and a young teenager may be taken in; but if you write it all down, along with emergency phone numbers (post it on the fridge for easy reference), there can be no doubt. Be sure to let the kids know that if they don't follow directions, they'll have their privileges taken away.

3. Be Prepared to Pay Extra

If your babysitter drives or is able to procure a vehicle and pays for her own gas, be prepared to pay a little something extra for this. Believe me, after you've had a night out, the last thing you may feel like doing is driving the sitter home. One who does it herself is worth paying something extra for, even if she doesn't ask for it.

4. Pay for Cancellations

It happens to all of us: Something comes up or a child gets sick and you end up having to cancel the arrangement. But don't make your sitter lose out because of this. Be prepared to give some kind of payment (not necessarily the full amount). Bear in mind the sitter probably turned down another opportunity (socially or another babysitting job) to accept your job. She'll be happy to do it again if you make sure she is compensated for unforeseen circumstances.

5. Keep to Your Scheduled Return

Be conscious of returning home on time. Even calling to ask for extra time is never a good thing. Stick to your obligations and be back when you say you will. That way your sitter will know you are trustworthy and reliable just what you'd expect from her.

6. Be Careful How You Talk about Your Sitter around Your Children

It may happen that you say something about your sitter that is less than complimentary. Next time she comes around to sit, those sentiments might be spoken to her by your youngster. For example, "Mommy says you should take better care of your skin" is not something your sitter will want to hear.

7. Give Them Permission to Invite a Same-sex Friend

Not only could this friend become a possible babysitter for you as well, but allowing the sitter to bring a friend means they have company (especially if the sitter might be there quite late), has someone to travel home with and has an extra pair of hands ready to help them with the childcare. Keep the payment the same and give it to the original sitter, then leave it to them to decide how they want to divide it up.

8. Have Snacks Available

One thing all our sitters mentioned was the fact that we always had a plate of goodies for them to munch on. A selection of different snacks sweet and savory is always a good idea (since they may not like everything you offer). Be sure to give them permission to eat as much or as little as they like. Believe me, you'll get extra kudos for taking this extra step.

9. Offer to Rent a Movie

Like offering the food plate, renting a movie that the sitter would like to see is a small price to pay for making you the number one family the sitter wants to work for. Call her in advance and make sure the age and content is age-appropriate; no scary movies if the sitter is going to be at your home alone.

The movie viewing will help her relax and enjoy the evening if she doesn't want to spend the time reading or studying.

10. Pay Extra When Times Require It

Sometimes there are extenuating circumstances in which offering a little extra in pay is a good idea. Apart from the obvious of paying overtime when needed, paying a little extra could come when the baby is being colicky or sick or you've had to call the sitter out on very short notice.

Use these tips and you'll soon be the one family every sitter will want to work for. And thats a great thing when what you want most of all is a much-needed night out.

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By Brandy Tuzon

There are ways to meet friends and have fun while raising children   

The loneliness Dylan Whitlow felt was so intense it depressed her. She and her husband with three children including a newborn in tow, had recently relocated to Sacramento from Monterey.

  Living in a town where she knew no one, the mom, who had recently made staying at home her full-time career, was desperate to find a social outlet for herself and her children. Then she noticed an announcement for the MOMS Club of Carmichael in a local publication.

  "The women were amazing, so welcoming and friendly to me," she says. "For me it was a lifesaver to find this group."

  Two years later, Whitlow is president of MOMS Club of Carmichael. The local chapter of MOMS Club International, a nonprofit created to offer support to stay-at-home mothers around the globe, hosts play groups, a moms' night out, book club, holiday parties and performs service projects with the help of its 75 members and their children.

  "I was in the corporate world and very successful at that and it seemed like (being a stay-at-home mom) would be a piece of cake," explains Whitlow, whose children are now 2, 4 and 14 years old. "It's been the hardest job I have had in my life and (the MOMS Club) support system not only helped me adjust to my new job and role, but to living in a new town and learning my way around."

  Whitlow is among the ranks of thousands of mothers nationwide who find comfort in the company of others through parent support groups. There is an annual membership fee to join and groups range from general "moms clubs" to those for women with multiples, such as twins, and adoptive children. These groups hope to battle feelings of isolation common among stay-at-home mothers and parents of children with special needs.

  "I checked out our local MOMS Club," says Jessica McQuay, an Elk Grove resident and mother of two children ages 3 and 5 months old. "And I think it was ... just a little too much for me being shy."

  McQuay's shyness made it difficult to meet people after she became a stay-at-home mom. Thinking there might be others like her, she created an online community called Sacramento Mommas a Web site where mothers can post messages about various topics including pregnancy, books and politics and plan gatherings such as play dates and moms-only outings.

  A year and a half after McQuay started the Web site there are about 100 members. She says about half actively participate by posting messages on the site and by attending in-person activities. Membership to the site is free but McQuay accepts donations made via Paypal to help offset band with costs associated with maintaining the site.

  "I would say that my site is a little easier to jump into," says McQuay. "You get to know people before you meet in person."

  Mothers of Preschoolers, more commonly known as "MOPS," is an international support group with several chapters in the Sacramento area. Membership is limited to those who have infants through kindergarten-age children. Meetings generally are conducted at churches.

  Patti Sidle coordinates the MOPS chapter that meets at Sylvan Oaks Christian Church in Citrus Heights. Twice a month members come together to have breakfast, hear a speaker, and discuss a topic or do a handcraft. The chapter of about 25 members also takes prayer requests, but it is not a Bible study group.

  "I went from owning my own business and having employees to being home full time, wondering where everybody in the world was," says Sidle, whose children are 4 and 5 years old. "We can get really secluded especially with small kids whose needs are so high."

  Sidle says membership costs $65 a session, most of which helps offset childcare during meetings. There are two consecutive sessions September through June. Sidle says the Citrus Heights group tries to get together informally during the summer "off" months.

  "People who are looking for different things ­ play groups that's not what MOPS is," Sidle explains. "Our group is an opportunity to be away from the kids and just relax."

Another church-based support group can be found at Bayside Church in Granite Bay. "Bayside Moms and More" attracts members from the congregation as well as the community. The group offers monthly play groups, holiday-themed parties, a babysitting co-op, meals for moms with new babies and also performs service projects. There is no membership fee.

  "I like the fact ... there are different opportunities for my kids to know the friends they see Sunday at church," says member Christine Nelson, whose children are ages 4, 2 and 7 months old. "It's been a lot of fun."

  The Mothers' Support Network in Sacramento was formed 13 years ago as an alternative to already existing mother support groups in the area.

  "We didn't want to recreate the wheel and have something to offer you couldn't get somewhere else," says Barbara Daly, executive director and mother of five.

  Today Mother's Support Network has about 300 active members. In addition to the nonprofit organization's two playgroups there are classes and community events, a work-at-home moms project, newsletter, Web site and new moms group, as well as a working-moms group. The network owns and operates a Parent's Resource Center and Moonfaeries shop, a store that offsets the cost of rent and provides members a place to meet, organize classes and a place where their children can play. The network charges for membership, but nonmembers may shop at the store and attend activities and classes for a fee.

  "I believe moms should shop and be open to being in more than one (support group) if they have the time and inclination," says Daly.