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Actually, Beans, thanks for bringing that question up. When I explained to my DD how it would actually work, that more than likely, she would get nothing in return while the kid "on the top of the pyramid" would reap the rewards she wasn't intrested at all. Thank goodness my daughter had the sense to figure it out quickly. Hopefully, this is educational for her and in the future she won't be a victim to a huge scam.
Actually, Beans, thanks for bringing that question up. When I explained to my DD how it would actually work, that more than likely, she would get nothing in return while the kid "on the top of the pyramid" would reap the rewards she wasn't intrested at all. Thank goodness my daughter had the sense to figure it out quickly. Hopefully, this is educational for her and in the future she won't be a victim to a huge scam.
How is it a scam? It isn't like the kid at the top is taking a cut of everybody elses' stickers. It is kids swapping stickers with other kids. What does she really stand to lose - a package of stickers and 7 stamps?
this is a perfect opportunity to teach our kids how rip off happen, how there is no such thing as a free lunch and how "simple" things can turn out to be more. yes it is just stickers but to suck a kid into this kind of chain letter crap so early is disgusting.
Glad your daughter was able to reason it out for herself.
Please let me know if I am blowing this out of proportion or if I should let the Principal know before it gets way out of hand....Thoughts/Opinions????
Question #1) Yes
Question #2) No
This is where you get to be The Mom. And either say, "We don't do chain letters" or "How fabulous! Maybe we'll get some of the Princess ones that go for $8.00 a roll at Disneyworld!"
(If things would get so horrible and out of hand at school that you would need to involve the principal I'd say you've got more to worry about than just stickers and a chain letter.)
How is it a scam? It isn't like the kid at the top is taking a cut of everybody elses' stickers. It is kids swapping stickers with other kids. What does she really stand to lose - a package of stickers and 7 stamps?
Yes, it's only a package of stickers, however, it is still a scam chain letter. The person who started the list will get several packages of stickers and the new kids will most likely get none.
Chain letters, btw, are illegal at least if they involve money.
The USPS states on their website, "Turn over any chain letter you receive that asks for money or other items of value to your local postmaster or nearest Postal Inspector. Write on the mailing envelope of the letter or in a separate transmittal letter, "I received this in the mail and believe it may be illegal."
I vaguely recall doing some sort of funky sock exchange when I was in elementary school (this was in the late 70's)... it was fun, we all got a new pair of cool socks and no harm was done. The kids who didn't want to do it said "no can do" and that was that. The principal wasn't involved, nor were the authorities- I mean, the most we risked was not getting a pair of socks back. Not sure why it's such a big deal? Just say no if you don't want your daughter participating.
Everyone has to live through chain letters. It's kind of a throwback and each of my kids received something in the mail at some point or another, usually involving "good luck" and not stickers! I even remember getting one over 25 years ago that involved dish towels! HA HA!
Kids at school go through phases of collecting and trading stuff that is super important to them at the time. Stickers were a big thing for my daughter, for my son it was mechanical pencils...I have no idea why. Someone starts it and everyone jumps on board. It's part of the social dynamics. In the book Little Women, Amy needs to bring limes to school to give to her girl freinds, because they had given some to her, and it was important enough for her to borrow money from Meg to get them. That always stuck with me becasue I thought "nothing has changed".
Yes, it's only a package of stickers, however, it is still a scam chain letter. The person who started the list will get several packages of stickers and the new kids will most likely get none.
A scam would require malicious intent by the original sender. Is everybody here so jaded that they think an 8 year old girl is a sticker scam artist? Assuming the pool of girls is large enough that they aren't all sending the letters to each other, no one stands a better chance at getting stickers than another.
Do we really not have enough in this world to legitimately get upset about that we need to worry about girls sending stickers to one another?
At least its stickers. One time my son got a book in the mail. I was pissed. I was requested to send a book to the child that sent us one and another child so the madness could continue. So what I did was send a book back to the person that send us one and said politely to leave me out of it. Ya, Im a buzz kill but I didn't want to get caught up the crap.
Yes, while I understand everyone's perspective of "geesh, it's just stickers", I still find it a bit troubling that parents who allow their kids to participate are, in essence, teaching their kids how to scam their friends.
I don't see how this is a scam - it's a sticker exchange. I did the same thing with friends a few months ago, with emailed recipes. It was neat! I sent one recipe, and got 5 back.
Depending on the kid, this does sound positive and productive - and fun! Unless your kid doesn't care for stickers.
Explain the "scam" part to me. I'm not seeing it. Unless every kid participating was asked to send stickers to every previous person on the list, it's not any kind of ponzi or pyramid scheme. She sends one pack of stickers, and potentially gets six back. Cool!
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