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I want to know…how do you feel about volunteering at your children’s school? Are you one of those moms who signs up for everything or do you screen your calls and let the answering machine pick up when the room mother calls for help?
In my latest Momversation video with Daphne from CoolMom.com and Shannon from WhiskeyInMySippyCup.com and I discuss how we feel about volunteering.
So, are you one of the 85% or one of the 15%, or somewhere in the middle like me?
Join the Momversation and let us know.
Written by Janice Croze, co-founder of 5 Minutes for Mom.
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Funbrain says
HI,
Thanks For Helpful Information
Barb says
I love volunteering at my children’s school! I’ve gotten to know the teachers, the principal, and the other moms much better and much faster than if introverted me had stayed home.
Volunteering is definitely a challege. I think I did a bit too much last year, and cut back this year, though I am Homeroom mom for Kindergarten which is a big job. I’m still finding the best fit for my time. I’m finding that a combination of helping with lunch duty, being a homeroom mom, and helping with one fundraiser works pretty well. It also helps that I’m 5 minutes from school so each trip doesn’t take very long.
Stephanie Bishop says
I haven enjoyed volunteering at my children’s school and recently wrote about attending Field Trips sponsored by the school!
http://www.theanimalshaveescaped.com/2011/09/field-trips.html
Brae says
I think I would say I am in the middle. I live in a little ol’ town and for 4 years now, I have sacrificed my time to take my kids an hour to school and an hour home. Then, last year, my oldest daughter wen to kindergarten.
Like a good parent who is involved and all that, I went every single week and volunteered for two hours in her class room. I was also there for every party and every award ceremony and for their programs. I took my daughter to the school’s choir practice 3 times a week at 7am.
I was pregnant. I volunteered right up until I had my baby in January, then, 3 weeks later, I started going again. This was fine because, while I had 3 other kids at home, my husband had mornings off. He worked nights. then, over the summer, some financial problems happened and now my husband has 2 jobs. He works all day and all night at jobs out of our town, and comes home on saturday nights after midnight and leaves monday morning at 4 am.
So, now, though my son is in kindergarten and my older daughter is in 1st grade, I don’t volunteer. I tried at first, but I had to bring my other two chidlren who are at home, and it’s hard because, while I tried to help in the class room, my 3 year old was bored, and tried to play with toys, and that was fine, the teacher (who also taught my older daughter) is wonderful and knows me well and had 8 kids of her own, thought she was wonderful. But my BABY, well, volunteer time is right over his nap time. So, he would either have to be bounced and held while he screamed and cried, or he had to sit in his stroller and cry – he isn’t big enough (just over 1 year now) to entertain himself while he’s hungry and tired.
And then, of course, on top of all that, I drive my kids to their drum/guitar/cello lessons, and I have things I do for my church every sunday and every wednesday, and I have housework and laundry and 3 meals and 2 snacks a day that I have to do ALL on my own. I’m not a single parent, but I might as well be- and everywhere I go, I have to drag 4 kids with me because my husband isn’t able to come home every night. I read with all 3 of my kids who are in school every night and they do their homework every night, and I am involved there.
I am definitely not one of those parents who thinks- send my kids off to school, it’s done, I doon’t have to do anything. I am involved in their schooling and education very heavily, with all the reading and writing and computer programs they have to do and all that. I just feel like involving myself in their school would hurt my family now more than it would help it. And really, when it comes down to it, if a person has time to go and volunteer, it’s wonderful and appreciated, but my place is in my home, helping MY children. Not, if it’s going to harm more than hurt, other people’s kids.
It didn’t work. So I dont’ go. I feel guilty, because I feel like my son doesn’t get the benefit of my being involved in his class room. And I feel like I’m letting the teacher down because I was so involved last year. But my baby NOT screaming his lungs out for two hours is more important to me than helping kids write the letter h 30 times in 7 minute rounds.
Dagmar ~ Dagmar's momsense says
I volunteer any chance I get – to be in my son’s classroom. 🙂 I don’t volunteer for the front desk and other things, not yet. He just started kindergarten.