Ain't the Harper Valley PTO

I have 4 kids in elementary school and while I have volunteered at the school over the years in various capacities, I have avoided joining the PTO. I realize a good PTO takes effort and it's important to the school, but what if the PTO just truly sucks? Then what?

We received a letter from the PTO head saying out of 750 families, only 20 families actively participate in the PTO helping to put on the various fundraisers, staff appreciation activities and the annual book fair. Now to some, your first thought is "Wow...talk about non dedicated parents!" My thought? "Gee, if only 20 people participate do you think it just might be that you the head of the PTO are a control freak beeyatch and no one wants to work with you???" Uhm...ya, truly, that IS why.

Got me thinking on how the PTO seems to no longer be an organization that truly fosters relationships between Parents and Teachers, or do things that really make a difference for the school but rather a way for some to just use it as a way to look good. "I'm on the PTO and I did xx, and xx, and xx, now pat me on the back cuz I rock!" Ya, whatever. You rock because you wrote a 2 page letter saying how hard you work and have nothing to show for it? Rock on then...rock til you drop. Me? I'll be showing my appreciation for the staff that truly work with my kids and make a difference in their lives. I'll be working on those individual relationships to show they aren't just a number on the staff and get their half dead carnation on their desk with a note saying "Thanks for all your help this year". I'll write a personal thank you note to the secretary who calls me saying my son fell down and is okay, but just needed to hear my voice. I'll also write a note to my son's reading teacher thanking her for finding the key to teaching him how to read. I'll have my children thank their teachers or other staff members personally so that person really knows their work is appreciated.

Perhaps if you want more participation from others, you might consider listening to their ideas and suggestions instead of assigning them to a lame project of say cutting paper. Maybe instead of writing another 2 page letter on how we all suck and you rock, and "if people don't want to fundraise then we might need to consider charging $25 per student in order to buy the new computers", you actually put forth a fundraiser people can participate in. Which brings me back to the first point...LISTEN to other's ideas. Like I don't know...the woman who suggested doing an old fashioned ice cream social or cake walk. But no, your reply to her was "That's too much work and cakes don't raise money". Hmm...maybe not as much money as you might hope for but wouldn't it be fun? Wouldn't it help foster relationships and create a sense of community?

Look, if you want to chair the PTO, good for you...it does take work and effort. But if you can't see through out history of businesses, organizations and society in general that it takes more than one person to make a difference, then I think you need to take your dead carnation, shove it where the sun don't shine and step down.

Non Mom Mom

Yep, that's me...according to the world of NBC. I'm a Non Mom Mom. You don't give birth to your child, you are a Non Mom Mom. Not only that, but you are put in the same category as a foster parent, orphanage worker or say a relative raising their niece, nephew, godson, grandchild. Huh. So I don't get to be mom...just some woman raising a child. Obviously NBC didn't stop by my house before coming up with this title because I promise you, had they bothered, they'd have heard nothing but the following...

Mom! He wiped his booger on me!
Mom! I can't find my pink shoes!
Mom! Where's my homework?
Mom, I swear I didn't do anything but the toaster is on fire!
MOM! I need a shoebox, gold glitter and 10 bucks for a school project today and I forgot to tell you so can you go get it and bring it to me at school?
BUT MOOOMMMM!
I love you mom...

Whew! Thank goodness I get my title from the only people it matters. My kids. Or is that my "Non Kid Kids"? I thank NBC though for their attempt at labeling me and giving me my blog name. I'm C, the "no Va Jay Jay Mom", welcome to my world...