it was an awesome event!

•••

School volunteering in snoburbia: This is where former lawyers, journalists and Ivy graduates who are stay-at-home moms fight for the plum jobs that will win them reverence and thank yous from other former lawyers, journalists and Ivy graduates who are stay-at-home moms.

The desirability of any volunteer job in snoburbia is directly proportional to the amount of kudos the previous volunteer received on the PTA listserv. Desirable job: teacher appreciation breakfast chair. Desirable job: holiday bazaar chair.  Desirable job: fun fair chair. Not so much: classroom volunteer. Not so much: room parent.

I was a room parent for ten years in a row at my children's elementary school, organizing classroom Halloween and Valentine's parties, and organizing the teacher gift* at year end. I tried to be holiday bazaar chair but didn't have the credentials.

•••

* This consists of getting people who have more money than you to pony up $10, that they promise you they'll give you "tomorrow." So you buy the $200 gift certificate, the teacher thanks you, and then after a few emails to the scofflaws, you give up and eat about $80 in expenses.

Comments

[Doris]

Classroom volunteer and room parent may not be "desirable," but I found both of them to be extremely rewarding, as did my years as library volunteer. Of course here in Outer Snoburbia we don't have quite so many "former lawyers, journalists, and Ivy graduates." Penn State, University of Indiana, University of Maryland, perhaps.

[nikki]

Interesting. My kid goes to a co-op, where the parents must be a classroom volunteer plus hold one additional job for the school. I chose to work in the sibling nursey, because BABIES! Lots of squishy cheeked babies! A lot of the parents find out where I work and are like, "better you than me." *shrugs* I like it....separation anxiety and all.

[Cold as the Rockies]

Very Funny!

[kate]

funny! I have chosen rather unglamorous jobs with the PTA. I have collected money for coaches, and am always surprised at how hard it is to squeeze out some $$ for a coach, especially from people who have vacation homes and luxury cars.

[gronup]

I was a room mother for many years and had the same experience with deadbeat parents and paying for the teacher gift and parties out my pocket. I learned you needed an income to take on volunteer work. Kids loved you though.

[Charlene]

Gronup: That was my favorite part - getting to know the kids. Now some of them are in high school and college, and they still call out and say "hi" when they see me.

[Broomhilda]

In reference to your difficulties in collecting money owed, that's called living in the "promised land". Where people promise to pay you next week.....