You know how you leave a meeting thinking, “What have I DONE!”?
Last fall I attended the last Parent Teacher meeting of the year. I wanted to congratulate the people who had done a fabulous job, and I was willing to throw my hat in for a nice simple job. Teacher Appreciation? Back to School Night? Read-A-Thon? Perfect for me.
Instead.
I had to go home and whisper to my husband:
‘Um, I’m the new PTO Vice-President’.
He didn’t seem surprised. After all we’ve been in our neighborhood for 2 years and yes, I’ve helped in my kids’ classrooms during parties and math time and reading time but managed to stay away from any leadership roles.
I guess it’s time. Only, I was imagining a ‘helping’ role… not an IN CHARGE role!
In a few weeks, my kiddos will return to school. This is the second year they will all three officially be IN school more than they’re home. And I’ll be joining them in my own way as I figure out my new job. What needs to be done exactly? How much time do I need to spend? How has it been done in the past? Who do I report to?
There are a few things I’m super passionate about and other things I’d kick out completely if it were up to me. (Good thing it’s not, eh?!)
- First on my list are fundraisers. Hate ‘em. Door to door is seriously not for me. We’re looking into a NON-fundraiser fundraiser. Where we simply ask families to donate a minimum amount per child and if we raise over a certain point, no wrapping paper/cookie dough sales will be needed. One idea we came across was the idea of a “Social,” basically a fundraising party, which is great for building community as well as raising funds.
- Next is getting my school to end the deluge of papers sent home daily. Each of my kids in elementary school receive the same set of fliers/papers/reminders EVERY day? What a waste! Both financially to the school’s paper budget and in green-think to the planet! There has to be a way to send home one set per family. And then wouldn’t it be great if we could get more families to accept a paperless/internet option for newsletters, lunch calendars, and half-day closing reminders?
- Another problem I noticed is the kids have no playground supplies for recess. I asked my 3rd grader last year why she doesn’t play kickball, or jump rope during outdoor time? Her answer: “We don’t have any ropes or big red balls.” How sad is that!? I have big plans to work on a specific funding project just for recess and PE supplies.
- One more biggie for me, is that our school’s drop-off/pick-up scene is a nightmare. It’s chaotic, it’s crowded and it’s NOT safe. There has to be a better way, and I’m sure parents have plenty of ideas.
Here’s to a back to school experience where more parents are involved and the educators are more willing to listen to their suggestions! At next year’s final meeting, I look forward to going home and whispering to my husband: “It was a great year, I loved going back to school with my kids.”
Originally posted as part of VolunteerSpot’s Views on Back to School Series. Please watch the quick video below to learn more about how You can help your school this year and how VolunteerSpot’s free online coordination tool saves time and gets more parents involved.
Plus! I’m excited to share this great contest… for YOUR kids’ Teacher!
Register at VolunteerSpot.com before October 1st, 2010 using promotion code “TeachersSave” for a chance to win $100 in free classroom supplies for the teacher of your choice from ClassWish!
Disclaimer: I was not compensated for this post.
Busy Busy Busy…
The kind of crazy busy behind the blog-scenes, you know??
Working on a little ‘Gig’ with two of my Favorite #latism Fireballs:
@AnaRC & @JulieDiazAsper
GigCoin.com is a new website in Beta and the part I get to play is in the conversation and the connection. Do I love THAT? Do I rock THAT? Oh yes I do. In fact if you are interested in joining the conversation, register for the site and let me know. I think we all want to work together on creative ‘outside-the-box’ ideas where bloggers and brands work together and have it make sense for both.
I’m a Freelance Writer.
(Trying not to snort out out my Kirkland breakfast shake, as I type that).
But it appears to be true. I connected with EverythingMom.com creator: Michelle Davies while at BlogHer and she asked if I’d write, and I said… um lemme think about it… HECK YEAH!
- See my first ahem… ‘article‘ in their upcoming Back To School Series!
What To Do When Your Kids Are In School
Starting this fall, I’ll be the head Intern Wrangler for VolunteerSpot.com!
VolunteerSpot is a free online service helping you organize your volunteers. Sort of like evite for Class Parents. Need a few ’spots’ filled for your school carnival? Send out a VolunteerSpot invite to all the mom members in your group and let them fill the ’spots’ for you! It’s easy and free to non-profits like school groups!
Here’s an article I shared on the VolunteerSpot Blog:
- My back to school experience Surprise! You’re The New PTO Vice-President!
I love me some FoodWhirl.com.
My inbox is very precious real estate. There are only a couple websites I subscribe to via email. FoodWhirl is one of them. I love their recipes and ideas and featured fabulous foodie bloggers. I love new recipes! And every so often, one of the creators: Dot of Dabbled.org (and designer of my gorgeous blog!) lets me rub my GoodNCrazy self with the uber awesome people of FoodWhirl.
In the works for Hands On Network.
I’m excited to tease a little here. I get to write about a cause I am intimately involved with. (Well… I sleep with it every night how much more intimate can you get?!) I’ll be writing about living with Diabetes. No not me. My husband has Type I, (insulin dependant) and my mother has Type II, (non-insulin dependant).
Handsonnetwork.org is the largest volunteer network in the nation and includes more than 250 HandsOn Action Centers in 16 countries. HandsOn includes a powerful network of more than 70,000 corporate, faith and nonprofit organizations that are answering the call to serve and creating meaningful change in their communities. Annually, the network delivers approximately 30 million hours of volunteer service valued at about $600 million.
I connected with them because while in New York last week I saw the ‘New York Cares’ posters all over the subways. Then I realized HandsOnNetwork.org was behind that whole campaign. Whoopi Goldberg and everything! Connect with Jessica Kirkwood @HeyJK yourself!
I freakin’ got to meet @MaryHeston of @WiredMom!
Wow, it’s been a whole year, and I’ve gotten to know Mary in various opportunities via WiredMoms.com. From the BuildABear launch of their online children’s gaming area to helping create a Mom Tweet-Up right here in my own teeny tiny town!
And Last Thing I promise…
Two recent posts in my Tween Series on BlissfullyDomestic.com.
I asked a million questions to a Volunteer Expert from LifeTuner.com. Teaching Children about money/spending and Credit Cards?!
- Part 1 and Part 2. Denise LaBuda of Money Wizdom was the fabulous volunteer Expert!
I make it a point NOT TO EDIT any photos I bring back from the AMAZING, Bluer than I can possibly prove to you, Crater Lake. These are all SOOC. I cropped them. Nothing else.
BLUE-TASTIC.
I dare you. See if you can find a bluer lake anywhere. Double Dog.
I returned home to this purple explosion after a very long summer vacation/road trip/Family Reunion. I completely missed my front yard’s shiny happy display of Peonies. And I thought I might be sad forever. Until I realized what was waiting to outshine even the show-off Peonies.
Clematis are happy in semi shade. And I’ve always wanted [...]
I’ve had all these T-riffic-Inspirational-Zippy thoughts.
I really have.
I swear I can’t find TIME to write them down. Sometimes I can’t find time to pee…
And it’s sorta kinda in that crazy daze,
when I have this whole look in the face of God moment and wonder… WHY?
What am I doing? Does anything make sense?
For example. Dishes. [...]
Are you Ready to Grow Vegetables ANYwhere? (for 25% off?)
The beauty of this system is not only that you can place it on a deck or in a corner of the yard where it’s the sunniest…but it’s also easy to water and you can move it into your garage at night if you need [...]
While my mom was in town a few weeks back we took a weekend, called it close enough to our anniversary and headed over the hill to lovely Ashland, Oregon. We stayed in possibly the cutest Bed & Breakfast I’ve ever seen! Ashland is home to arts and crafts and fairs and Southern Oregon University [...]
[More...]
Time to start packing… okay time to start thinking about packing.
I’m heading to BlogHer next week… IN NEW YORK CITY!
I’m super excited to:
Meet @ScrappinMichele, @MultiTaskingMe, @RealLifeSarah | My room-mates for this big shindig!
Run the BlogHer 5K, #TutusForTanner, I’ve been training for all of 2 weeks. If I complete the ‘race’ it will be a miracle. [...]
The CountDown is ON!
See the cute little Counter on my sidebar? It’s counting down to August 10th.WHY?
Because starting in August I will begin running my own little GoodNCrazy Store Front! How dang cool is that? In fact I REALLY need some help here… what shall I call it?
GoodNCrazy Store (sheesh… boring)
GoodNCrazy Shop (ditto)
Ye Olde GoodNCrazye [...]
I don’t text.
Wait. Zip that.
I used to NOT text. A lot.
As in, why? I have email on my phone, I can call you, voicemail you, Tweet you and send you a Facebook message.
Sometimes all at once.
Mainly I feel the need to keep my 12yrold away from the texting habit as long as I can. I [...]
Please meet my friend, Nirasha.
Of MommyNiri.com.
Mother. Lover of Cameras. Blogger.
So much like me in many ways… and yet, exploring the differences between us was one of my favorite highlights of meeting her.
It’s interesting to watch how people react in a group setting when I refuse coffee, or trade out my ‘drink ticket’ opting for soda [...]
BEFORE
AFTER
She’s only 12. And as a mother I’m required to prevent her independence at every turn right? Well, that’s what she thinks. What I really want is for her to learn about make-up in a realistic way. What I don’t want is a Mall Make-Up Zealot influencing….
Read More
Recently I was asked to write a short article about the Midas summer campaign surrounding Teen Safe Driving.
And how cool is this?
The article was published on the PTA.org BLOG!
“I can’t wait ‘til my kid DRIVES!”
I hear this regularly at various “Mom events,” from bookclub to PTA meetings to church rummage sales. And I’ve totally [...]
