From school volunteering tips to a story of sending the oldest off to junior high, you are sure to relate to today's featured "I'm Signing Up" bloggers! Read excerpts of their posts below and let us know how you will be signing up to help in school this year!
Connie Foggles of ConnieFoggles.visibli.com has SUPER tips that will make you a better school parent volunteer (and help you not lose your mind)! Read an excerpt from her post below and the entire piece here.
Volunteering at school is rewarding, but let’s be honest; it can be hard work and time consuming. As a longtime volunteer at both of my daughters’ schools, I’ve learned how to help out without losing my mind. I hope you will use these tips and either start or continue to sign up and volunteer.
- Learn to Say No – You have probably heard this a million times. Instead of just saying no, try to find someone else to do it. I keep a list of volunteers and we trade off on tasks and help each other out in emergencies.
- KISS – Keep it simple silly – often times a volunteer project is overly complex because multiple people are working on it. Help break it down to simple steps and take on one step to do on your own. Another example is instead of baking for a bake sale; ask a store to donate some goodies.
- Make a Schedule – and stick to it. You know what the best days are for you to take on extra tasks. It may be the day that you have pizza for dinner, or when both of your children stay after school for chorus. Go ahead and use your school’s signup sheets to volunteer for those days.
- Don’t Be that One Everyone Turns To – They love me, they really love me. You may think it’s a compliment, but it’s always that way when you volunteer. Usually a few people are the only ones who help out with everything. As much as you may want to do this, it’s a sure way to getting burnt out.
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Tausha Hoyt of SassyStyleRedesign.com is sending her oldest off to junior high - eek! She's heading up the PTSA this year, not just to get involved at school but to engage in her daughter's new school environment, with her and her peers. Read an excerpt of Tausha's post below and the entire piece on her blog.
So, that brings me to the question-I’m signing up to BE INVOLVED & here’s why.
As I just pointed out, Jr high can be brutal. And we all know that kids can be mean. I wanted to be involved in my 12 yr. olds first experience of Jr. high. So, I signed up to help be in charge of the PTSA. There are 3 adults that run this little group of kids. We are in charge of stomps (for those of you outside of Utah-this is a very, non-formal dance-usually in the day) making and hanging posters and other activities. The kids that are in the group are called “peer leaders.” Think school officer, minus the jacket. Anyway, my 12 yr. old is a peer leader. So, this was a perfect way for me to be involved without seeming too overbearing.
It may seem like a small and simple thing, but to me, it’s huge. I have the opportunity to see my daughter interact with her friends and see her in her school element. All without being too pushy, or one of “those moms.” She won’t admit that she likes me being there, but I know that she does. . .
This is why I am doing all that I can to be more involved with my 12 yr. old. I am hoping that I can become the “cool mom!” I realize that she might never ever admit that, and I am ok with that. I will know that she appreciates me being involved, even if she won’t tell her friends. It will be our little secret.