PTA

[Booie09]

Was thinking of joining the PTA at my child's school but there seems to of been a shuffle around and a load of the mafia mums have joined and given themselves made up titles like
Chair (same nice lady)
Vice chair (mafia mum)
Vice vice chair (mafia mum)
Marketing (mafia mum)
Book keeper (mafia mum)
Two lovely ladies (not mafia mums)
And about another 8 mafia mums (mafia mums are all friends) do I join or keep out of it and just help out on occasion?

[Awwlookatmybabyspider]

I'd keep out of it. It all seems like a big clique

[shouldwestayorshouldwego]

You should be able to go to the meetings but not officially join the committee. Why not go along say you can't commit at the moment to be vice vice vice chair because you/ dp/ etc might have a big project/ moving/ work etc but you want to be more involved while you can. You might find that the mafia aren't as bad as they seem when you know them and you are on their side. Alternatively they might be more bonkers than you thought and that project or another one desperately needs your attention!

[DonkeyOaty]

Those aren't made up position titles. There will have been an AGM to elect.

You can ask to be co opted into the committee. It is valuable work (though hard at times) Give it a whirl.

[ychafi]

The three non-mafia ladies sound like they would really value your support. Go along to a meeting to see what it’s like.

[saoirse31]

Presumably there was an AGM, and they were elected , from the no doubt small numbers who attended.

If you're going to join a committee, just like paid work, you're going to have to work with people you don't like.

Given the silly insults in your post, I'm not sure you can do that.

[MrsOverTheRoad]

Why are they "mafia" Mums though?

[arethereanyleftatall]

Join.
It's for the children, and the more helpers, the better it is for the children.

[MarklahMarklah]

Our PTA has a chair, vice chair and bookkeeper. Chair role is shared between two, and one of those does marketing.

[arethereanyleftatall]

I must admit, whenever posters try to insult people who are doing a nice thing (i.e. Giving up their time to help others), it isn't a good look.

[Witsender]

Given you give the rest of the volunteers the moniker of 'mafia' I'm not sure why you would want to? You clearly don't like them.

And those titles sound pretty standard to me?

[PoppyPopcorn]

Mafia mums, sneering and "made up titles". Right.

Hate the sneering and nastiness towards volunteers.

[SangriaInTheSun]

Oh another Pta bashing post.

I'm so very glad I give up my time to help raise funds for the school when we appear to be so hated.

Don't join, I doubt you will be missed. And incidentally, they all have perfectly standard titles for a committe.

[PoundsShillingsPence]

Made up titles? Don't you realise they have to have an AGM an elect the commitee??
Why don't you help rather than critisise? It's a thankless job!! There is a small PTA at my dc school,with only a few people who are willing to do the shopping / cleaning / come early to set up etc
The last event we had the only people to set up, do anything and clear up afterwards were me and a teacher!! I suppose you would class me as a mafia mum too but it's easy to critisice from a comfy chair while others are doing the work that will benefit your children.

[scurryfunge]

What is a Mafia mum? Have you found a horse's head in your bed?

[InDubiousBattle]

Everything Pounds just wrote.

[greendale17]

OP you don’t sound like the type of person that should join the PTA.

[SlatternIsTrying]

Thank you Pounds for summing up the thankless task that is PTA.

I am an 'office holder' on the school PTA. I was elected. I give up time to help all the children in the school. My own children derive no perks or whatever else people think the PTA kids get.

Yet people still treat PTA as an easy target for sly digs. It's a wonder why anyone ever bothers trying to help.

[Booie09]

They were all newly elected yet they didn't turn up for a recent school disco! Because it was organised by the nice chair! Your all right will stay clear! And I did volunteer at the events.

[PoppyPopcorn]

FFS, that's the whole point of a COMMITTEE - sharing responsibility. We do this at our PTA, every event has a separate lead person who takes charge. It shares the load and means that the rest of us don't have to turn up for every sodding event with ZERO thanks from the other parents who are too busy SNEERING in the corner about "mafia mums".

[QueenOfTheAndals]

I have to say vice vice chair does sound a bit made up...

[ElizabethShaw]

What's a mafia mum? Women who are friends?

[TheSnowFairy]

I work in a school. I bloody love our PTA - funding things the budget won't touch.

Op, leave your attitude at the door and go and volunteer. It benefits your child/ren.

[2014newme]

What's a mafia mum? Are you in sicily?

[ElizabethShaw]

I assume vice chair & "vice" vice chair just means the role is split between two people - quite normal. Just means less work/responsibility per person.

[2014newme]

Yes we have two vice chairs at our party.
I admire anyone who gives up their own time to Raise money to benefit all the kids in the school. Bravo.