Would you join the PTA??????

[sweetheart]

My dd started school a few weeks ago and the PTA are desperatly looking for new members.

I work full time as well as go to college and try to spend as much time with my dd as possible. It though that getting invovled in something like the PTA would help me feel less guilty about the time I spend apart from my dd and that she would be happy to see me getting involved with her school.

On the other hand, I don't want to take more time away from her by being busy organising events etc.

So back to my question, would you join the PTA???

[binker]

Yes, but don't feel that you have to do everything - ds is at a primary school with a Friends of thing, which is really a PTA - it organises fund raiding things,school fairs,raffles,cakes sales etc - however, most of the work seems to fall on the same few willing people (so beware!) - sometimes it's hard to say no. I work freelance, so can be quite flexible, but if you are working and going to college,then I'm sure they would understand that your time is precious ! It is a good way to become part of the school and I would recommend it, but do say NO if it gets too much !

[binker]

That Friends of thing bit doesn't make sense - sorry ! What I meant was, the PTA is called a Friends of xxxxxx(school's name) - probably to make it sound less formal than PTA - but it's the same thing !

[Thomcat]

Yes I would.
Don't know how I'd manage it all but yes would try and find time to be as involved as possible.

[soapbox]

Yuck no- not my thing at all! Hate committees and the endless navel gazing that goes on. I'm too much of a 'just do it FGS' type of person

[littlemissbossy]

NOOOOOO!
There's more politics involved in being on our PTA than there is on the Parish Council

[bundle]

wouldn't it just be mostly evenings though? i am on the committee at dd1 and dd2's nursery and it's one meeting every 6 weeks, plus a bit of admin, when i can take both of them in for an extra free day. it gives you satisfaction knowing you have a say in what the place does.

[codswallop]

nonone ever wants to join and us ehte clique argument to back themselves up
they dont stop their kids from using hte equipmnet bought though!
I am a governonr and it drives me NUTS how lazy people are

[codswallop]

oh and then women say " well I work"
as if we dont "!!
grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr

[sweetheart]

Oh crikey - really conflicting advice (and thats what I was worried about)

I'm not the sort of person that would be on the PTA for popularity and I'd have a hard time with anyone that was.

I would be doing it for the benefit of the school (had previously thought about running for a governor position but decided this WAS too much work)I just don't want my dd to miss out.

[codswallop]

do it
d o soemthing!
the case is that you re really looked upon by the school a s a reliable mother when you help out and it does make a differnece

[sweetheart]

sorry codswallop, didn't want to offend anyone.

When I said I work I meant I am restricted by office hours and regulations. Ie I can't organise things during 9am-5pm, it would dig into my home time which would be better spent with dd.

I'd like to say i'm not lazy - I just miss my dd terribly during the day and enjoy spending time with her as much as possible.

[codswallop]

No i didnt mean YOU!
I am impressed you are considering it
I am ranting at all the mums who dont do it

[codswallop]

its all evenings aor weekends IME

[polly28]

yes -please join.
Even if you just do a few years,they won't expect you to do more than you can handle.Sometimes you can just put your mname down to be a helper at certain functions ie,summer /xmas fairs.

It's a great way to get to know the school/parents aand teachers.
I think too many people leave it to the same core of people to do everything.Everyone should try and get invovled in some way no matter how small.that includes dads too!

I sound a tad militant but its from years of doing my bit whil I watch other parents doing bugger all and moaning about the PTA because the xmas fair was too early or something.If you want to keep the school fun for the kids and raise much needed money then offer your help.You won't regret it.

[sweetheart]

OK cods,

think our wires may have got a bit crossed. I'll go along to the meeting and see whats available. There are positions for Chair, Secretary and Treasurer but they are also looking for helper so maybe I could do that.

[codswallop]

sec is quite easy from what I gather( andmaybe you cuold do it at work)

[codswallop]

is the meeting tonight at 7 30?

[sweetheart]

no the meeting isn't tonight, it's not until October.

I quite fancy Tresurer as I work in finance but I'll have to see what everything involves

[bundle]

sweetheart, they will love you if you say you'll be treasurer, we've just spent a few nail-biting months looking for one, as our current one is moving house. all the hard stuff gets done by our auditors, but treasurer's input is vital. go for it!

[iota]

I second what polly28 saysv - you don't have to volunteer to be on the committee, you can just help out with events such as making cakes, running a stall at the Xmas faire for an hour etc.

I'm involved in both the nursery and the school PTA and we always need more helpers

[roisin]

Go along and see what it's like sweetheart. I was very keen to get involved with our PTA, but it turned out our PTA was the worst possible in so many ways. In the end I found even receiving a copy of the minutes wound be up to exploding point (I kid you not!)

So we have made a deliberate decision to financially support the PTA and the school as much as possible, but to give our time in other ways. Dh is a very active governor, and I go into school a lot to listen to readers and generally help out when required.

[mears]

I would say yes and see how it goes. I did it for almost 12 years and my kids did like to see me there. The down side unfortunately is that very few parents do join so it can be really frustrating when you cannot just send your child to a disco because you are on duty at it. Other parents are happy for events for their children to enjoy but don't help at all. I think I went too long and got bitter about it. Our PTA decorated the hall at Christmas and hardly any parents help. I think if more parents helped then I woulsd not have got so angry about it all.

I feel guilty because I have steered clear of the PTA at the secondary school my kids go to. Should make an effort.

Mixed message post this is

[Marina]

Eek, I was going to say "don't be Treasurer" unless you are very comfortable around figures (can you guess I am not).
I would definitely join Sweetheart - for a selfish reason, because if you are not doing daily school gates it gives you useful extra school contacts; and for the excellent altruistic reason that a PTA helps everyone in the School and relies on the goodness of volunteers.
I am also subject to workplace restrictions but would still volunteer when a vacancy arises at DS' school. But then I'm a PCC/Tedious Events Committee veteran

[Kayleigh]

sweetheart, I am on Our "Friends of XXX" committee at the primary ds attends. I joined when he was in reception and now he is in year 2. I tend to be able to do less than some of the SAH mums on the committee, especially the day-time stuff, as I work 3 days a week. But they are very grateful for my input and I have been nominated as vice-chair this year.

I tend to do things like phoning around getting quotes, writing letters to go in book bags etc - stuff I can do in my lunch hour or at home in the eves. I can also do a fair amount of photocopying at work for which they are grateful as it saves on school resources.

Please go to the AGM and start by becoming a helper. I am sure you will enjoy it. Probably make some good friends and you will feel like you are doing something very worthwhile.

My ds loves me being involved at the school, helping at events etc. He moves schools next year but i will still be involved for another 3 years as ds2 starts next september.

You absolutely have the right attitude for this. You want to do it to help the school. And that is so important.

Let us know how you get on.

[JJ]

My son is at a small school and was in the first class there, so a friend and I started ours, although it's a PA and doesn't involve the teachers (except socially!). Any help is always welcome and even people just bringing cakes to bake sales, helping with clean up after a party, etc is very appreciated. It's amazing to me that the people most critical of the PA activities are the ones who refuse to help (this is in our school, I mean!). argghggghghh

Just go to the meeting, see what you can do to help and do what you can. Be prepared to say a firm "No" to things you can't do, though!