To feel aggravated and harangued by schools constant demands for cake, sponsorship, help?

not implying the OP did absolutely nothing, BTW!

I do agree with some of what has been said here but if it weren't for PTA's, Committees, Friends of etc etc we wouldn't have all the lovely books & equipment that our school is able to offer to our kids.

HOWEVER....I do find we get a surge of requests at this time of year, and also at Xmas, asking for this and that - raffle prizes, tombola prizes, raffle tickets to be sold, cakes to be made, lucky dip prizes, sponsorship forms to be filled, help needed on the days of fayres, trips etc etc...and especially hard when I've got two children at school so double the amount. But if you weigh it up with the rest of the year it's not too bad - it just seems a lot at the time and not easy when, if you're like me, living within a tight budget and not able to keep dipping into our pockets!!

i too feel guilty about doing absolutely nothing for the school, but i do work and i also am studying for my degree, plus am a single parent so nobody to take the kiddies off me!
i dont "expect" there to be summer and xmas fairs, TBH i wouldnt mind if these didnt happen!!

Someone who is a SAHM and perhaps short of funds should start a small business making home made cakes and costumes etc for hard pressed parents, perhaps even buying school uniform that fits (and sewing in the Cash's name tapes) and perhaps even taking them to the start rite shop for new shoes, the business could be called in loco parentis and franchised to every school around the coutry. I am a SAHM and often fail to make a cake for a cake stall at my son's school, instead I buy a cake from M&S (which I am sure someone would rather buy in any case, it even has a sell by date!) and just tell them I am short of time.

Agree about the complainers 'Gobbledigook' - think it must be the same everywhere.I also find that those families who get the most from the school seem to be those that 'give' the least ( and I don't mean money).I also don't entirely buy the ''I'm too busy because I work'' argument - I am the only one on our PTA who doesn't work outside the home. The two people who have done the most over the years both work full-time.

We have a new parent intake evening at school in June and the PTA chair gives a really short talk and we have a 'desk' where people can come and talk to us - or we mingle!

Our chair is bubbly and loud - you can't miss her! Ha ha! She's fab!

Ds is in reception, i had to hunt down (took a while with my deerstalker and pop gun) the PTA rep to offer my help for manning a stall at the school fete, it hadn't occured to her that people wouldn't know who she was and she was desperate for help.. so pta reps I would say for the newbies, stick a note in the book bag at start of term telling people what you need as I really did want to offer but was too shy

To the OP, 9 years ? You've more than done you're bit.. pass the caketin on !

And agree with others - do what you can and don't worry about the things that you can't. Don't feel guilty!

Tbh, it's the SAHM with feck all else going on that pee me off, but then, y'know, it's up to them if they want to do stuff. There's no obligation. It just saddens me really.

And the other thing is - the other parents, that don't lift a finger, are always the ones that complain or point out negatives. It drives me nuts.

Oops, sorry x posts I think!

Plus I had a PTA meeting last night so am on rant mode

OMG, you have to be kidding me right?

I bet you don't mind your kids getting use out of all the things the PTA funds though do you?!

As a PTA committee member I get royaly pissed off with people telling me they are too busy to help (what, not even once in the whole year) - it's bollocks - if you don't want to do it then just say you don't want to do it but don't make out like you can't. If you wanted to, you'd find the time.

I've got 3 kids of 6 and under, a full-time work at home job and I still manage to do absolutely tons of PTA stuff.

I feckign hate this apathy and this attitude that someone else can just get on with it.

'Why can't the schools/PTA just bloody get on with it'

Parent Teachers Association, so as a parent you are part of it. To expect 'them' to bloody get on with it(!) would not be possible without parents. But if you feel you have done enough then why get so wound up about it? You don't have to make cakes or sponsor your child or even go to the summer fair if you don't want to. It's a choice not a demand

You Have done your bit - relax. But don't say ''why can't the PTA get on with it'' - they can only do things if there are volunteers to help. I'm on our PTA and we have gone from 14 members to only eight over this year - those of us left are having to do far more than our fair share to keep up with the expected activities. Parents expect to see a Summer Fair and a Christmas Fair aswell as other activities but are increasingly unwilling to help out.We seem to have reached a hiatus where alot of parents have got to the ''I've done my bit'' stage and step back but unfortunately the 'new' parents are not stepping forward. My child is in year 2 and when she started school 3 of us 'newbies' joined the PTA - since then no-one has joined.This often means we have to repeatedly ask for help because no-one comes forward the first time of asking.

don't beat yourself up too much! you've probably done your bit already!

BTW as mum of a 9 yr old wanting to return to work, can I ask what it is you are doing? don't answer if you feel its none of my business, just need ideas to return to work!

thanks

I'm staggered you feel so ticked off about it.

As you say you have done your bit. They are asking as they have done for years when you were able to give and now you can't.

So sit back, smile smugly and let others have their time.