Why do PTA parents get to reserve the best friffing seats at the school plays HMMMM?

[BaublesAndCuntingCarolSingers]

Seriously, pack it in.

I know you do good for the school yadda yadda but it DOES rather cheese one orf when one has being waiting for 30 minutes outside school to get a decent seat and then one finds that PTA wimmin have reserved all the good seats for them and their DHs/children's siblings. Then said PTA wimmin waft in 2 minutes before the performance starts.

You want a good seat then put the work in, m'kay? Kfanx. xxx

mrsmelon I made a factual statement the PTA are housewives,they do fret over raffle tickets
nothing nasty in what I said,it's how it is
they don't work,the PTA meetings are daytime,it's not accommodating to workers

At your child's school, perhaps, but not at mine. As I said upthread we all worked full time in a variety of professions and meetings were in the evenings to accommodate this. Meetings were short and to the point as we were all busy people.

I'm in the PTA (treasurer for 2 years because no-one else will do it), I don't help with the school play but this year it was the same day as the school fair so I sold tickets in the playground before drop off, then went out to the school pavilion to carry all last years christmas stuff from the muddy field into the school. Then I joined at the back of the queue for DS's last nativity play and got a shit seat because I'd been busy sorting out Xmas fair stuff. Then I went to the bank to get float for all the stalls, grabbed a quick lunch then baked a cake (for the xmas fair) then back into school to set up "my" stall which was adult drinks and food at 3pm. Stayed there until an hour after fair closed, clearing up and collecting money in from stall holders (my DS had to stay with me as I'm a single parent). That was my day off work this week.

I'm yet to count up and bag all the money which will have to be done tonight.

I don't really mind too much queueing (although it would be nice if just once someone said - can I save you a seat whilst you're doing that....), I do however bloody object to someone describing me as an "officious busybody".

Incredibly rude.

Next year some other bloody mug can do it.

And we don't arrange Xmas and summer fair and cinema nights because we love it or even becuase it raises much needed money for the school but because the children love it.

Bah humbug!

scottishmummy - we tried morning meetings, evening meeting afternoon meetings. And the same people turn up regardless - just less often if they are working and they are in the day time. Email is a marvellous way to organise things if you're working - its all the rage these days I hear.

Don't think there are any housewives on our PTA, hardly any in our school in fact.

I need a 'like' button for that Kew.

When we did a cinema night after school many parents gleefully dumped their children for a cheap 2 hours of extra child care - no mention of officious busibodies then

We even did a telephone conference call one evening courtesy of the Chair as she worked in banking.

what's your point other than feeling a martyr who manned a stall?
as you said if you don't likey don't do it again.no one makes you do it
I think a better idea is the financial give.spreadsheet projection of amount needed

Ours doesn't, I actually think it's a good idea if it did. Maybe then there wouldn't be only few of us all year putting together all the events/activities for EVERYONE to enjoy. And we meet in the evenings (from 7.30 pm)/put in our weekends/own time as we all work.

Well I like our PTA. I'm not one for going to meetings but I will happily run a stall at the xmas fair, bake a cake, sell some raffle tickets if asked. And they always say thank you and are generally very nice and helpful- so if they want the front row seats I say they deserve it!

"So do all you PTA haters object to your children using any school equipment funded by your PTA or refuse to let your children go on PTA subsidised school trips?" The PTA don't donate the money out of their own salaries, you know? All monies raised comes from the parents so no, I don't stop my child from using them.
You're a bit aggressive OTT on this thread OP but I agree with you entirely on this. The PTA members at DD's school are so sneery about 'lack of help' and the fact that some people 'never contribute' when organising functions but guess what? I have no time to bake because I'm out earning the money I spend at their bldy Christmas fairs. I am helping fund the PTA.

But now Kew you are being a bit scathing about parents dumping their children for childcare for something you organised. Didn't you want anyone to go? I am getting confused with it all TBH.

Seems the PTA don't think much of the parents in some cases.

When we did a cinema night after school many parents gleefully dumped their children for a cheap 2 hours of extra child care - no mention of officious busybodies then Did the parents pay? If so, there was their contribution.

At DD's primary school the school play was nothing to do with the PTA, just the teachers and children.

I was PTA secretary and usually ended up sitting at the back because I never got there as early as other parents.

It's the PTA martyrdom that gets me, some hilarious examples on this page.

It sounds like you are damned if you do damned if you don't!

it's the martyred we do sooo much,clear inference everyone else is useless yes I'd happily money,they just got to produce some projections
it would be straightforward,easy arranged and eliminate the personal politics

I just wish some PTA members realised that whilst they (at times bitterly) give up their time, others contribute by attending their events and spending money.

I think you are right Glaikit.

Agreed...but if the PTA person in question has come in to help and is running round doing bits then surely she can at least bag a chair no?

Not been to a school play etc in a while and certainly didn't get front seats at the last one I helped at. Did stick my coat on a side chair though so I could at least ensure I got a seat.

And another good reason for helping in a practical way this time of year is you avoid queuing up outside in the cold ....not that I have any ulterior motive for my volunteering

I've been involved in several PTAs and NEVER known them to reserve seats.

But agree that if they are helping (on the door/refreshments) then those that can't get to a seat, should have the chance to reserve one if the school agree. Personally, I've always just come in at the back and often not had a seat at all....

quite prepared to give up my time and do it willingly and as I never mention a word of anything I've said to another parent and wouldn't dream of doing so. I don't even think it until someone starts describing me (or others like me) as an "officious busybody" because its bloody rude.

I produce all the spreadsheets the PTA ask for including an analysis of each event, stall by stall, which ones weren't worth the effort running again and which ones worked well. We have dropped whole events because they weren't worth the energy that went into organising them. I'm not sure I understand your point about spreadsheets.

I totally understand that some parents either don't want to or can't get involved in organising (though tbh if you can turn up to a school fair with your child then you can give 30 mins to man a stall). And yes off course we need parents to spend money not just organised (I'm a parent, I* spent money on bloody plastic tat too at these things).

My point is two fold:

1 - If every one decided "ah fuck it I'll just give £20" then nothing would happen and the children generally enjoy the events put on, even if their killjoy parents don;t.
2 - I am not making the point that Other Parents are crap and PTA Parents are brill. I am reacting to the point on this thread (and many many others) that the PTA are little hitlers who should shut up and but out.

Maybe I'm feeling a bit bitter as I'm wondering if some of you are parents at my school and you are wishing that I really hadn't bothered with the school fair.

Oh and I didn't mean to sound scathing about the cinema night - it was a very successful fundraising evening which the kids and the parents who all paid loved. I was wondering aloud if those of you who would have used it would have been moaning about the PTA then?

you're describing a hard to organize,reluctant participants,stalls not make money
asking for cash would be more efficient,less personal politics and raise money
project costs of what you need,the wish list.work out donation and ask for it