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

In my experience:

There are some PTA members who are a bit cliquey/stand-offish. Most are very hard working and lovely. This is obviously going to vary from school to school.

Some parents can't be arsed or are too busy to join the PTA. Fair enough - it's not compulsory. They are usually grateful to the PTA organisers; the odd moaner gives the rest a bad name.

In my opinion:

If a PTA member is helping with the nativity, then it's fair do's that they get a reserved seat somewhere.

If they're not helping, then it should be first come, first served.

Nobody's kid should get to be Mary/Joseph/narrator because their parents are more involved in the school.

Parents' races at sports day should be banned.

The policeman was right to stop the nativity because the parents parked selfishly.

Have my first ever **

YABVU - do you know how much work it is to be on the PTA. They may not help with the play in particular but they do an awful lot of work throughout the year.

I have been on various committees and when organising the school plays the 1st two rows are reserved for committee (if children attend the school). I think it is a nice thing to do for those parents that give up many hours of their time for free.

BTW I never had a seat reserved as I would be playing the piano for the concerts so never really got to watch anyway.

The PTA at DS1's school is amazing and are lovely genuine people that want to help a small village school raise money.

I think you are VVU about what you say about the PTAs and I agree with Doris. We have just had to complete run the school fair as the teacher running was taken very ill a few days before. The PTA mums plus only one or two others were at the school from and till all hours to make sure it went ahead. We missed our DCs singing in the choir as we were running stalls etc and hardly any other parents offered to help and still people like the OP were moaning about this and that as always even though they can't be bothered to help. £400 raised in 90 mins - not a bad effort!

Wow I am actually quite cross!

Should have said - the reserved seats are generally due ot the fact these parents are working up till the second the play starts so would not actually get a seat at all due to them offering up their time to help!

I think you should just resign if it's making you that sad and angry MrsM.

The PTA you get does depend on the school and its catchment. My friend's local primary school has an alpha-girl type PTA, and I'd run a mile from that if it weren't for the fact they wouldn't even acknowledge I was there. The parents at the school DS attends are a lot less precious about themselves, but the PTA still gets its fair share of whingers even though there are no perks whatsobleedinever. Like Doris says, you actually miss out on taking part in the events you've organised with your DC because you're busy pouring drinks or selling tickets.
A number of our PTA members use up annual leave to run fundraising events. Entirely their own choice, but do you really think they deserve bitchy comments about what repellent 'types' they are?

MardyBra did you not read my post properly - its the OP's (and others on here) attitude that is making me cross not me actually helping out.

The reason some of us parents help out is because we want to not for thanks or gratitude from others as believe me you don't always get it anyway. Most be are very grateful but it is the odd few that ruin it. It is very rewarding when an event goes well and lots of money is raised.

I think it is the bitchy comments like Beacon mentioned is what has made me 'sad and angry'. It is our choice but if people can't be arsed to help as well or are genuinely too busy etc which is of course fine then I for one don't have an issue with that but I do have an issue with the nasty comments!

I have never actually had a perk from giving up my time voluntarily other than the fact that I love it and is very rewarding in non-materialistic ways! I have used up my annual leave often, spent a lot of money and given up lots of my spare time which is my choice - not sure where the perks are though other than potentially a seat near the front to watch the DCs.

I've not referred to a 'type'. My descriptions relate to my experience on the only PTA that I have come across and the women were repellent.

I joined for two years along with a couple of friends, did all the hands on jobs and nearly all the events where we actually had to spend time with the children. The vile hair flickers would turn up for sports day or plays or any time there might be a press photographer. They were never inclusive. They had private meetings where they allocated the jobs and then told us what we had to do. There was no discussion, no opportunity to put ideas forward and no thanks.

We resigned, knowing full well that it would have a negative impact on the things that the children enjoyed which was a shame but none of us were prepared to be treated the way we were any longer. The PTA eventually crumbled. I don't know if it's reformed as we're at secondary school stage now where there is no opportunity at all for the sort of behaviour we experienced. It left a very bitter taste.

I haven't read the thread but wanted to let the OP know that a number of front-row seats are allocated to our PTA as a thank-you for their work throughout the year, and to make up for all of the other events they missed because they were doing PTA stuff (manning stalls at the Summer Fair, selling drinks on sports day). I'm sure it's already been said, but anyone who thinks that being on the PTA is such a sweet deal should just join, I'm sure they'd love to have you.

Well put adeucalione

Quite right OP what bastards they are. Its horrendous what these people do, organising events DC will enjoy, setting up and clearing away said events unpaid and in their own time, raising thousands (yes thousands in our case) so the school can have great play equipment, uniforms, trips, IT equipment etc and DC can have memorable events. I do hope you and your child boycott all the perks purchased by these vile creatures and never attend school fairs/discos etc . There is no hair flicking at our PTA just normal decent parents some shock even fathers and WOHMs.

Thank you adeucalione - you're spot on. I couldn't bring myself to post on this earlier - I'm so bloody fed up of the relentless PTA bashing. Yes, you dp get the precious nutters in PTAs - but then you get nutters in any group of people.

No one has to join, no one has to do more than send their child to school each morning - but if you have a child in school in the UK then you will all have indirectly benefitted from the time spent by those PTA harridans in raising money for trips/PE equipment/playground equipment/whathaveyou. You don't have to like the individuals, but please leave the concept alone.

And if they sit in the front row - really, does it matter?

Oh I see that you have to be a martyr as well, to be on the PTA.

Of corse you do, Baubles! You have to raise money all through the year- generally through sheer hard, physical work and certainly hours of your time- for other people's DCs as well as your own and you are supposed to be so busy at plays that by the time you get in you should stand at the back!
Anyone can join the PTA- instead of moaning go and take part.
I have never got over asking a woman for a cake for the cake stall and she looked at me as if I was mad- pointed to her baby and toddler and said 'how do you expect me to do that!'! I don't reply but my younger ones were the same age- I simply made one at 9pm. If you want something done ask a busy person- the rest moan about the busy people getting on and doing it.

I must admit op I did raise an eyebow the 1st time it happened. PTA at our school extremely cliquey and some reserved seats for themselves and both sets of granparents!
However, I have taken to standing at back. Although one year a grandparent seated in the middle decided to stand up halfway though. We have a lovely video of the back of his head. That was more annoying!!

'Oh I see that you have to be a martyr as well, to be on the PTA'.

Could have sworn it was you I saw preparing the stakes at the bonfire.

That was me, acksherly

You sound charming OP!

You don't have to be a martyr, being mad as a box of frogs helps though....
Thanks OP, I've been waiting for this thread!

Our PTA/Friends reminded me of the Chuggers in town. Wouldn't leave you alone or take no for a answer. Then laid the guilt on nice and thick.

Our PTA members were ranged round the edge of the room, actually, ready to plunge behind the bar and generally do Useful Stuff.

I am not on the PTA but am very fond of the rather lovely people who keep it going.

Why don't we all accept there are two types of PTA? The hierarchical and the community spirited. We dislike hierarchy intensely.... Community spirit is a good thing

Oh and martyrs. Sorry don't martyrdom as a concept. Women need to fight this

It does sound like there are definitely 2 types people on PTAs but the people still give up their time etc for free don't they.

Sounds like the OP doesn't like either though due to all the imaginery perks!!!

Ithink ptas should get the best seats as a thankyou for all their hard work throughout the year. Im not on a pta but appreciate what they do, alot of it is thankless work.

At our school parents who have helped with the nativity - to make costumers/put make up on kids/get kids ready etc - get front row seats. Often it's PTA parents who also help with Nativity rehearsals - go figure!