AIBU to ask for your PTA stories? The good, the bad and the ugly...

[TheCookiesCrumbled]

....just that, spill ladies! Do I get involved? Or do I invest my time elsewhere....?

Are you part of the in clique, or will you be lumbered with the clearing up after they've all gone ?

That said, schools are like any other organisations that need volunteers. Some knuckle down and get on with it, some organise, some just do a lot of talking

I am really grateful to ours. They raise money which benefits my children. I am a helper outer though rather than a member although I was a member in the past. It's generally fun and worthwhile.

Ours are lovely - not cliquey at all, work very hard and very friendly.

I am a behind the scenes member as can't usually make meetings but do a lot of admin / raffle begging etc and help out at discos / fetes.

I 'joined' when DS started reception and it was a great way to become a part of the school / community and meet people.

I dunno, are you a journalist?

I find that people are very happy to slag off the PTA but don't generally want to do any of the work themselves. I think my kids' school one is brilliant. Full of clever, dynamic parents (mums) with original ideas.

Ours is awesome and works very hard. The mums are lovely too,but I'm not particularly close to them. Our class rep is awful though for guilt tripping and emotional blackmail volunteer "recruiting".

I mean ,most times I can't even make it to see/be with DD at whatever event they're running,much less be there 1 hour before and help with the set up and running of it.

Our PTFA is great. Lots of parents with different skills and personalities. Doesn’t seem cliquey to me, not that I’ve noticed anyway.

Thanks all - defo not a journalist (relatively new to mumsnet, so should I make the reference fuck the daily mail?!)

Appreciate all your replies, I guess I'm in a,position where I've a,ready commited, and am committed, to dedicating time and effort, however, there is a PTA group on socio media that I seem to be being refused entry to...I guess I don't take it personally? Bit demotivating, all the same....

I'd never slag anybody off, I've volunteered for things before, you have to do it for yourself, as much as the cause, but it is all feeling rather cliquey....whilst not wishing to detract from things, but still...

OK sorry I asked then, can't move for the fuckers these days.

Are you sure it's not just that nobody much updates/administrates the PTA group? In your position I would commit to going to at least one meeting but definitely allow yourself to sack it off if it feels cliquey! I know it can. But if you can join and recruit fresh blood at the same time you may be able to dilute the clique anyway.

I love being part of the PTA at my school, we moved there from another school and it really helped me to make some really good friends and get to know people. I’ve also got to know the teachers and head really well, which can work in my favour when I need to go in to speak to them about my own kids. The big downside is the “little red hen” attitude of so many of the parents. “Yes we want our children to have discos and a lovely playground, but no we won’t spare half an hour to help and we will complain very loudly if we are asked to contribute in anyway” (I get that not all parents are in a position to help/contribute but everything is done by about 7 people from a school with 300+ families)

Ours are lovely. I thoroughly appreciate all they do.
If you have the time, please do it.

It gets really frustrating when people who never offer to help tell you how to do everything. BUT it’s a great way to get to the know the school well, the children are probably the most appreciative and often tell you so (makes your heart melt a little!) and everyone loves the new equipment/discos/Easter egg hunts etc.

OP try not to worry about the fb thing. As a chair, I’ve spent my summer trying hard not to think about PTA. The person running your PTA’s fb page might be just enjoying the no-pta chat until next week when it all starts again :)

My son's school PTA is lovely. Very friendly bunch, even though I've not been in much of a position to help out yet.
My youngest starts full time this year so I might be able to do more.

A friend of mine wasn't so lucky. She did help out for a while, but found herself in a position where she had to stop for a while. The whole PTA have blanked her from then on.

Thanks all for your replies - I guess I'll just go along to the meetings and get the feel of it from there - good point about them maybe wanting a break from everything and not wanting to do anything PTA related until the schools are back @lola006

@CigarsofthePharoahs this is what I'm kind of worried about, dipping my toe in the water and then deciding it may not be for me, just to get on with it I suppose.

I naively asked at the parent meeting why there is a PTA at my son's nursery at all (fully private, not even offering sponsored 15 hours).
Surely if you, as a business, want to update the playground or buy books and cannot afford it (and it is a part of your business proposition), you just raise the fees?
Was slaughtered by other outraged mums who wanted to do a bake sale. I am probably just cold-hearted, and a lousy baker.

So I've still not been added to the group, but I've heard on the grapevine that a couple of people on their committee think only committee members should be on it and not just volunteers, not been at a meeting yet but not going to let it deter me, I'll go along to one and see how it is.
Could be interesting!