As parents, most of our plates are not only full but overflowing; our schedules are so tight they’re cutting off blood flow and our to-do lists are endless. The last thing any of us truly wants to do is commit to another project, group, or organization.
But there’s one area where we shouldn’t be cutting corners or making excuses, and that’s volunteering at our child’s school. The ongoing social, academic and emotional success of our kids relies heavily on the amazing network of parents and guardians.
You might think you don’t have anything to offer, or that someone else is better fit to volunteer their time. But passing the buck is exactly why so many volunteers end up burned out; it’s always the same five people going to the meetings, planning the events, executing the fundraisers, counting the money, and cleaning up other people’s messes. If you’re a parent or a guardian, and your child goes to school, you have an obligation to find a way to volunteer.Now, before you show up on my doorstep with your pitchforks in hand, I’m going to let you in on a little secret: volunteering doesn’t have to be painful.
Here are five reasons why should get involved (and how to do it without getting overwhelmed).
It takes a village: As the saying goes, “It takes a village to raise a child,” and the same is true for creating and maintaining a positive and nurturing school environment for an entire student body. While teachers and administrators are responsible for providing enriching academics and professional support, school is much more than just a place where worksheets are distributed and graded. Building a tight knit community of volunteers who dedicate their time and resources to building a solid foundation of support creates a lasting impression on staff and students alike. But planning events, organizing fundraisers, donating time and energy to cleaning up and beautifying the campus, and using professional and personal connections to benefit the school takes some serious manpower. Your child’s school is the village and you, my friend, are a villager, so get to work.
A little goes a long way: Maybe you work full time. The big mistake here is thinking volunteering has to be an “all or nothing,” thing. It doesn’t. When it comes to helping out, a little can really go a long way. Spending once a week or even once a month making copies, distributing fliers, sending out emails, or painting posters takes the edge off of someone else who’s probably already doing more than their fair share. So check your calendar and figure out how much time you can really devote to volunteer work, then make a commitment and stick to it.
Everyone has something to offer: I get it – you can’t bake your way out of a paper bag. Or maybe you have the social skills of an aardvark. Volunteer work at your child’s school can certainly seem daunting if you buy into the idea that you have to be Martha Stewart or have the personality of a politician to contribute anything of worth. But volunteering is so much more than decorating the perfect holiday cupcakes or greeting parents during school events. There’s a lot of behind-the-scenes work to be done that doesn’t require anything other than a true willingness to give your time and energy. Everyone is good at something which means everyone has something to offer. Library books are just begging to be organized in school libraries across the county, fundraising ideas are just waiting to be discovered and implemented, and emails about upcoming meetings are dying to be typed out and sent. What are you good at? How can you apply your skills and passions to our Hubert Humphrey community? In other words, don’t sign up as the PTSA treasurer if you barely passed 10th grade Algebra — The trick is to find your niche and apply it to volunteer work accordingly.Your child will benefit: Some parents take for granted that their child continues to benefit from the hard work of others. School is so much more than just drop-off and pick-up, yet a large percentage of moms and dads regard the place where their child spends the majority of their childhood as nothing more than an overcrowded babysitting agency. The majority of assemblies, teacher wish list items, book fairs and special events are organized and implemented by volunteers who believe your child is worth the extra effort. Helping to oversee some of these programs and projects will give your child a more meaningful school experience — and that should be motivation enough for anyone.