Or not. That is the question. Know that as I write this post, I am in the middle of planning the 3rd grade Christmas party for next week (I am one of the two room moms) and getting together the gifts for the staff at school (I am the co-chair of the staff appreciation committee). So you know which camp I fall into. In addition to the above, I am girl scout leader for both of my girls, library helper once a week for both girls and Kindergarten morning helper every other Wednesday. In my life "BC" (before children) I was a member of the Junior League, volunteered time with Gift of Life (they raise awareness for organ and tissue donations) and coordinated the free lunch program through my church when I lived downtown.
Volunteering has been a part of my life for many years. When I had my kids, I made a conscious effort to quit my volunteer efforts so I could focus my time on my kids and volunteer my time at their school (when they became school-aged). I enjoy volunteering, but sometimes wonder if I am taking on too much (my cousin told me she was going to teach me the word "no").
A friend recently sent me an article on this very topic: parents who feel as if they spend too much of their time volunteering at their children's school. In the article, the parents decided to quit all activities. They reported that they were much less stressed and were able to be at home more, rather than at meetings for all of the various committees they were on. I have to admit, there are times when that sounds very tempting, to just say "no" and take more time for me. But, my girls are growing so quickly and I really enjoy being involved with their school. So, for the time being, I will continue my hectic schedule (and maybe next year I'll work on learning how to say "no").
Posted by Margaret Sarver