How I accidentally joined the dreaded PTA

Le Frog Mum - 22 Feb 17

PTA  (Parent Teacher Association)

Official Definition – an organisation of local groups of teachers and the parents of their pupils that works for the improvement of the schools and the benefit of the pupils

Unofficial definition – A group of clique mums to avoid at all costs who will constantly badger you for money, cakes, fancy dress, time to help and attending events on top of everything else you already do in a standard week… all the time….

Since my eldest child started school I have from afar admired the PTA in what they are trying to archive whilst keeping my distance as much as I can to not get roped into it all.

Why did I have these judgemental thoughts?  Friends and family have all pre-warned me to not do it as its sucks so much time and the majority of these mums are SAHM’s right with nothing better to do….right?

Plus, I’m far too busy to help out in anyway shape or form especially since I work 4 days a week and attempting to run Le family home.  And if you’re an active member of parenting forums there have been numerous (gazillions) discussions about the downfalls of the PTA, joining the PTA and even the existence of the PTA.  Basically I wanted to not get involved into the world of PTA.  Full stop.

Well….. Fast forward 18 months later I am a now smiling breezy mum who is now on the committee of the PTA!

WTF? How did this happen?  Errrr I really do not know to be honest…..

Here is what happened…..

Small talk at the school gates with a lovely mummy about our jobs/interests then sharing that she is on the committee of the PTA

This lead to playdates between our kids, all lovely and oh so innocent….no strings attached so far  we even become Facebook friends by now!

A year worth of events go by where I take part by attending and then at the last event of the year, a school disco asked if I can help out at all on the drinks/food station?  Of course it is year end and no further events for a few months so they will not even have a chance to miss my little contribution…blink and you will have missed me helping out.

Next invitation was to the end of summer thank you evening BBQ where the committee like to say thank you to all the volunteers who helped with any of their fundraising efforts.  Sure why not, a chance to meet fellow mums who over time are actually lovely and not as clique as they can appear.  Night out in our local village where I can drink and walk home.  So I attended and had so much fun and there was no hard sell on joining the PTA at all, just lots of drinking and laughing with the fellow mums.

At the beginning of the new school year I was asked if I can help out with putting together some social media posts about their events… this would be easy and minimal effort especially when I am very active on social media.  Plus I would not need to attend any meetings/run events… sure I’ll do this.

Turns out I am now creating all marketing materials (posters, flyers, letters), organising printing and distribution of said materials and doing all the social media promotion!

But do you know what after a week since finding out the full extent of the social media role which is do all our promotion role.  I did consider backing out but then re-considered when I started to see the real benefit of joining the PTA.  All of a sudden I feel closer to the school and their fundraising efforts and yes my child would massively benefit from the new resources we can buy for their classroom.  So I have decided to stick it out for a year at least and have promised myself to NEVER volunteer for a more prominent role (president/chairperson) of the PTA

Righto back to working on the new poster for the 10^th event since returning back from February Half Term!  Its only day 3 of the new term….. plus I am attending my first PTA meeting next week!

Le Frog Mum

I’m not a particular fan of frogs or is this a blog about frogs….. for me frogs are about Eating that Frog as per the famous quote by Mark Twain. ‘Eat a live frog first thing in the morning and nothing worse will happen to you the rest of the day’ Mark Twain I always have something to do/organise/attend and very little time to do it all. My frogs are there everyday in shape of many things and not necessary horrible frogs just lots of them to do with any or all of the following: my two lovely children, even lovelier husband, cat, dog, family members, friends, school, PTA, work, house related stuff and just life in general…. which is full on especially when I am a secret procrastinator. Hopefully you’ll see that I am just the normal everyday mum at the school gates trying to please everyone in her life whilst enjoying life!

View profile for posts, events and more info