Our boys' school allows two classroom parties per year, one being a Valentine's Day party. Yesterday was all about valentines, sugar, games and the like, and the boys had a great time. I was able to attend both parties, but I almost missed out on my younger son's party.
The "room parent" plans these things and I totally appreciate the fact that there is a mom in both of our kids' classrooms willing to take on this responsibility. These volunteers are often underappreciated and taken for granted, it can be difficult to get other parents to respond and take an active role in classroom events and, goodness knows, it's impossible to please everyone.
Both boys' parties were great! They were well-planned and executed and the kids had fun, which is the ultimate goal. Something bothered me though and I need to vent about it just a little. My younger son's classroom parent didn't send out any kind of communication regarding the Valentine's Day party until two days prior, and then she emailed all the parents to say that everything had been taken care of, no help was needed, but anyone who wanted to stop by the classroom for the party was welcome to come. It's like this room mom just made every decision regarding the party, from the games to the craft to the refreshments. She did everything!
I appreciate this woman's willingness to do everything for our kids. It's a very generous gesture and I want to believe that she had the best of intentions in that she probably just wanted to be sure the kids had an enjoyable time. I just felt that the rest of the parents were shut out of the party altogether. It would have been nice if all parents were made aware of the exact date and time of the party in advance. Many parents work full-time or have other obligations that prevent them from being able to come in to the classroom without advance notice. There may have been more parents present had they KNOWN about the party beforehand. These moments with our kids are fleeting! Kids want their parents to come share these special times with them. Give families this opportunity!
Even if parents aren't able to come into the classroom for various events, they might want to do something to help out, like sending in a treat. My mom was a working mom when I was growing up, but she often sent in cookies whenever we had parties. It made her feel as if she were contributing and doing her part, not to mention the fact that it made me feel as if she really cared. I felt special because she made the effort for me. Every kid wants to feel as if his/her parent has done something special for the class. It makes them feel proud!
I just want to be a part of my sons' school experiences as long as they're still excited about me being there. I know there will likely come a time when having me show up in their classrooms is no longer cool. When there are opportunities to celebrate and party with my boys, I want to be there. That's hard to do if parents aren't informed and given a chance to participate in the special times.
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