I wish we were allowed to volunteer on a weekly basis! I do all the field trips and class parties, but they have TAs and they also have people getting their teaching degrees that come and help out. You are an awesome Mom! No wonder your son was missing you every day. Good work :)
CarrieJ, Horn Lake, MS
http://www.thejaxon4.blogspot.com

I love volunteering in my daughters class room and am there as often as possible. When she started 3rd grade I did what I had done the previous 3 yr she had been in school and like you I marched in to the class room introduced myself and offerd to help in any way needed and to my shock the teachers response was "we really don't need much help in 3rd grade". I was shocked, but she meant it. And for the first time since my daughter had started school I felt very detached, uninformed and lost as to how she was doing. We surrvived and my daughter did well. Despite our experience in 3rd grade when we registered this year for 4th grade, I took a deap breath and once again marched into her class room introduced myself to both of her teachers and offered my services and was very excited when their response was positive. We are 3 weeks into the school year and I am working a couple of hours a day 3 days a week. She loves me being there, the teachers are happy to have the help and me....I'm tickled pink! Yeah for the 4th grade!
Laura Harris, Chattanooga, TN

My daughter starts JK this year. I hope to be able to volunteer once in a while. I'd take a vaction day from work to be a part of her day for sure. Maybe I will see if I can take turns and visit my step-kids classes too.
Maureen, Georgetown, Ontario

You are a volunteer extraordinaire. I volunteered in my son's SK class last year - only once a month. They had a case of volunteer over-load and that's all the time I was allotted. Guess that was a good thing though - as a teacher myself, I found it VERY hard not to butt in and take over! I could NEVER have had you volunteer in my class. We'd be laughing and chatting and making inappropriate jokes, ignoring the kids completely! ;)
Lisa, Ontario, Canada
www.yummymummyclub.ca/party_mummy

What a great article. So many parents hesitate when it comes to helping out in the classroom. Everybody has an ability that can help. I have always been a volunteer in my kids school but my reasons are quite different. Having a special needs child I know that the school did many "extra" things to make sure that he suceeded so volunteering was my way of giving back and saying thank you.

My one rule was that I never was placed in my kids class. There are many people with abilities that a school desperatly needs. For me I love computers so I worked in the resourse room training special/high needs kids on now to use their technology that their IEP called for. It was rewarding and teachers thanked me as it allowed these kids to truly shine.

My other duty was running the food program at our school. I did this manly because I really wasn't pleased with the food being served and wanted healthier options so instead of bitch'n about it I did something about it. My kids are both in highschool now and I must admit I still spend one day a week in the school because I've come to love it. As a finally note- I LOVE the field trips. This year I got to go to Quebec City for 3 days with 117 grade 7's, we had a blast.

Hats off to you Sharon and all the other parents with more patience than myself!!! I was lucky when my eldest went to school I had his little brother to look after so field trips were it for me. Then when Son #2 was in school his seperation anxiety in kindergarten did better if he got used to not having me around. He only cried when I was dropping him off and was fine once he lost sight of me. I was off the hook! Phew! Now with my daughter, 10 years later I have felt guilty and inadequate around SuperMoms like yourself. I am so glad my daughter has been lucky both years to benefit from having a parent volunteer in her classroom, but thanks for making me look bad!!!! :)
Jill Power, Kitchener, Ontario
www.jillspowerhouse.blogspot.com

Good for you Sharon. I only get to volunteer rarely as I still have 2 preschool aged kids at home but when I do my kids think they have won the lottery. I actually like being able to help their teachers and at the same time make my own child feel special because Mom's in the class that day.
Kelli Daisy, Ottawa, ON
http://www.yummymummyclub.ca/kelli_daisy_scene_and_heard

Thank you for this post, Sharon! First of all, you're hilarious. Secondly, PHEW! I can volunteer at my son's school! That is very exciting. I think it'll be the first thing I ask my son's teacher when I meet her. "Do you need any volunteers?" Although the answer to 'What DON'T teachers want in a parent volunteer' would be probably the reason I'd volunteer, so yeah. I'm going to have to work on that. ;)
Loukia, Ottawa, Ontario
www.loulousviews.blogspot.com