I Quit the PTO

I am a horrible school parent. 

I want to be one of those moms that is involved in every, single activity at my son's school but I'm just not.

Putting aside all of the issues with Kanin's school, I still wanted to be an active parent that helps out where needed but I finally came to the realization that it is just TOO MUCH! 

TOO MUCH time away from the family. 

TOO MUCH planning to get a babysitter. 

TOO MUCH bickering over talking down from parents who have been on the PTO for years and think that a new parent should have no opinion.

I was guilted into taking on the position of "Parade Coordinator" last year.  I kept telling them that I had no idea what they were talking about since Kanin was in kindergarten.  I didn't know the school even had a parade.  They handed me a gigantic three ring binder and told me that I'd figure it out.  Here I was last year with my sweet baby Caleb only 6 months old in a sling, my 3-year-old Sassy Pants in tow while I ran all over the school trying to count out 1400 pom poms, coordinate with the local police department and get all of the classes lined up for an end of the year parade.  I was sweating profusely from the hormones, the humidity, carrying the baby in the sling and then walking the 1 1/2 miles of the parade.  Plus, I still wanted to see my OWN son walking in it so I was trying to take pictures.  Then, naturally, it started pouring down rain.  Here I have the baby and my camera in this semi-hurricane weather . . . Ugh!

This year I have only been able to make it to one meeting because they are always on the nights that Scott works late.  I could get my parents or my in-laws to watch them but since the meetings start at 5:30 and everyone works and that is right at traffic and that is right at dinner time, it is just TOO MUCH effort.

I keep telling myself that I will get more involved when the kids are in school.  I guess maybe these ladies have all forgotten what it is like to have little bitty ones at home.  Most of their children are in 4th and 5th grades and are self-sufficient.

Anyway, I refuse to have Mommy guilt over this.  I feel like I am making it more of a stress-free environment and anything that takes some stress out of my life is worth it.