I've enjoyed my time as a parent volunteer. A lot. But for the past year my health has paid a very high price. I was under a good bit of stress on a daily basis.
If it wasn't the seemingly never ending stream of colds, sore throats or stomach issues it was the anxiety.
And the anxiety was bad. Like to the point where I would head into the bathroom to brush my teeth after breakfast and would wind up getting sick. Ironically, it was only happening on days I needed to be at school.
And it wasn't just me getting sick. My two partners in crime (our Treasurer and Secretary) were sick consistently as well. Same symptoms. We'd text one another in the afternoons to make sure someone else was coming into school so we could either walk in together or leave together.
Parents would comment on how they were so grateful for the long hours we put in, and while it was nice it was frustrating. They'd be posting their craft projects, daily workouts or various food creations on Facebook yet they never had time to come in and help out.
Let me tell you, if you can spend an hour working out, you can spend an hour at Book Fair, or you can spend 30 minutes helping to sort pictures from a dance. "I'm so busy" "I work" or "I never know my schedule" were common excuses.
I knew that once BOGO Book Fair came around in April that the end would be in sight. Granted, it would be a long four weeks (BOGO, Field Day, Teacher Appreciation Week, AR Celebration Week, Final House Celebration, 5th grade overnight trip and then 5th Grade Graduation Week) but it was there.
Our events went off without a hitch and I had a couple days off in there. And my mom came down for Sunshine's graduation which was hectic and wonderful all at the same time.
The last day of school it hit me. It was OVER. My schedule was about to go from crazy to vacation-lazy. Sleeping in, no responsibilities, no need to be somewhere, no parents asking me about their 3rd grader's end of the year party--which by the way, I knew NOTHING about. HINT: Ask the teacher.
So, as the weight of the PTO was lifted off my shoulders, so was the stress. I no longer find myself filled with dread when I need to go somewhere. I removed myself as an admin on the PTO's Facebook page. My contact info is no longer on the school's website. In the immortal words of Dobby:
And the anxiety was bad. Like to the point where I would head into the bathroom to brush my teeth after breakfast and would wind up getting sick. Ironically, it was only happening on days I needed to be at school.
And it wasn't just me getting sick. My two partners in crime (our Treasurer and Secretary) were sick consistently as well. Same symptoms. We'd text one another in the afternoons to make sure someone else was coming into school so we could either walk in together or leave together.
Parents would comment on how they were so grateful for the long hours we put in, and while it was nice it was frustrating. They'd be posting their craft projects, daily workouts or various food creations on Facebook yet they never had time to come in and help out.
Let me tell you, if you can spend an hour working out, you can spend an hour at Book Fair, or you can spend 30 minutes helping to sort pictures from a dance. "I'm so busy" "I work" or "I never know my schedule" were common excuses.
I knew that once BOGO Book Fair came around in April that the end would be in sight. Granted, it would be a long four weeks (BOGO, Field Day, Teacher Appreciation Week, AR Celebration Week, Final House Celebration, 5th grade overnight trip and then 5th Grade Graduation Week) but it was there.
Our events went off without a hitch and I had a couple days off in there. And my mom came down for Sunshine's graduation which was hectic and wonderful all at the same time.
The last day of school it hit me. It was OVER. My schedule was about to go from crazy to vacation-lazy. Sleeping in, no responsibilities, no need to be somewhere, no parents asking me about their 3rd grader's end of the year party--which by the way, I knew NOTHING about. HINT: Ask the teacher.
So, as the weight of the PTO was lifted off my shoulders, so was the stress. I no longer find myself filled with dread when I need to go somewhere. I removed myself as an admin on the PTO's Facebook page. My contact info is no longer on the school's website. In the immortal words of Dobby:
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| Laurie is a free elf! Laurie has no master! I've had several people already ask if I'm going to head up the PTO at Sunshine's new school and the answer is no. I may help out here or there but I'm not heading anything, running anything, chairing anything. I'll help out at ballet and the pool but it's ending there. I'm sick of being sick. |
