This fall was an exciting one for us! My oldest daughter started kindergarten. As a teacher myself, I knew she would thrive, but I was also worried about the big transition from a small private Pre-K to a very large elementary school with over 500 children.
At Meet-the-Teacher night, I stopped by the PTA table to learn a little about volunteering and ask where they might need some extra help. I was surprised to learn just how much help the organization needed, and that in the past they have had difficulty recruiting volunteers. The PTA President kindly and quickly suggested a board position and went over which open positions required the most vs. the least amount of time.
Now, I tend to be the type of person who over-commits herself. I realize this, and it is definitely something I have been working on. Considering the fact that I am the CEO and Founder of LD Expert, my Virtual Tutoring and Dyslexia Intervention company, AND a mom of three young children, I was not sure I would be able to offer much of my time. I did not want to volunteer for something and then end up being resentful that I got stuck helping more than I wanted. Alas, the PTA President pleaded for help with the Social Media and Communications board position, and so I (somewhat cautiously) agreed.
Fast forward to our first PTA board meeting… I knew nothing and no one, aside from my brief interaction with the PTA President a few weeks prior. However, I could not have been more pleasantly surprised by the warm welcome I received. Not only were all the other PTA board members friendly, but they were grateful for another person offering help, and the school administration offered valuable insight about the school during their portion of the meeting. I realized that being involved in the PTA actually had several benefits!
- It is a great way to meet other parents and make friends. Making friends is difficult as an adult. However, using common interests as a way to meet other moms is a great way to find people that have things in common with you! By joining the PTA, you already have the best interest of your child’s education in common, and you will have lots of different personalities to choose from when looking to build friendships.
- If I am going to give my time somewhere, helping make my child’s school more fun, organized, and successful is a great place to do that. This one kind of speaks for itself… As a parent, we all want the best for our children—especially when it comes to their education! Well, joining the PTA can give you the ability to directly impact that and contribute to their educational environment.
- I feel more informed about school events. Being new to the school, I really had no idea what was going on. I knew nothing about pick-up, drop-off, daily procedures, how to volunteer, where things were located inside the school—the list is endless. By joining the PTA, I slowly became acclimated to these things, and I had knowledgeable people at my disposal who were eager to answer my questions.
- I feel more confident attending school events with some familiar faces. Have you ever attended an event where you did not really know anyone, and you felt like it was too chaotic to meet anyone or initiate conversations there? I certainly have, and by joining the PTA and having an active role in school events, I felt like I belonged and it was easier to chat with other moms on the PTA—and even other moms looking to meet people.
- Registering as a member at PTA.org offers some discounts at various businesses. Visit JoinPTA.org to officially register as a PTA member. The registration cost is only about $7 (This varies by school.), and members receive benefits and discounts at some retailers.
In summary, if you are looking for a way to meet other moms and make some adult friends, joining PTA is a great way to build meaningful relationships with common interests while also helping to make your child’s school the best it can be!
