School & Pet Peeve. . .

[Melissa Burnell]

I don’t post often, but I GOTTA jump in on this conversation!!! 🙂

Some things I agree w/being on the school supply list & others are

just crazy….. I was one of those kids growing up that “back to

school shopping” meant one pack of paper, 6 folders & 6 notebooks

(whatever color you got), 1 pk of pencils, 1 pk of pens, 1 box of

crayons, & 1 box of markers- that was it. If I needed anything else,

I had to use my lunch money at the school supply store.

Because of this, I tend to go overboard w/my kids & feeling bad for

the kids that don’t have enough supplies- as much as it burns me up

that some parents will deliberately not get their kids stuff b/c they

expect the class to have a “community pile”, it’s not fair for the

child to suffer.

I stockpile as much as I can afford when items are on sale & only

send in the bare minimum for my kids. Then, at the first open house

or PT conference, I pull the teacher aside & ask what they are low

on.

While there usually is a decent response at the beginning of the

year, I’ve noticed by x-mas, supplies are low & money is tight to

where parents are no longer sending stuff in. That is when I start

pulling out the excess supplies. I fix a bag up of school supplies &

ask the teacher if they need a specific item for the class room &

send it in as a gift to him/her & the class. The kids will remember

it longer than candy for a party & the teacher is more appreciative

of that than another “apple ornament”.

I agree that too many parents aren’t involved w/goes on at the

schools anymore- I have 5 kids & work 2 jobs & still managed to go on

at least 2 field trips a year w/my kids & eat lunch w/them at least

once a month (luckily, my day job is only 15mins from the kids’

schools). It may mean I don’t actually get a vacation during the

year, b/c I take my vacation time as one or two days here & there,

but it keeps me involved w/the school & my kids. JMO.

— In Budget101_@yahoogroups.com, “weeziedavis”

wrote:

>

> Okay my pet peeve is on the opposite spectrum. Mine are the parents

> that don’t get involved.

> I was/am the mom you see running around the halls for the teachers

> and staff. When my kids where in elementary I was their room mom,

as

> well as a the secretary for the pto. when one moved up to junior

> high, i moved up with him, i helped in the classroom they had set

> aside for homework makeup as well as working in the front office

> making copies or filling in for the secretary, as well as being on

> their pto. i have also graded papers at home for both schools. as

> well as having a job outside the home.

> it never ceases to amaze me when parents come in to complain that

> they don’t like whats happening in their schools, yet these are the

> same parents who can’t be bothered to come to any of the pto/pta

> meetings to see what they can do.

> teachers are always in need of help from parents, whether it be

from

> getting supplies that the schools can’t afford or from volunteers.

> and it really is all about the children and the best way to get

their

> education.

> however, i’m not talking about the parents that have ligitimate

> complaints, such as color cordinating folders, that is completely

> insane. but what’s worse is the child is being punished for it. i

> would suggest you get a few of the parents together and get a hold

of

> one of your school board members (not the pto/pta, different

> organization altogether) and asked to be put on their agenda. when

> they schedule you (and they have to, so don’t let them blow you

off),

> get all the parents interested and go and voice your concern.

> detention is a bit over the top for not being color cordinated.

> and lastly, if you can’t afford school supplies, let your childs

> teacher know, most are more than willing to help out.

> just my opinion.

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