RANT - I Hate the PTA

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Most people don’t want a gift that the giver didn’t want to give.

Our school does a busy week. When you first get the email it is overwhelming, but take a deep breath and do only the things you want and/or the things where your child would feel left out if they were the only ones not bringing in a flower or card.

If there are other parents out there that enjoy doing this or feel a sense of obligation or think it is important, then that’s their decision. If they judge, who cares, that is their issue. You always have the power to do as much or as little as you like or find appropriate.

+100 and one of the few reasonable posts here. TA week should not create this much animosity!

[Anonymous]

Our PTA is the best! The only thing we need to do is a card and a flower. They are setting up teacher lunch one day, a masseuse the next and one other thing I can't remember-- but they are handling it.

Ya'll need a better PTA.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Our PTA is the best! The only thing we need to do is a card and a flower. They are setting up teacher lunch one day, a masseuse the next and one other thing I can't remember-- but they are handling it.

Ya'll need a better PTA.

+1 My PTA asked that we send in a card made by our kid on day X. They gave us two weeks notice. Everything else they took care of. OP's whining is specific to her own school, nothing else.

[Anonymous]

Ours is easy. Wear your teacher’s favorite color, write a thank you note, donate school supplies...I know lunch is provided at the end of the week.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Our PTA is the best! The only thing we need to do is a card and a flower. They are setting up teacher lunch one day, a masseuse the next and one other thing I can't remember-- but they are handling it.

Ya'll need a better PTA.

+1 My PTA asked that we send in a card made by our kid on day X. They gave us two weeks notice. Everything else they took care of. OP's whining is specific to her own school, nothing else.

+1 all I had to do was donate $$$ which went to a masseuse and a variety of other activities.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Our PTA has ever so helpfully organized teacher appreciation week into a 5 day ordeal of holly homemaker hell. They have given us a different assignment for each day of the week - day 1, bring in 1 flower for the teacher, day 2 bring in food for a 7am breakfast, day 3 have a your child make a card for the teacher, day 4 get your teacher something from a "wish list" and day 5 bring in a gift for a specialist.

I have 3 jobs, I am running on 5 hours sleep, and I don't have a nanny, housekeeper, or even a babysitter, and one of these women - the kind that hasn't worked a day in 20 years but whines constantly about how hard it is being a stay-at-home mom, asks me what I'm bringing to the breakfast, and I say NOTHING. I am at work at 7am and don't have time, and she says - everyone is busy, you just have to make time!

What is wrong with these women? This is one more domestic expectation that seems to be forced only on women, regardless of whether or not we work as much as men. PTA is a tool of oppression and I want to punch it in the face.

Ours said this doe have to be a burden. Families don’t need to participate everyday.
Said really, they’ve been such a holes about it I am not doing a thing. It seems so fing entitled.
I come from a family of teachers they each to a man would’ve preferred time and items for the kids and the school nothing for themselves. It’s so ick.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Our PTA has ever so helpfully organized teacher appreciation week into a 5 day ordeal of holly homemaker hell. They have given us a different assignment for each day of the week - day 1, bring in 1 flower for the teacher, day 2 bring in food for a 7am breakfast, day 3 have a your child make a card for the teacher, day 4 get your teacher something from a "wish list" and day 5 bring in a gift for a specialist.

I have 3 jobs, I am running on 5 hours sleep, and I don't have a nanny, housekeeper, or even a babysitter, and one of these women - the kind that hasn't worked a day in 20 years but whines constantly about how hard it is being a stay-at-home mom, asks me what I'm bringing to the breakfast, and I say NOTHING. I am at work at 7am and don't have time, and she says - everyone is busy, you just have to make time!

What is wrong with these women? This is one more domestic expectation that seems to be forced only on women, regardless of whether or not we work as much as men. PTA is a tool of oppression and I want to punch it in the face.

Ours said this does not have to be a burden. Families don’t need to participate everyday.
Sad really, they’ve been such aholes about it I am not doing a thing. It seems so fing entitled.
I come from a family of teachers they each to a man would’ve preferred time and items for the kids and the school nothing for themselves. It’s so tacky

[Anonymous]

i wouldn’t feel bad about not participating. We all do what we can. I takes a village.

[Anonymous]

PTA Board member from a Focus school here - we are doing 1 lunch, with the same 8-10 of us who volunteer for everything else. Thanks though.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Our PTA has ever so helpfully organized teacher appreciation week into a 5 day ordeal of holly homemaker hell. They have given us a different assignment for each day of the week - day 1, bring in 1 flower for the teacher, day 2 bring in food for a 7am breakfast, day 3 have a your child make a card for the teacher, day 4 get your teacher something from a "wish list" and day 5 bring in a gift for a specialist.

I have 3 jobs, I am running on 5 hours sleep, and I don't have a nanny, housekeeper, or even a babysitter, and one of these women - the kind that hasn't worked a day in 20 years but whines constantly about how hard it is being a stay-at-home mom, asks me what I'm bringing to the breakfast, and I say NOTHING. I am at work at 7am and don't have time, and she says - everyone is busy, you just have to make time!

What is wrong with these women? This is one more domestic expectation that seems to be forced only on women, regardless of whether or not we work as much as men. PTA is a tool of oppression and I want to punch it in the face.

PTA board member here with a crazy full time job. We are hosting a breakfast one day that we aren't asking other parents to contribute to, and delivering cupcakes another day.Rest of the week we suggested kids can bring a school supply one day, wear their teachers favorite color on one, write a note on one day and we already supplied the note card... All voluntary but if all this is a burden then I don't know what else to say... By the way, only 3 of us have volunteered to help set up for breakfast. And only 5 helped with a recent muffins for mom event in which 160 moms apparently didnt think it was a burden to show up for.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:RANT: PTA prob "hates" you too, OP. Classic freeloader who lives in the fantasyland of pretending all the PTA mom's are SAHMs. We're not.

NP. I give the teachers gifts cards and write nice notes thanking them for all they do for my kids. I'm so sick of the teacher appreciation WEEK stuff. I'm sick of the never ending PTA emails about "we still haven't gotten enough X, we don't have enough volunteers...." Yes, I can ignore them, but I'm still wondering why everyone else gets a day and teachers, who do get paid, get a week. It's too much crap. I'm not a freeloader. I pay taxes, I send in extra supplies, I give holiday gifts, I give year end gifts, I give gifts cards for teacher appreciation week, and I volunteer at events throughout the year. Why is that not enough?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Our PTA has ever so helpfully organized teacher appreciation week into a 5 day ordeal of holly homemaker hell. They have given us a different assignment for each day of the week - day 1, bring in 1 flower for the teacher, day 2 bring in food for a 7am breakfast, day 3 have a your child make a card for the teacher, day 4 get your teacher something from a "wish list" and day 5 bring in a gift for a specialist.

I have 3 jobs, I am running on 5 hours sleep, and I don't have a nanny, housekeeper, or even a babysitter, and one of these women - the kind that hasn't worked a day in 20 years but whines constantly about how hard it is being a stay-at-home mom, asks me what I'm bringing to the breakfast, and I say NOTHING. I am at work at 7am and don't have time, and she says - everyone is busy, you just have to make time!

What is wrong with these women? This is one more domestic expectation that seems to be forced only on women, regardless of whether or not we work as much as men. PTA is a tool of oppression and I want to punch it in the face.

PTA board member here with a crazy full time job. We are hosting a breakfast one day that we aren't asking other parents to contribute to, and delivering cupcakes another day.Rest of the week we suggested kids can bring a school supply one day, wear their teachers favorite color on one, write a note on one day and we already supplied the note card... All voluntary but if all this is a burden then I don't know what else to say... By the way, only 3 of us have volunteered to help set up for breakfast. And only 5 helped with a recent muffins for mom event in which 160 moms apparently didnt think it was a burden to show up for.

Why have all those random assignments? Do you really think the teachers care about the kids wearing the teacher's favorite color? Another common one is a flower one day. How about just doing what you want to, like the breakfast, and just let parents do what they see fit? Why are you assigning adults what to send in? I know I'll get flamed, but I am very turned off by the ridiculous assignments (e.g., cold beverage day). I find myself resentful. When my kids were in preschool there was one event at the end of the week and I gave generously and happily.

[Anonymous]

And, how about the flower pots that the volunteer must get every child in the class to sign? One year, that was our "assignment." And, of course you were supposed to do it without the teacher knowing about it?????? And, the mom whose idea this was, had a sudden "emergency" that day!

Like the teacher really cares about a flower pot with all the names on it!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Our PTA has ever so helpfully organized teacher appreciation week into a 5 day ordeal of holly homemaker hell. They have given us a different assignment for each day of the week - day 1, bring in 1 flower for the teacher, day 2 bring in food for a 7am breakfast, day 3 have a your child make a card for the teacher, day 4 get your teacher something from a "wish list" and day 5 bring in a gift for a specialist.

I have 3 jobs, I am running on 5 hours sleep, and I don't have a nanny, housekeeper, or even a babysitter, and one of these women - the kind that hasn't worked a day in 20 years but whines constantly about how hard it is being a stay-at-home mom, asks me what I'm bringing to the breakfast, and I say NOTHING. I am at work at 7am and don't have time, and she says - everyone is busy, you just have to make time!

What is wrong with these women? This is one more domestic expectation that seems to be forced only on women, regardless of whether or not we work as much as men. PTA is a tool of oppression and I want to punch it in the face.

PTA board member here with a crazy full time job. We are hosting a breakfast one day that we aren't asking other parents to contribute to, and delivering cupcakes another day.Rest of the week we suggested kids can bring a school supply one day, wear their teachers favorite color on one, write a note on one day and we already supplied the note card... All voluntary but if all this is a burden then I don't know what else to say... By the way, only 3 of us have volunteered to help set up for breakfast. And only 5 helped with a recent muffins for mom event in which 160 moms apparently didnt think it was a burden to show up for.

Why have all those random assignments? Do you really think the teachers care about the kids wearing the teacher's favorite color? Another common one is a flower one day. How about just doing what you want to, like the breakfast, and just let parents do what they see fit? Why are you assigning adults what to send in? I know I'll get flamed, but I am very turned off by the ridiculous assignments (e.g., cold beverage day). I find myself resentful. When my kids were in preschool there was one event at the end of the week and I gave generously and happily.

Because in my school, if the PTA doesn't initiate it, nothing will happen. These are SUGGESTIONS, not requirements. I don't get why one should feel guilty, resentful, or annoyed by the PTA at making suggestions.. We explicitly said that this is a voluntary thing and to feel free to do something else or nothing at all.This should cause zero stress. And to the parents who seem to hate the PTA, including OP- Do you prefer that your school doesn't have a PTA?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Our PTA has ever so helpfully organized teacher appreciation week into a 5 day ordeal of holly homemaker hell. They have given us a different assignment for each day of the week - day 1, bring in 1 flower for the teacher, day 2 bring in food for a 7am breakfast, day 3 have a your child make a card for the teacher, day 4 get your teacher something from a "wish list" and day 5 bring in a gift for a specialist.

I have 3 jobs, I am running on 5 hours sleep, and I don't have a nanny, housekeeper, or even a babysitter, and one of these women - the kind that hasn't worked a day in 20 years but whines constantly about how hard it is being a stay-at-home mom, asks me what I'm bringing to the breakfast, and I say NOTHING. I am at work at 7am and don't have time, and she says - everyone is busy, you just have to make time!

What is wrong with these women? This is one more domestic expectation that seems to be forced only on women, regardless of whether or not we work as much as men. PTA is a tool of oppression and I want to punch it in the face.

PTA board member here with a crazy full time job. We are hosting a breakfast one day that we aren't asking other parents to contribute to, and delivering cupcakes another day.Rest of the week we suggested kids can bring a school supply one day, wear their teachers favorite color on one, write a note on one day and we already supplied the note card... All voluntary but if all this is a burden then I don't know what else to say... By the way, only 3 of us have volunteered to help set up for breakfast. And only 5 helped with a recent muffins for mom event in which 160 moms apparently didnt think it was a burden to show up for.

LOL at you putting all this shit on the moms. Are you in a school for kids with only mothers?