Room mother power

[Anonymous]

I threw my name in the hat to be my youngest's room parent and randomly got picked...ok great! Doing what needs to be done and put out a call for volunteers to run the various holiday parties, first come first served.
These women, some of whom have completely ignored me for YEARS, are now kissing my ring and acting like we are besties because they want me to pick them for their desired holiday. The texts I have been receiving are unbelievable. I read them to my husband and he was dying. "The power must be intoxicating."
I don't like this feeling at all! If you didn't talk to me when I was a nobody then we're not friends. Any similar stories?

[Anonymous]

You should be thrilled that this many people are volunteering to help you. You don't need to be best friends with them, just pick a few that you think will actually get the job done and follow up when it's time.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I threw my name in the hat to be my youngest's room parent and randomly got picked...ok great! Doing what needs to be done and put out a call for volunteers to run the various holiday parties, first come first served.
These women, some of whom have completely ignored me for YEARS, are now kissing my ring and acting like we are besties because they want me to pick them for their desired holiday. The texts I have been receiving are unbelievable. I read them to my husband and he was dying. "The power must be intoxicating."
I don't like this feeling at all! If you didn't talk to me when I was a nobody then we're not friends. Any similar stories?

Nope we couldnt get other parents to volunteer in class for anything.....just have a list sign-up of who wants to do what parties, give them each a number, post the list with numbers and do a random drawing for however many spots you need for that particular event. See if any parents are willing to be an alternate for day-of cancellations.
Also as a suggestion, require any party donations to be brought in a few days prior. We had this wonderful cookie decorating for winter party planned and the mom didnt bring the cookies after being reminded 3x. People will sign up and have the best of intentions but its annoying AF. One of us had to go run around and find 30 plain sugar cookies on a whim.

DO NOT play favorites.

[Anonymous]

I was a PTA board member for many years and oversaw a lot of voluntary positions.

I'll venture that these people who contacted you are merely being polite in their interactions with you. This is normal. They are not your friends, they are just trying to get along to get the job done. Some mothers at school have this "let's be best friends!!!" approach to PTA interactions, but it's not hypocritical. It's just their way of being.

When you were an anonymous parent, it was also normal for them to not make a special effort to be your friend. You were one face in the crowd.

When you stop having a role at your children's school, you will hopefully keep a few friendly connections (if you're a genuinely kind and helpful person), but you will also stop receiving "let's be best friends!!!" coms.

The world is not out to get you, OP. But it can't notice you as you would wish, certainly.

[Anonymous]

You sound wildly insecure. Be careful of not misinterpreting people's motives and styles of communication.

[Anonymous]

I was a room parent for two years. Room parents are suckers who do unappreciated beast work. I could have made so much money the hours I put into it. Thankless job. And people don’t suck up to you, they come to you with their useless problems instead of taking it up with the teacher or admin.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I threw my name in the hat to be my youngest's room parent and randomly got picked...ok great! Doing what needs to be done and put out a call for volunteers to run the various holiday parties, first come first served.
These women, some of whom have completely ignored me for YEARS, are now kissing my ring and acting like we are besties because they want me to pick them for their desired holiday. The texts I have been receiving are unbelievable. I read them to my husband and he was dying. "The power must be intoxicating."
I don't like this feeling at all! If you didn't talk to me when I was a nobody then we're not friends. Any similar stories?

I believe you!

Our school went from having large parties with unlimited parental volunteers to only having two parent volunteers per party and the ring kissing was insane. Room mothers who were once unappreciated suddenly became popular. My friend was a room mother and describes exactly what you just posted. She suddenly started getting emails and sweet texts asking for small favors and hoping they would be chosen for whatever activity was on the horizon.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I threw my name in the hat to be my youngest's room parent and randomly got picked...ok great! Doing what needs to be done and put out a call for volunteers to run the various holiday parties, first come first served.
These women, some of whom have completely ignored me for YEARS, are now kissing my ring and acting like we are besties because they want me to pick them for their desired holiday. The texts I have been receiving are unbelievable. I read them to my husband and he was dying. "The power must be intoxicating."
I don't like this feeling at all! If you didn't talk to me when I was a nobody then we're not friends. Any similar stories?

I believe you!

Our school went from having large parties with unlimited parental volunteers to only having two parent volunteers per party and the ring kissing was insane. Room mothers who were once unappreciated suddenly became popular. My friend was a room mother and describes exactly what you just posted. She suddenly started getting emails and sweet texts asking for small favors and hoping they would be chosen for whatever activity was on the horizon.

Room mothers becoming popular? Is this middle school? I think most schools, nobody cares this much. If you volunteer, great, thanks so much. If not, no problem. There is no power in being a room mom. It's a fools job decorating doors and getting cookies to decorate. Honestly this is one of the weirdest posts Ive seen.

[Anonymous]

This is the most elementary school post I've seen.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I threw my name in the hat to be my youngest's room parent and randomly got picked...ok great! Doing what needs to be done and put out a call for volunteers to run the various holiday parties, first come first served.
These women, some of whom have completely ignored me for YEARS, are now kissing my ring and acting like we are besties because they want me to pick them for their desired holiday. The texts I have been receiving are unbelievable. I read them to my husband and he was dying. "The power must be intoxicating."
I don't like this feeling at all! If you didn't talk to me when I was a nobody then we're not friends. Any similar stories?

I believe you!

Our school went from having large parties with unlimited parental volunteers to only having two parent volunteers per party and the ring kissing was insane. Room mothers who were once unappreciated suddenly became popular. My friend was a room mother and describes exactly what you just posted. She suddenly started getting emails and sweet texts asking for small favors and hoping they would be chosen for whatever activity was on the horizon.

Room mothers becoming popular? Is this middle school? I think most schools, nobody cares this much. If you volunteer, great, thanks so much. If not, no problem. There is no power in being a room mom. It's a fools job decorating doors and getting cookies to decorate. Honestly this is one of the weirdest posts Ive seen.

I don’t know what to tell you, but I believe OP because I saw it too. Another example: My room mom friend and I would pick up our kids and chat before dismissal. We did this for a couple of years prior to her being her mother. The year she became her mother was the year the school imposed the limits for parental volunteers. People we had seen for years suddenly came up to talk to her and complement her on her shoes or make small talk. It was stressful for her during holiday times because of the other parents who wanted to be chosen for the activities.

I was never a room mother so I can’t speak from first hand experience, but I can only tell you what I saw and yes, it was weird.

[Anonymous]

Wow I can't believe there is this much competition to volunteer at school. I guess it's great that you don't have to go begging for volunteers, but whoever takes on being room parent, I'm always just grateful it's not me.

[Anonymous]

I can't believe people are offering to help.

[Anonymous]

people are crazy - my husband and i signed up as room parents because no one else wanted to do it for our DD's K class - we'd been at the school for a few years for pre-k and an older child and we'd done it before at the school I had my 3rd child early and so was in the hospital having had our baby the day we had the kick off meeting for the room parents and a woman called me on my cell to say she had gone to the school and had them appoint her instead because we missed the kick off meeting

[Anonymous]

You sound like you have a bad attitude and are very insecure. I'm glad you're not my kid's room parent.

[Anonymous]

This has got to depend on the grade. I was room parent in 4th and parents were already checked out at that point. None of us wanted to be room parent in 5th again. I can see how people would be very enthusiastic in K or 1st.