PTA sponsored breakfast events

[Anonymous]

I'm wondering what the point of these type of events are. Pancakes with parents, muffins with moms, donuts with dads, etc.
I ask because my kids' school is changing the format this year. In the past, the event was held before school started. One morning was donuts with dads and a spectate event, on a different day, was muffins with moms. I know there was some push to consolidate into one day and make it "parents" since not every child has both and mother and father. I am fine with that change.
However, the event is now going to be held from 9:30-10:00. This now means that parents will have to take time off work to attend. It will also be in the classrooms so if a child does not have a parent there, it will be more obvious than it would have been previously (in the gym so families really mix and mingle).
As a household with 2 woh parents I am frustrated that this is another event my kids will just have to suck it up for and accept that we can't be there. Whereas before, we could just be a few minutes late to work after spending some time eating with the kids at school.
So, my original question, what is the point of these events? Because now it seems like a shortened Open House with food...have fun sahm/d! Can you throw my kid a wave and a smile while you are there?

[Anonymous]

I have never heard of these events outside of pre-school.

The school can't really be expecting a high participation rate given the timing of it.

[Anonymous]

Again. Why do people feel the need to complain about something on here when they can simply ask the PTA president about it?

[Anonymous]

Our elementary school does not do this.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I'm wondering what the point of these type of events are. Pancakes with parents, muffins with moms, donuts with dads, etc.
I ask because my kids' school is changing the format this year. In the past, the event was held before school started. One morning was donuts with dads and a spectate event, on a different day, was muffins with moms. I know there was some push to consolidate into one day and make it "parents" since not every child has both and mother and father. I am fine with that change.
However, the event is now going to be held from 9:30-10:00. This now means that parents will have to take time off work to attend. It will also be in the classrooms so if a child does not have a parent there, it will be more obvious than it would have been previously (in the gym so families really mix and mingle).
As a household with 2 woh parents I am frustrated that this is another event my kids will just have to suck it up for and accept that we can't be there. Whereas before, we could just be a few minutes late to work after spending some time eating with the kids at school.
So, my original question, what is the point of these events? Because now it seems like a shortened Open House with food...have fun sahm/d! Can you throw my kid a wave and a smile while you are there?

You're not the only person who needs to be considered here. For people with younger siblings who are in preschool that probably doesn't start until 9 am, it's feasible when only mom or dad is going to be there and the other parent can be home with the younger child. If it's going to be mom and dad, then there's no one at home to watch the younger child. If the volunteers planning this event fall into that category (and may also be WOH parents), that's probably the reason for the time change. The people who actually step up and volunteer are the ones who get to dictate the schedule. Given that you don't even know the reason for the change, I doubt you're heavily involved in the PTA.

[Anonymous]

Westland MS is big on it. I don't see the point.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I'm wondering what the point of these type of events are. Pancakes with parents, muffins with moms, donuts with dads, etc.
I ask because my kids' school is changing the format this year. In the past, the event was held before school started. One morning was donuts with dads and a spectate event, on a different day, was muffins with moms. I know there was some push to consolidate into one day and make it "parents" since not every child has both and mother and father. I am fine with that change.
However, the event is now going to be held from 9:30-10:00. This now means that parents will have to take time off work to attend. It will also be in the classrooms so if a child does not have a parent there, it will be more obvious than it would have been previously (in the gym so families really mix and mingle).
As a household with 2 woh parents I am frustrated that this is another event my kids will just have to suck it up for and accept that we can't be there. Whereas before, we could just be a few minutes late to work after spending some time eating with the kids at school.
So, my original question, what is the point of these events? Because now it seems like a shortened Open House with food...have fun sahm/d! Can you throw my kid a wave and a smile while you are there?

You should ask your school's PTA president this question, not DCUM.

[Anonymous]

OP, when did you last attend a PTA meeting to voice your concerns about the changes?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'm wondering what the point of these type of events are. Pancakes with parents, muffins with moms, donuts with dads, etc.
I ask because my kids' school is changing the format this year. In the past, the event was held before school started. One morning was donuts with dads and a spectate event, on a different day, was muffins with moms. I know there was some push to consolidate into one day and make it "parents" since not every child has both and mother and father. I am fine with that change.
However, the event is now going to be held from 9:30-10:00. This now means that parents will have to take time off work to attend. It will also be in the classrooms so if a child does not have a parent there, it will be more obvious than it would have been previously (in the gym so families really mix and mingle).
As a household with 2 woh parents I am frustrated that this is another event my kids will just have to suck it up for and accept that we can't be there. Whereas before, we could just be a few minutes late to work after spending some time eating with the kids at school.
So, my original question, what is the point of these events? Because now it seems like a shortened Open House with food...have fun sahm/d! Can you throw my kid a wave and a smile while you are there?

You're not the only person who needs to be considered here. For people with younger siblings who are in preschool that probably doesn't start until 9 am, it's feasible when only mom or dad is going to be there and the other parent can be home with the younger child. If it's going to be mom and dad, then there's no one at home to watch the younger child. If the volunteers planning this event fall into that category (and may also be WOH parents), that's probably the reason for the time change. The people who actually step up and volunteer are the ones who get to dictate the schedule. Given that you don't even know the reason for the change, I doubt you're heavily involved in the PTA.

I don't think op said she was the only parent who needed to be considered. What I heard is that working parents should be considered. I'm guessing that the working parent population of the school is significantly greater than the "volunteers for this event" percentage that the above poster is implying are the only ones that actually matter.

[Anonymous]

Not every parent is involved in school activities. You do have the choice not to go to these events, so I do not understand the point of your question.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'm wondering what the point of these type of events are. Pancakes with parents, muffins with moms, donuts with dads, etc.
I ask because my kids' school is changing the format this year. In the past, the event was held before school started. One morning was donuts with dads and a spectate event, on a different day, was muffins with moms. I know there was some push to consolidate into one day and make it "parents" since not every child has both and mother and father. I am fine with that change.
However, the event is now going to be held from 9:30-10:00. This now means that parents will have to take time off work to attend. It will also be in the classrooms so if a child does not have a parent there, it will be more obvious than it would have been previously (in the gym so families really mix and mingle).
As a household with 2 woh parents I am frustrated that this is another event my kids will just have to suck it up for and accept that we can't be there. Whereas before, we could just be a few minutes late to work after spending some time eating with the kids at school.
So, my original question, what is the point of these events? Because now it seems like a shortened Open House with food...have fun sahm/d! Can you throw my kid a wave and a smile while you are there?

You're not the only person who needs to be considered here. For people with younger siblings who are in preschool that probably doesn't start until 9 am, it's feasible when only mom or dad is going to be there and the other parent can be home with the younger child. If it's going to be mom and dad, then there's no one at home to watch the younger child. If the volunteers planning this event fall into that category (and may also be WOH parents), that's probably the reason for the time change. The people who actually step up and volunteer are the ones who get to dictate the schedule. Given that you don't even know the reason for the change, I doubt you're heavily involved in the PTA.

I don't think op said she was the only parent who needed to be considered. What I heard is that working parents should be considered. I'm guessing that the working parent population of the school is significantly greater than the "volunteers for this event" percentage that the above poster is implying are the only ones that actually matter.

PP here, go back and reread, I noted that this may also apply to WOH parents. We both work, but since our younger child's preschool doesn't start until 9 am, we've had to work our schedules so that we can get her there and don't need a morning nanny. If the event were before 9 am, both of us couldn't attend without bringing our 3-year-old along, which would really detract from the event for our older child (if younger siblings were even allowed). A start time after preschool drop off lets us both go if we can get the morning off. If I were planning this event, I'm certainly not going to plan it for a time when we can't both be there, so it would have to be after preschool drop-off.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Again. Why do people feel the need to complain about something on here when they can simply ask the PTA president about it?

Because they don't go to the PTA, volunteer, offer to do anything for their school - but..... they like to complain anyway.

[Anonymous]

If you're at the school I believe you are at, this change was made to let parents get into the classrooms and not just the gym. While you're in the classroom, you get to see your child's work, talk to the teacher and connect with classmates' parents. One might say that it is easier on parents because they can
"get away with" one parent attending one event, instead of the two events they did previously.

That said, this is a change for this year. If attendance is low, they could reconsider. You might also find a constructive way to let the PTA know about your frustration with the 9:30 start time.

[Anonymous]

I've done a lot of volunteering at PTA events. It really is getting more difficult to get volunteers to work any event. It is difficult to get parents to bring in coffee and set up muffins, plus the cleanup. It makes sense to combine events.

[Anonymous]

But the original question is not answered... whats the point of these events? Spending so much money and effort to supply mom/dad with muffins and donuts?