I started volunteering at my kids’ schools about seven years ago. Volunteering has been fun, exciting, and rewarding; sometimes it’s stressful and exhausting. I have gained friends who are great resources on homework, announcements, carpool, and general kid life. I have been on seemingly mismatched teams who worked together to create fantastic events. We have done treat carts, spring festivals, copied papers, concessions, fundraisers, and hosted many “Nacho Pickle Days.” We host an amazing annual color run, and we have parked a mountain of cars on Friday nights.
Side note: My kids’ elementary school has had “Nacho Pickle Day” for years. We sell nachos, pickles, water, and candy to the kids. It peppers the long parts of the school year with a fun event that doesn’t take anything out of the school day. It might be weird, but it is loved by so many.
When I was first starting to volunteer, I felt intimidated. I went to a volunteer interest meeting for PTO and signed up. I met several moms with kids close to my oldest son’s age; they had been volunteering for a couple years. These “veteran volunteers” walked me through all the events. Here are some tips from this now veteran volunteer to make your start smooth.
Where To Get Started
Your school’s PTO or booster group is a great place to start! Our PTO has a GroupMe for volunteers. You can jump in for whatever fits your schedule. You can also ask your child’s teacher or school librarian. They likely need help making copies, cutting out decorations, etc. Don’t forget that you can ask the PE teachers, music/art teachers, and special education teachers, too! They often don’t get as much help as homeroom teachers.
Be Humble
As a volunteer in the schools, you have to be okay with the fact that you aren’t the professional. You may be amazingly qualified in your life and workplace, but on school grounds, you are there to assist the professionals.
When you volunteer at a school, you will likely volunteer as part of a team. PTO is a team. Boosters are a team. Teachers might have a team of parents that throw class parties. As a member of a team, your idea might get voted down. Remember the other members of your team are there to help, just like you. Try to think the best of them and pitch in even when things aren’t exactly to your liking.
Don’t Be Judgmental
If you volunteer long enough, you will see teachers and students when they are struggling, and you will not know the full story behind those struggles. Some kids have scary home lives. Teachers sometimes have to teach sick when the flu and/or stomach virus hits hard. Sometimes administrators, teachers, and students must come to school despite grief and anxiety. Please treat and judge them in the same way you would want to be treated at your worst moments.
Deliver
It can be so easy to volunteer to do ALL THE THINGS because you are passionate about helping your child’s school. Passion makes it so easy to over-commit, especially when you have multiple kids in school. But in over-committing, you might take opportunities from someone who is slower to jump in, or you may not be able to accomplish everything and let someone down. Of course, you’re a free volunteer and everyone has emergencies! But you will be a more effective, trustworthy volunteer if you remember the phrase “under promise, over deliver.”
Prevent Burnout
I am not the best at this one. Yet the longer I volunteer, the more convinced I am that this is something we must do for ourselves and other volunteers. For yourself, say yes to what you can do while still having some margin in your life. Remember that everything doesn’t depend on you. You are part of a team. For your teammates, create rotation in volunteer positions that cause a lot of fatigue, pick up their slack when there is an emergency, and encourage them when things get hard.
Don’t Take Advantage
Some of my volunteering has given me fairly wide access to the halls and equipment of the school, like when handing out treats to teachers or making copies for the school. But those things don’t give me license to make personal copies or interrupt a class to chat with a teacher. Be sure to always follow school rules and use the proper channels to do what is necessary.
Keep Confidences
As I said before, when you volunteer, you see things. You might see a kiddo walking into the reading coach’s room. You might see a parent walk into the principal’s office or a small group of kids discussing things in the counselor’s office. Don’t gossip about it or make passive aggressive social media posts. Keep the confidence as you would want it kept for you and your child.
Of course, if you see something that is concerning or if you suspect a child is experiencing abuse, tell the principal, school counselor, or teacher.
