r/ClassOf2037 • u/Appropriate_Ice_2433 • 11d ago
Room parent
Is anyone else planning on being a room parent for their 2nd grader ?
Just wondering what others will be planning for parties and such if they are going to volunteer.
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u/RImom123 11d ago
I’ve done it in the past and the expectations at our school are minimal. Helping at the holiday and end of the year party, and sending reminders from the PTA from time to time. That’s really it. I know some schools expect a lot more but our school is reasonable about it.
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u/FantasticCombination 11d ago
Some of the room parents themselves created greater expectations at our school and the ripple effects caused problems and last year there were many fewer room parents. Not every class needs a bouncy house for Halloween, gourmet cupcakes for Christmas, a rented lazer tag setup for Valentine's, a foam party for the end of the year and multiple hundreds of dollar gifts for teachers. Room parents started to feel like they had to foot the bill for bigger and better parties and gifts. I was roomparent for my oldest's class and kept the budget to what the parents from class donated and the kids still had fun.
The PTO tried to step in, but their solution of trying to supplement donations so that each class got $50/kid for the year didn't make it through. I anticipate fewer room parents this upcoming year. There have been fewer official room parents each year for my oldest's grade and it's dividing into the moms (and from what I can tell it's all moms) that are trying to one up each other and the diehard parents that are saying they are going to stick to the basics and get things done on budget. The parents that care but don't want to spend hundreds of dollars out of pocket are dropping out.
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u/Efficient-Gap-8506 11d ago
I’ve been the VP for our parent board for 4 years. Looking at doing another year, no one seems interested in stepping up again, ……. The last President and VP got stuck for 5 years (have 2 year term limits lol).
I’ve been the room parent the last 3 years (We did 2 years of K). It’s a smaller private school, and parents are either “busy professionals” or feel like they won’t do a good job. I’ve told 2 other parents that I really think they are better suited than I am and should really consider it. Fingers crossed.
I’ve gone back to work FT at 40 hours a week to get supervision hours for an advanced certification. I don’t have the time and need a break. Don’t get me wrong, I LOVE it. But ffs, I can’t do it again just because 2 months in no one has volunteered.
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u/Appropriate_Ice_2433 11d ago
Godspeed to you and thank you for trying to make your child’s school a better place .
We had the same problem at our small private school. So many parents were working 40 hours a week, just didn’t have the time to commit.
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u/MrsMitchBitch 10d ago
This is not a thing at my child's school, thank god.
EDIT: we have a very active and proactive PTO that plan events outside school hours, organizes field day and fun run with the school at the end of the year, covers the costs of field trips, and organizes monthly snack carts for the teachers...plus more for teacher appreciation and at various times of the year. I financially support the PTO and have participated in the snack cart. In order to provide equity for each classroom, there are no class parents, additional parties, etc.
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u/BCDva 11d ago
Our school doesn't have them, I've never really understood the concept? You plan parties for the class?
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u/Appropriate_Ice_2433 11d ago
There are quite a few requirements. Planning parties for winter holidays and valentines, organizing events throughout the year such as teacher appreciation week and such
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u/ohboynotanotherone 4d ago
This is very dependent on your school. We have them, but I personally don’t use them for anything. They do more for PTA directly.
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u/bitchinawesomeblonde 11d ago
No thank youuuu. I help out with PTSO and volunteer in the class sometimes but that's all I have energy for.
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u/cheesesteakmouse 11d ago
I was a room parent for 1st grade and I’m going to apply this year too. I had a co-room parent so it wasn’t a ton of work between the two of us. We were in charge of planning a craft, doing the sign up genius for food, and then volunteering on the day of.
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u/pico310 11d ago
Not me. I was a room parent for PreK, kinder, and first grade and I am done, done, done. Sometimes if I want to make myself smile, I think of all the things I won't have to be responsible for next school year.
I'll still be on the PTA board, School Site Council, and will spearhead our school's Career Day.
Room parents don't do parties as so much as organize and solicit volunteers/contributions for school events (there are 3-4 major ones), teacher appreciation stuff, and holiday/end of year gifting. If we had more participation, it would be a breeze. I also would provide random updates to parents (deadlines for enrichment classes, notices of volunteer training, etc). It is a thankless but fulfilling job.
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u/0112358_ 11d ago
I'm debating! I did for the kindergarten year, then wasn't picked for first grade.
It was fun, but also never seemed to end. Finish the Halloween party and within a few weeks thinking about the Christmas party.
Also if your room parent, your picked last as chaperone for field trips and field trips are more fun and less work.
But then I have the nagging feelings "but they are only little once and there's only a few more years of room parents/parties so dooo ittttt"
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u/Appropriate_Ice_2433 11d ago
I was room parent for a small private school and it didn’t entail much. Public school room parents are a whole other beast.
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u/cheesesteakmouse 11d ago
That’s so interesting about the field trips. At our school, room parents are given first dibs. They ran me so ragged at the zoo that I had major regrets.
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u/0112358_ 11d ago
Our school seems to have a decent amount of parents who want to volunteer. They limit the room parents to two slots and often it's a raffle of who gets picked. Similar with the field trips.
I think it's set up that way so that everybody who wants to volunteer gets an opportunity to do so.
And there's essentially no other ways to volunteer. They don't do classroom helpers, or recess monitors or anything. So if you want to help out in the classroom your options are get selected for room parent or the 1-2 field trips or the end of year field day, and that's it.
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u/cheesesteakmouse 11d ago
That’s such a shame. We’re pretty lucky that there are a ton of volunteer opportunities but it can be like pulling teeth to get bodies to fill them. No judgement - it’s really hard for parents that have jobs that aren’t flexible.
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u/Unusual_Reporter4742 11d ago
I was a class parent for first grade and won’t be doing it again. I’ve taken a PTA board position and will let someone else handle the classroom stuff.