Unbelievable weather lately, huh?

From the 90’s to the 60’s in one short week.  It’s no wonder people are getting sick.  Who can keep up with this?  Maybe that’s the reason for my sporadic sleeping patterns lately.

This morning, I got off pretty easy. I woke up at 4:40 and then 5:44…..  but quickly fell back to sleep.  Then Chris decided to go for a walk at 7am, so any thoughts of sleeping in were quickly dashed.

I’m very proud of him for being so consistent in his walking.  That’s one thing I have been lacking lately, letting my schedule get in my way.

This week I got to volunteer at school.  It’s the first time in a few years that I committed to a day in the classroom.  I feel like Avery got the short end of the stick in regards to this.

When Aspen was in kindergarten, I was gung-ho and available whenever I could be to volunteer.  Present whenever possible.  When Avery followed, I helped out as well.  But as the years let on the pattern of ‘being there’ started to wear on me.  The schools need so much help and unfortunately, the same parents end up volunteering over and over again while some barely ever show their face.  And some, not ever.

It takes a LOT to have kids.  But it takes even more to be present in their lives.  One thing about volunteering at school is you get to know all their classmates.  And you get to know which ones to look out for.  It also enables you to be more understanding when your kid tells you what happened at school and who was involved.  If I didn’t know these kids, they would be more like fictitious characters in a play.  But actually knowing them gives the story more substance and gives you better perspective on guiding your child.

For the last few years while I was working, I was so stretched thin, I went into self-preservation mode;  cutting out everything I could, including volunteering.  I felt a sense of relief at not being there and once Aspen hit 4th grade the chance to volunteer became less necessary, and I won’t lie, I didn’t complain.

And it made it easier to say no to Avery’s class.  I honestly felt like I had been rode hard and put away wet (horse term).  It was a fight to get parents to volunteer, because as the kids got older, it appeared the parents who only slightly volunteered or never volunteered became content letting us ‘willing’ folks step up to the plate.

And it actually became a game at one point, because when the letters would come out,  I would initially jump on what I would donate or volunteer to do.  And as the year went on, I started waiting and looming in the background to see if anyone else would step up to the plate.  I literally got to the point where I told the organizer, “I’m not going to volunteer, because I want to give the opportunity to let some of these other parents step in.  But if anything is left over, call and I’ll cover it”.  And at times, I did, indeed have to cover it, because there wasn’t enough response.

Can you imagine there NOT being enough response in a class of THIRTY children????  It’s crazy.

And I’m not here to diss the ones that don’t participate, but it does put the question in my mind, “Where are these children’s parents????”

As I was in the class this week, I got to reacquaint myself with these kids that I have been missing.  Wow, some have grown.  But they are still the sweet little kids of two years ago.  And within minutes of doing this reading group they started to dish on the troublemakers at the school.  And I got to talk with them, as an adult and a parent and a caretaker, and guide them a bit.  And they trusted me.

What was I thinking being absent these last two years???

I enjoyed it so much that I volunteered for the jogathon to take pictures and help with the kids.  I love their energy.  They are so pure and genuinely excited about things.  Something we tend to lose as adults.

I met one of the ‘new’ troublemakers at the school, and I literally told him, “I’ve heard about you – I’ll be keeping my eye on you!” and he looked at me with wide eyes.  The other kids in the class laughed and I quickly started mentioning that they weren’t all angels either and that I would have my eye on all of them.  And they laughed because most of them know me.

It was such a fun experience and I’m really excited for this year for Avery.  She loves her teacher and I really like him too.  Very charismatic and I think a perfect match for Avery.

If you haven’t had the chance to volunteer  in your kids class, it is something you should consider.  And if you absolutely can’t, because you have to work – please appreciate the parents who can and do step up.  They really do make a positive difference in your kids’ lives!!!

Getting off my high horse now.

Happy Saturday