Thursday, May 6, 2010

Bad Mom Confession

I have a confession to make. I'm a bad mom. You know how you're supposed to be all supportive of the school by volunteering to help out? I'll be honest. I don't want to go into my kids' classrooms and help out.

I know, I should want to. I have the time to do it. My husband is generally off two days a week on weekdays, so it would be really easy for me to go in at least once a week. And you'd think I'd really want to, having a teaching background. But I prefer to fade into the scenery, I'm not a take-charge person (other than with my own family), so when I go in to help, I'd rather just be handed a bunch of papers to help grade or some materials to prep for a lesson. I don't want to take aside a group of students struggling in reading or math and help them, unless there is a clear cut lesson plan for me to follow. I don't like winging it.

So there. That's my confession.

And to be honest...when I was a teacher, I didn't really like having parents come in and help. They got in my way more than they helped.

4 comments:

Tiffany Wacaser said...

I don't think the yardstick measuring good moms is determined by volunteering at elementary school. Really, I don't. Being a good mom is not about your volunteer status. If it were, my mom would be the worst mom in the world. She never volunteered at the schools, never felt guilty about it either, and I turned out great, right?

We all have different strengths and desires. Some women are very involved in volunteering. That's great for them. But not all women are.

How many moms do you know that run an in-home preschool program for their own children? I know exactly two: you and a friend in Sweden. That's out of ALL the women I have met over the years.I think it is awesome and proof positive of your desire to be involved in a good way in the education process.

You have so many strengths as a mother. Give yourself credit for the amazing job you are doing.

Devin & Ruthann said...

So you don't like to help in the classroom? It doesn't make you a bad mom! I've never done it, so I don't know, but I'd imagine I wouldn't like it either!

JennaK said...

I appreciate your comments. I really don't think I'm a bad mom for this, but I really don't like helping in the classroom. The one time I mentioned this to someone who regularly helps in her child's classroom, she seemed surprised, probably given my background in teaching. I've done it before, and I don't mind doing certain things, but I don't like to be in charge of a group of students. I'd rather hide in the back doing menial work. Unless it's my own classroom, of course. :) I do miss lots of aspects of teaching, but not enough to take charge of a small group of students. Maybe I'll feel differently when I have no kids at home and they are all in school all day.

Stacy said...

Um, a big yeah that to you.

I have never volunteered in my kids' classrooms. Never. I keep using the excuse that I have a toddler that would be more trouble than I was worth, which is probably true. I tell the teachers they can send stuff home for me to do. But then I once ended up coloring SpongeBob pictures. (Insert eye roll here!)

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