The author says that not volunteering at her daughter's school does not make her a bad mom.
Courtesy of Virginie Romary
When my daughter, now 9, started kindergarten, I was very surprised that her school asked parents to take time off from their busy schedules to help in the classroom, during field trips, or at special events like book fairs.Coming from France, I was accustomed to a different approach. There, schools are viewed as strictly professional environments where only trained and certified individuals participate. Parents receive little encouragement to interfere in school activities.Upon realizing that American schools are more community-oriented and value volunteer involvement, I decided to give it a try. It turned out that volunteering was not a good fit for either my child or me, and I never did it again.I felt useless when I volunteered during a field dayI volunteered once during a field day. There was nothing special to do, just standing on the sidelines and cheering for the children, which made me feel useless and uncomfortable. Most of the other volunteers were moms, closely supervising their kids, while others chatted on the side of the field. I didn't see the point of taking some time off to make an appearance, especially since my daughter didn't seem to care.I also noticed that not everyone can be a good volunteer. The best ones know how to engage with all the kids, not just their own, and do so patiently, even if children behave poorly. I found the experience overwhelming, and helping behind the scenes, such as by giving money for a party, is a better solution for me.
