I am heading in that direction now. I try to bring new ideas to the table. My trouble is, they like them and agree to do them but then no one wants to help with the event or activity. I had to cancel our Craft Faire because I couldn't get anyone to help me on a regular basis and no one was willing to take it over after I leave this school in 2 years. So why should I put 2 more years worth of work and organizing into a project that would be discontinued. I was much easier on me to discontinue it myself.

We also have members who don't do their own jobs. They just don't do anything or they try to your job instead of their own.

It is all very frustrating and I am getting REALLY tired of it. I put together a list of board members and what their main responsibilities are (as far as events go) for the parents and teachers. I had like 6 things under my name. Everyone else had 0 - 3 things under their names.

I do it for the kids but some days are WAY harder than others.

I just have to say if every school had someone like "LUVMYKIDS" we wouldn't need PTOs and school boards to be advocates for our kids! I know who she is and she knows who I am, but she is top notch in what she does only for the love of the kids!

yes and I just started how sad is that. My husband wanders why I put so much time into it, I just keep thinking things will get better we will see- more later.

Well I took a break and tried to keep my distance. That just didn't work. I was going to run for pres but after the current pres who is on the sub aide list just like me but not as long and with not as much "required" experience and education got to train to help kids with testing while I was begging for work my hubby put his foot down. He said that if I wasn't good enough to work for them and get paid I sure wasn't going to work my hinney off for free again. I couldn't argue with him at that point. I do not blame the current pres but I am guilty of letting the "name game" get me down. Our county politics stinks. So now here I am the sec/vol cooridinator, building a house, working, and I will have 5 classes this semester. I really NEED this forum too. PTO is my passion, it helps me stay connected to my kids while I am the least bit "cool" and I am losing that status fast.

I'm just beginning my 3rd year in a really low level PTO. Maybe I'm not suffering from burn out yet but when the whiners start whinning I just smile and keep on pushing. I'm in this for my son and the others are just little hurdles to cross. Maybe I'll trip one day but until then I'm pushing on. I usually average about 32 volunteer hours a week.

I have had people in more than one organization tell me they didn't want to get deeply involved because they didn't want to see the "dirt," the politics, the dirty little secrets every organization has. I can appreciate the sentiment, but I can't imagine letting it stop me from working with groups whose aims matter so much to me. (I'm particularly thinking of my PTO and my church here, as I've run into similar situations in both places.) When I've gotten fed up with people and situations, I've found it useful to shift my focus, as several other people have suggested here. Working on an isolated project that doesn't involve the people who drive me crazy, or better yet one that directly involves kids more than adults, gives me time to regroup and refocus.