Thanks for the posts When I am tired and feel like quitting I will stop and remember i'm doing this for the kids, and that I can not please everyone! :eek:

WELL PUT! I love the above message. As I get ready to face the school board tomorrow night I will keep the message in mind. There are times I tell the principal that I should just go back to work and hand him the money. It would be sooooo much easier at times! You have to remember that we do it for the children, teachers etc. Thanks for the great message.

Thank You, Metzymom. We may not get glory but we get paid better than any one that makes $$$ .... The children smiling at us and Thank you you've done a great job this year. One day while shopping I noticed a little girl staring at me. I smiled at her and finally she got brave enough to ask me "aren't you the PTO lady". Then proceeded to tell her grandmother, in a "whispered voice" that's the PTO Lady. Another lady stopped me as we walked out of a store and said "Hey PTO Lady, I'm sorry I don't know your name, but I know who you are. Great job this year." I had several like that. I even thought about making a name tag with Hi I'm the PTO LADY on it. lol That makes it all worth it. I wrote a poem once for a pastor's wife, when her husband was introduced to people it was always as "this is pastor so-n-so" (actually using his name) and then sort of as an after thought (she felt) she was introduced as "oh and this is the Pastor's wife." The line went..... he may get the glory and he may get the fame, but she will stand beside him with love and help him just the same, for as he was called from above to spread the message of "God's Love" she was handpicked to..... for it takes some one "SPECIAL" to do what she must do..... That's the way I feel about the Parents that care and get involved. We don't get the glory, we get paid in smiles and thank yous, but I feel that we were picked to do the things we do, and are among the richest in the world. My hat off to all of you "Special Parents." Great Job!!! "God Bless"

[ 07-21-2002: Message edited by: PTOmomof5 ]</p>

PTOMomof5,
I couldn't help but laugh when I read your post. Not that it in itself was funny, because it certainly isn't. What made me laugh was that my vice prez was the exact clone of your prez! I mean right down to the 'cushy job' remark...lol. I think she may have used the 'have to clean house' on at least 2 occasions. She never helped set up or tear down. She helped count money and verify orders for our Fall Fundraiser for exactly 1 hour. That wasn't nearly as bad as when she showed up late for a school music program, stayed long enough to hear her own child sing, grab some attention and then snuck out after grabbing her child. She was there all of 20 minutes. So much for our scheduled putting out all the chairs prior to the show, seating families, and then cleaning up and putting the chairs back!

I know that without a doubt there are rude, selfish, lazy prez's out there, ones who are in it for the title, the glory (what *&$^* glory? LOL). I think we can all agree, however, that that is the exception, not the norm. I know that my veep really believed I was in it for the title and the glory (I'd like to know what glory- I remember lots of hard work, but no glory...lol). She once said to me - and I quote - "I don't know what your ulterior motive is, but you are certainly not here for the children". I don't know how she, and she alone, came to that conclusion, but she really believed it. I only posted what I did to show that it isn't always what it looks like to everyone, especially the incoming prez. It sounds like you were the prez last year, even if you didn't have the title or... well... the glory...lol. But, as you said,

<blockquote>quote:</font><hr> We are here for the children not for our glory or to be mean to others. <hr></blockquote>

I hope your year is everything you wish it to be.

Please let me clarify a few things. One the President couldn't have been burnt out as she didn't do anything but fuss. Her and I were the only 2 real officers. We had discussed and decided what we wanted to do and got it all under way. Then as things got started I mean from the first event to the last and everywhere in between she was a "biddy". We held events she was the last to arrive and first to leave. At our Bingo she refused to even stay and help count the money. I informed her that we were the officers and it was our responsibility and I wanted someone else there so that no one could say I had taken anything she said "I'm sorry I'm going home". Thankfully two other ladies stayed and helped me. She yelled at several during that event. Made crude remarks at other events. We had decided to fund Christmas gifts for the students that wouldn't have one for the class exchange. I could never get her to go with me to buy them. We fed the teachers and discussed the time we needed to get everything set up, she came into my sons class and asked" when was it we needed to do this " I said in about 5 Min's" she says" I'm sorry I can't help you and leaves" doesn't even have the decency to call and see if I would like for her to go clean up since I did all the set up. I write the news letter, and every flyer that we sent out. When I would call and tell her that they were ready to be put together (600 3-4 sheet each) she would have and excuse not to help one was "oh I have to clean house" We did not argue on the ideas or whose was better than the others. We pretty much had the same goals in mind just that she didn't want to do any of the work. She didn't even tell our faithful few thank you. At the end of the year I brought them to my home had cake tea/coffee and gave each a gift. She stated to several that the "President's job was such a cushy one" it was because she didn't do a thing. It always came time to do something she had other things suddenly come up.
This year will be different. I don't care if I hate your guts no one will know it or see it on my face. Everyone will be shown respect. We will have a fun time. We will help this school/ staff/ and esecially the children. We will not have any rude/crude remarks made. If I have a problem that I feel has to be addressed I will take you aside privately and discuss it. We are here for the children not for our glory or to be mean to others. My problem is that if I set my mind to something and give my word to do it I will give over 100% and I expect others to give their best, not agree to do things then keep coming up with lame excuses why they can't do what they said they would.

[ 07-21-2002: Message edited by: PTOmomof5 ]</p>

<blockquote>quote:</font><hr> I see that so often the "old" president was rude, I think it is because they get angry and burned out because of all the work they do! <hr></blockquote>

Speaking solely as a past prez, let me clear up a misconception.

It is nearly, if not completely, impossible to make everyone happy. What I had thought was 'rude' and 'got-to-have-it-her-way' in the prez before me, turned out to be 'tired' and 'couldn't please everyone'. Seems to me that the complaining members were, in the end for her and for me, the ones whose ideas were either vetoed or just plain not considered (past prez's know what I'm talking about here...you know, the ideas like we should give the teachers new cars for Teacher Appreciation Week? Ok, that is strong, but you know what I mean). I know that as I watched the previous administration do 'whatever it is they want to do, completely dismissing my ideas', thoughts of "rude and dictator" came to my mind many times. Now I understand that she was working within a budget, trying to walk a tightrope between the whacko parents and teachers, the sane parents and teachers, the school principal, the district offices and the community as well. She also knew more about the school than anyone else (working with the principal), the budget (can I just say fundraisers and get away with not explaining this one...lol), planning and execution of events (yeah, they all say they will help, but when push comes to shove...). Yeah, I did get angry at times. I got angry at the people who thought they could do a better job but didn't have all the facts. I got angry at people who said they would work an event, and then not even give the courtesy of a phone call when they weren't going to show up. I got angry at the people who called me a dictator because their personal idea wasn't used (neither were mine by the way). I got angry every time a meeting ran over due to disagreements between members, sometimes over something as simple as the color of paint. Burned out? You bet! Anyone who spends hundreds of hours trying to figure out how to make everyone happy while doing what is best for 750 children, grades preK-6 is going to have some burn out. Anyone who works 6-8 hours a day for 10 days straight during Santa Shoppe is going to show signs of burn out. Anyone who puts their whole heart, mind and soul (not to mention time)into a school is going to show some burn out. What separates the men from the boys (so to speak) is how they handle it. Did I ever let burn out or anger color my attitude when it came down to the PTO, the school or the children? Absolutely not.

When I first took over as prez, I remember someone telling me that no one ever likes the way any prez does their job, especially if it is done well-that everyone thinks they can do it better... or something to that effect. Sure, there are some rude prez's. No one disputes that. I just think that everyone needs to step back and consider the source... maybe they're not anything more than tired...

[ 10-16-2002: Message edited by: TheMetzyMom ]</p>