Since you know you can't please her, don't bother to try. If you know she's going to bring up a fundraiser, giver her her allotted time, then I'd tell her that in order to keep the meeting from going over, you'll table the discussion until she can provide some written information for everyone to look at, then immediately take a vote to table it.

The next time she makes another suggestion on what you can do better, tell her it's an excellent idea and can you put her down to head that committee? If she says no or she doesn't have time, then tell her since that's not a priority on your list right now, it will be handled/take place, etc., the way it always has.

Good luck.

I like the idea of a time table to discuss a topic.... we have a few that could on and on.
And we have the same problem-- we have a parent that has lots of ideas-- but doesn't help with anything---
Not sure how to handle her-- we'll see what happens next year.

In the past we have done it the way you said where the officers came up with ideas, but many parents said they wanted to give their ideas too. So I wanted to try it this year and have the topic at the general meeting, but then at our officer planning meeting the final decisions would be made then.
But on the fundraising issue that could be talked to death and the parents do not understand all that is involved. Profit, how many we can, fundraisers we can't do because of other schools in the district, its a lengthy process.

I definitely will have to put a time table on this one. UGH

I have been doing this for 3 years and I have to say I have really enjoyed it, but this parent has made it very unenjoyable for me to say the least because I know no matter what I say or do its not going to please her.

What we do is have a planning meeting over the summer. We meet once with the principal (the officers) then we meet once or twice and discuss what we want for this upcoming year. Then if we need to we meet again with the principal.

Usually our fall fundraising is picked by our officers, we take suggestions and work on their ideas. But, I have found it is easier (and keeps the meeting shorter) if we have a board meeting and make the decissions. However, we always bring the ideas to our monthly meetings and see if anyone has any more ideas or we can add to it.

During the summer we make the meetings fun, one year we brought our lunch and the kids and headed to the park. It was alot of fun for everyone. One year I had them at my house for the swimming pool. It's also a time for the officers get to know one another.

If officers change then have one planning meeting with old and the new this way they can fill in what did or didn't work.

Now how to handle this lady. I have a time limit on subjects. Because we can talk a idea to death. So, once the subject is brought I just give them 5 minutes then we either vote or table it to the next meeting. This has worked for me. This is another reason why our meetings move quicker.

Now, some people may think that we are a controlling group, but my parents in my group didn't like making the decissions so that is why we switched to the board members. Our meetings used to last from 2- 21/2 hours and now we are done in an hour or less. The parents have came up to me and say now they do have the time to come.

This is just from my 4 1/2 yrs as President.

Hope it works out for you

I am in the midst of typing up the meeting agenda for our May meeting which we have elections and some other things.
But my main thing I am looking on how to address is the parents want to give out ideas for the fundraisers, and events etc for next year. Typically it would be no big deal, but I do have quite an overzealous parent who likes to talk herself to death. Its to the point where as soon as her hand goes up all the other parents eyes roll. I have had to stop her a few times because if no ones sees it her way she just keeps going.
I do want to address the parents about planning for next year, but

1. how do I curtail the talking parent?
2. should I have the planning topic after the meeting and invite whoever is interested?

I should note that I am not sure how exactly to deal with this parent in that she is right in your face and has told me several times how I should be doing things, getting more parents to meeting, etc. But she hasn't volunteered for one thing ever.