Small Events: An Important Part of Parent Involvement
When it comes to planning events, the advice I give most often is to think big. Planning and executing a big, successful family event is a surefire way to get everyone talking. And in my experience, parents who have attended an event like that are more likely to eventually volunteer or support a fundraiser.
But as we’re getting into July and leaders are starting to think more about the fall, I’m going to give the opposite advice, at the same time: Think small. You hear a lot about events like doughnuts with dad and muffins with mom, but have you ever actually held one? And what about a welcome event on the first day of school just for kindergarten parents? Sometimes called boohoo/yahoo breakfasts (because sending a little one off to school makes some people cry and others rejoice), these breakfast events are easy to pull together, and they let new parents know that they’re in good company. We even have a new article called “Plan a Boohoo/Yahoo Breakfast” with great tips on pulling off a successful event.
There’s no question that schools feel a lot of pride when they can execute big events with all the bells and whistles. But make some room on your calendar for the small ones, too. They can have an outsize effect on your efforts to build community and involvement.
