I'm the mom that makes you roll your eyes

I am that mom. You know the one. The one everyone rolls their eyes at and says, "must she volunteer for everything." The mom who goes on every field trip, makes cookies for every party all while managing the PTA budget and scheduling the travel soccer team games. I'm the mom that you think is judging you for not signing up to be Room Mom five years in a row.

But you've got me all wrong.

Yes, you see my name on practically every committee sign up sheet. But never at the top, never as the chair, never as the Lead Room Mom. I have found my way of giving my time and energy to my kids school and activities in lots of little ways. Some of these things I do out of guilt. I see an empty slot on the Fitness Friday safety monitor sheet and I let it go for a couple of days. Then when no one signs up, I can't help myself, I have to fill in my name. It's only 30 minutes a week.

Other things I do because I truly love it. The elementary school library makes me happy. We have the most amazing school librarian and I enjoy chatting with her and getting book recommendations for my kids and myself. I love helping the kindergartners check out their books and asking them why they chose Swimmy for the third time in a row.

So while it may look like I am all over the place trying my best to make other mothers feel inferior, I promise you I'm not. I've just found my way of giving back that works for me. I know it borders on ridiculous, but I try to spend an equal amount of time in all three of my kids classrooms. This is no easy task, trust me.

I know that my way of fitting it all in would never work for other moms. I know that playing math games with third graders is about as appealing as an ice cold shower to some. Just like teaching an art lesson, doing playground duty or *shudder* lunch room duty makes me want to run screaming.

I take my volunteer roles seriously and I can respect someone that volunteers for nothing knowing it's just not their thing. I don't do it to win some sort of most involved mom award. I don't do it so everyone knows my name. I do it because I know that once they hit junior high neither my kids or the teachers will want me around. I do it because I like knowing what's going on at their school.

So believe me when I say that you don't need to roll your eyes at me. I am well aware that in a few years (months??) I will be the burned out mom who can't peel out of the school driveway fast enough only to return ten minutes after the dismissal bell.