Comments on Suburban Matron: Room Mom's Last Gasp

I'm room mom for the second year in a row. Yu...

2009-05-18T15:33:00.000-04:00

I'm room mom for the second year in a row. Yup, getting along with the "co" can be a big deal. Last year's was super easygoing (had two older daughters and she was co-room mom with me when her son and my daughter were in kindergarten) but this year's is much more intense and....moody. That horrible M word.

(I really hope if I'm moody like that, people tell me. Maybe they're all saying I'm moody too.)

She also gets really indecisive. It's like a quick decision can never be good. It's only a good decision if you spend hours & hours meeting and turning it around in your mind. I feel like we could cut to the chase and solve 99% of what we need to do by email or phone.

By the way we did fruit kebabs last year and the kids kept stabbing themselves in the mouth. It's like, are these kids not very bright? C'mon, *sharp*!

Oh, and to add to my problem with co-room mom this year, the teacher is super moody too. Fun times.

I'm not room momming again at elementary next year, but I have another fun adventure ahead of me doing co-op preschool for my younger daughter. Talk about indecisive, moody, and lots of meetings....

I find Jan somewhat endearing. To me, she is one o...

2009-05-15T19:10:00.000-04:00

I find Jan somewhat endearing. To me, she is one of the more sympathetic characters of your blog. The craziness is that she's real!!

I too will miss her when school's out. And Wendy, I'm a fixer too--I have to be resisting the urge to say, "Well do you want me to talk to the coach for you?" Jan needs some assertiveness training!

Ugh, Lecia, I feel for you. And the photo book! Th...

2009-05-15T12:07:00.000-04:00

Ugh, Lecia, I feel for you. And the photo book! Those are a lot of work. I'm guessing you're getting parents to email pics they took during the year, then you're going to collate the pictures and lay out the book, and THEN have it printed, etc. Aaargh. . .

And that's exactly what I should have said to her, Bex! She is kind of a martyr. I've seen glimpses of it before. I just don't have that streak in my personality, and when I encounter it, I'm just confused and frustrated, "Like, WHY are you doing this?" Oh well, one week to go.

Another funny Jan moment--I was taking a few pictures at the class play with my iPhone. Jan saw and said, "Wow, your camera phone has a huge screen!" I said, "It's an iPhone, you know, iPhones?" I showed her the home screen. She had never heard of such.

I am SO in the thick of end of the year 'class coo...

2009-05-15T11:48:00.000-04:00

I am SO in the thick of end of the year 'class coordinator' (that's what we're called in the north) duties... planning a class gift for a teacher I don't love - a very thoughtful, labor intensive photo book. And a party. My co-class coordinator is a grad student and has three kids, and basically just ignores my emails.

Gee, I wonder why she's in so much debt? I unders...

2009-05-15T11:32:00.000-04:00

Gee, I wonder why she's in so much debt?
I understand the temptation but ya gotta rein that in sometimes!

The VCR (or projector) movies and popcorn were pretty cool I thought. Maybe class parties could start down-sizing in the name of going retro.

It's hard to watch women (or men for that matter) ...

2009-05-15T10:15:00.000-04:00

It's hard to watch women (or men for that matter) who are not assertive. I'm a "fixer" so it makes me just want to jump in and take over. Frustrating. I wish people would stand up for themselves.

What is with people? "Hundreds of dollars" and sh...

2009-05-15T07:02:00.000-04:00

What is with people? "Hundreds of dollars" and she "can't ask him again?" Oh for the love of Pete!!

lol, poor woman. She needs help. I remember the ...

2009-05-15T00:09:00.000-04:00

lol, poor woman. She needs help.

I remember the 'end of year party' consisting of popcorn and a VCR movie for the afternoon. They're really taking it up a notch.

I'd totally but out Oriental Trading's stock. Hope...

2009-05-14T23:38:00.000-04:00

I'd totally but out Oriental Trading's stock. Hope I don't turn out to be a 'Jan'.

No end of the year party is allowed over here. Th...

2009-05-14T22:11:00.000-04:00

No end of the year party is allowed over here. They have two a year: winter break and day before spring break. Your planned party sounds like a great time. I think Jan would've done better stretching the dollar via Oriental trader site. I'm going to miss the Jan stories. Please find a reason to invite her over to your house or something. I'm going to keep my fingers crossed your kids get in the same room next year!
One year some moms did a luau for a 5th grade class (my child was not in the class but told me the deets): they brought in a huge tarp and bags full of playground sand, and lounge chairs. They had a smoothie machine, and the luau music going.

i love how your posts are cross-referenced to olde...

2009-05-14T22:01:00.000-04:00

i love how your posts are cross-referenced to older posts. you crack me up!

i'm not at the room mom stage yet, but when i get there, rest assured, i lack manners and etiquette so i'll probably just say what i'm feeling like, "if you don't have money for all this crap, take it back bc there's not enough in the class fund to reimburse you and no one asked you to be the class party martyr."

Oh Ginny, rest assured we had a field day. It too ...

2009-05-14T20:53:00.000-04:00

Oh Ginny, rest assured we had a field day. It too required an airlift of snacks and bottled water. I entirely skipped out on helping with field day because siblings weren't allowed. Also I heard there was a dunking booth.

This is just turning into a bigger deal than I thought necessary. Jan is like a law unto herself.

I can easily say we never had such an elaborate en...

2009-05-14T20:51:00.000-04:00

I can easily say we never had such an elaborate end of the year party when I taught! We had field day, or a picnic, and spent the entire day outside. No decorations needed!

Oh, dear lord, how I love living in a college town...

2009-05-14T20:11:00.000-04:00

Oh, dear lord, how I love living in a college town. Many of the moms and dads are poor grad students, so class parties are just apple-juice-and-vegan-cupcakes affairs.

Oh man, I'm volunteering to be the entire school's...

2009-05-14T19:10:00.000-04:00

Oh man, I'm volunteering to be the entire school's pta of sorts next year since the school is so small and has never had one before. Your co-room mom sounds like me, I'm always buying shit for my kid's school and never asking for money in return. I seriously just offered to by $160 worth of sun shades for the playground so Graham isn't PURPLE when I pick him up every day. I think I'm in trouble next year.

Poor Jan. I feel for her re: the coach situation....

2009-05-14T19:04:00.000-04:00

Poor Jan. I feel for her re: the coach situation... because, in my heart of hearts, I am Jan. I, too, hate confrontation. I have had to train myself up over many long years in order to not be a total doormat.

We did a luau last year that was really cute with ...

2009-05-14T18:22:00.000-04:00

We did a luau last year that was really cute with fruit kebabs and make your own leis.

This year my class has only raised $10 for our party...not expecting a big blow out this time around!!

FYI- my word verification is "depressed" hahahahaha

Good grief! Does she have a kick-me sign on her b...

2009-05-14T17:20:00.000-04:00

Good grief! Does she have a kick-me sign on her back? She needs to corner that coach fast. As for all the Hawaiian paraphernalia being given to the teach as a class gift . . . hmm. But what can you say to someone like Jan?