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Showing support for your child’s school and educational experience matters. But does that mean we all have to chaperone field trips and join the PTA? Meagan and Sarah say, rather emphatically, nope.
In Episode 21 we tackle eight myths surrounding what it means to be a “good school mom,” and help debunk those myths for those of you new to the school parenting journey. We also talk about the meaningful ways we have found to volunteer or participate at school, and share some advice from teachers that might surprise you.
Let’s Socialize!
Before we tackled our topic, we invited you to connect with us on social media! Here are all the handy links, all in one place:
- The Mom Hour on Facebook
- @TheMomHour on Twitter (also follow us personally @MeaganFrancis and @PowersOfMine)
- @TheMomHour on Instagram (also follow us personally @MeaganFrancis and @PowersOfMine)
- Email us directly at hello@themomhour.com
- Subscribe in iTunes at bit.ly/themomhour or on Stitcher
- Finally, be sure to tag us and/or use #TheMomHour in any social posts about our show so we can find them and thank you!
Meagan’s husband Jon has MAD bento lunch box skills!
Links we mentioned (or should have!) in Episode 21:
- 7 “Good School Mom” Myths, Debunked! (Meagan for The Happiest Home)
- Hilariously Honest PTA Form Goes Viral (The Huffington Post)
- Sometimes Good Moms Miss The Class Party (Allison Slater Tate)
- 6 Themed Dress-Up Days This Mom Can Totally Get Behind (Sarah for Scary Mommy)
- The Parent-Teacher Relationship (Meagan’s interview with teacher and author Erica Ladd)
- Laura Fuentes’s lunch-packing resource Momables.com, and Meagan’s interview with Laura on the same topics
- Edit Your Life Episode 4: School Lunch Solutions (great ideas from our friends Asha and Christine)
- Meagan’s active wear obsession: Fabletics
hi, my comment is not related to the episode 21, but i really would like to hear you on another subject. Sibling rivalry! It is a big issue between my two little daugthers, and as an only child, I sometime feel clueless. I also feel that i can’t parent my daughters the same way, and as both of you have more childs than i do, i bet you have some interesting advice
good day!
sorry for the mistakes that I make….i’m french speaking!
Thanks, Anne-Marie! This is a great topic and you’re not the first to suggest it. We will add to our list for sure!
Hi I love this episode especially the part when you mention that you don’t really like looking after other people’s children on class trips etc. I totally get this! I am a stay-at-home and love it, however I am not into other people’s kids. Volunteering for class trips or babysitting other people’s children is something I would prefer not to do. I find that because you are a stay-at-home mum that you area most expected to love doing these things (eg volunteering at kindy), however that is not my bag! I am currently binge-listening to the Mom Hour in New Zealand!
i’m relatively new – i’ve been binge listening for the past 2 weeks. knowing myself to be a critical person, i’m amazed that i’ve loved 99% of everything you two have to say. i want to thank you both for that! EXCEPT – this episode – and i feel moved enough to share – maybe it’s because i’m still caught and fraught in this stage of school mom. about volunteering at school field trips – i believe that IS really important! yes, it’s dreadful. yes, the kids wait 10 minutes to do a 2 minute activity. but, you know what you say about not loving other people’s children? ( i sympathize) well, then, please show up to take care of your own child, so that your own child isn’t rubbing onto some other parent! to be completely honest, i do have resentment towards the stay at home moms or those with more flexible working schedules, who choose not to show up! i don’t like snotty kids (my own or not), i don’t like crowds, lines, or pumpkins for that matter, but i request PTO from my full time job, pay extra to arrange for a sitter for my younger kids, so i can show up – which doesn’t just help my child, it helps the whole classroom! a bit of a social contract deficit here. can you tell i have strong feelings about this? well, even though it’s a point of disagreement, i still appreciate immensely what you two have done here – so, ultimately, thank you!
Hi Tram! We welcome differences of opinion and totally get where you’re coming from. I still think it’s possible to do all the things you mention (set aside time, give back to the whole classroom, connect with your child and with other people’s children in a positive way, etc.) without going on a field trip. Schools have so many needs and parents have so many ways they can contribute in ways that fit their strengths and their schedules. I also think it’s valuable to admit/examine when we carry resentment (as opposed to denying/burying it), so appreciate you admitting where you are coming from. Thanks for taking the time to write and share your perspective on this, and for being part of our community. We appreciate you!