Thank you for your replies. I was still very raw from that day when I posted my vent. Now I'm relaxed, already have 3 pages of notes for next year and ready to go again. At the last meeting of the year, I did politely offer to let our loudest critic take a key position in the Fun Fair Committee next year. She turned a very lovely shade of green. (I was attempting to be sincere, honestly I was) She is our member who volunteers for nothing and complains about everything. I told her I would note her points, and then in January when things kick into high gear I'd call her to see if she was available to help out. I predict she'll have a new phone by then.
(Though I nice and very polite, I admit I did LOVE it)
My son does make it all worthwhile and while the complainers can get to me, I try to remember that I love doing this and I will not allow a couple of Negative Nelly's to ruin it for me.
Completely understand! The one thing I have had to learn patience with "parents". Instead of Volunteer Coordinator, I sometimes think it is Complaint Department.
When we have events now, I have a list of Volunteers. In the key positions I have people I know will show up. Then have parents I don't know or can't count on in other places. And yes, there are never enough in Junior High.
When people aren't dependable, make sure you make note of that.
Also, take a deep breathe and realize it will all work out one way or another. There is no reason to stress out about it.
Now that it is all over, make notes of what could go better for next time. And take a breathe because summer is almost here.
You call it a total vent, I call it inspiration! You so perfectly express the struggles PTO leaders go through and then, just when you are probably wondering why on earth you even bother, you have that wonderful moment when your child lets you know exactly why it is all worth it!
Thanks so much for sharing that!
I'll also pass along a link to a great piece that Tim Sullivan wrote on handling our critics:
Not even 1/2 of our volunteers showed up.
No one paid attention to the way things were supposed to be done.
I spent 9 hours today (never mind the 8 yesterday and the countless hours for the last 5 months) running around trying to fill in the gaps, rework things to cover the empty spots and make sure things went smoothly, only to spend the whole evening tonight apologizing to people whose feelings got hurt or who felt like they were taken advantage of because instead of working a 2 hour shift, they had to work a 3 or 4 hour shift. And then to have all the people who didn't have fun contact me to tell me what went wrong, how I should have handled things and why they won't be participating in future events, then I find out that one of my dear friends whose children don't even go to our school and who came simply to be nice to me ended up having a terrible time as well.
Then, of course, my son.. the whole reason I do any of this, comes up, hugs me and says "Mom this was the best fun fair ever and you are the very best mom ever." and suddenly the world is a bright happy place again.
