Just Say No

When we were in school, the big "Just Say No" to drugs campaign began. I remember them giving us t-shirts with a big chicken on them to wear to a Just Say No rally. As an aside that has absolutely nothing at all to do with this post, they burned Marijuana in school in front of us in the fifth grade as part of the Just Say No campaign- am I alone in thinking that's weird?

The point of this post is that I should have listened more closely. No, I don't have a drug problem. No, I am not making light of those that do. I have a "saying the word No" problem.

The evidence-

That's what 42 homemade treat bags and 94 homemade cupcakes look like. Or as I like to call it "domestic insanity".

Apparently, I'm a trendsetter. Who knew, right? Last year for the first time, I said "No, I wouldn't like to be the room mom. I'll send anything you need, anytime. But I don't want to be in charge." It was a beautiful year. I made more than my fair share of cupcakes and sent in plenty of treats. I even treated the third graders to breakfast one day in the spring. But there were no tedious details like filling treat bags full of junk. I didn't have to go over the checklist five times to see who paid for pizza and who didn't. And when it came to the last day of school party for the first graders? I- gasp- just wrote out a check to pay for my portion and did -bigger gasp- nothing else. Last year was a beautiful year. Until everyone else caught on.

This year rolls around and guess what? Nobody wants to be Room Mom anymore. Both of my kids teachers approached me about doing it. Good ole Mommy Guilt will get you every time. I have never been Duncan's Room Mom and he really wanted me too so I said sure, I'd love to be your Room Mom. So when Caroline's teacher approached me about the same subject, in front of Caroline no less, how could I say no? No really, I am asking, how would it have been possible to say no? Because apparently I am physically incapable of doing it.

Don't get me wrong, I enjoy parts of it. I have to admit it felt great to hear kids in Duncan's class say " I want to be in your class every year, Duncan" after they saw their treats. And life doesn't get much easier than making cupcakes. Caroline was thrilled with her treat bags as well, especially because they weren't "babyish". And the parents sent in most of the "junk" that filled the bags. See below.

It's the exhaustion, financial expense, and time away from my family that I worry about. I mean, do kids really need a bag full of crap to celebrate a holiday? And why is it that parents think they do? And what is up with people griping because I didn't plan Pass the Pumpkin or Pumpkin relays for the pizza lunch on Wednesday? Pizza, Coke, Cupcakes and Mom & Dad suddenly aren't enough for lunch at school?

My biggest gripe, by far, is that parents feel the right to criticize the job another mom does when they, themselves are not willing to do it. Sure, they'll talk all day about what you are doing wrong but will they pick up the slack and do it themselves next year? No way Jose.

Okay. Now I feel better. Sorry about the complete negative tone of this post. I promise to post something "feel good and happy" in the next day or two. I just really needed to get that off my chest.