This summer I was talking to some moms with kids in my boys’ elementary school. They said whatever I do don’t volunteer. They’d keep me busy constantly. I am very sure they could. There are some moms who are at the school most of the time. But the fact is just because they offer a volunteer job doesn’t mean I have to take it. And another fact is the boys’ elementary school is amazing in no small part because of the volunteers.

I do a two hour shift a week in the elementary school library. I love books and I love alphabetizing and putting series in numerical order. Yes I am weird (though Fritz has developed a love of organizing the books in his classroom, too, and my mom organizes her DVDs into categories and then alphabetizes them so apparently it is genetic). I volunteered two full days for the book fair (and will again later in the year). I have so much fun in the library.

I do another two hour shift a week in the main office of the middle school. It’s a great way to meet teachers and administrators and free up the office staff to do other things. Mostly I just check people in and print their badges and direct them to where they need to go. I also spend a lot of time taking things kids left at home and giving them to the student office aides to run them to the appropriate people.

I am also the homeroom rep for my kindergartener’s classroom. Yesterday we got the volunteer forms the students’ parents turned in. In addition to my own sheet, I got exactly two. From a class of 21. Hopefully I can drum up some more help for the parties. Many of the parents do have younger siblings at home so that could be why so few were turned in.

Throughout the year there are lots of things I will be doing to help out in the kids’ schools. In a couple weeks I’ll be making chili for the elementary school teachers (to celebrate the end of the first quarter). There’s always something to do to help out and I’ve got the time. Yes, it does fill up my schedule a little bit, but I don’t see a problem with that.