Parenting Teens

I have to admit, I’m not a joiner. While I have what seems sometimes to be infinite patience with my kids (…that sound? Them laughing…) I admit that I tend to think most other people suck. Not very generous of me, sure, but when they’re always wrong while declaring how perfect they are… I get frustrated. And a little snarky. And a little bitchy.

Yeah, yeah, yeah, I’ll wait while all of you stop laughing now. I’m never a “little” anything!

Anyway - this rule of not being a “joiner” has followed my kids through school. I don’t volunteer to chaparone on field trips because other people’s kids are not my kids and you have to be too careful not to offend the parents of those kids when I get frustrated and dump their “perfect lil Johnny” over the side of the boat into the perfect Glacier Bay. I don’t volunteer in the classrooms, because my kids always behave better when I’m not there, rather than when I am - and same rules of frustration apply to “perfect lil Susie” in the classroom. When it comes to PTA - I’ve never joined that either, because tha’ts where Perfect Lil Johnny and Susie’s Mom hangs out. It’s not to say I’m not involved, it’s just on a far less ‘in the open in your face’ manner.

Sometimes Parenting is all about knowing your limits.

All of that above, though, is not meant to suggest I don’t appreciate the PTA - both local and National - and what they do for our kids in school, and it certainly doesn’t mean I don’t applaud their efforts, and their progress over they’re 113 year history. Especially now… for the first time in it’s history, the PTA will install a father as it’s national president!

The lovely Julie emailed me recently to let us know we can be there during an exclusive Live Webcast Wednesday, June 24, 2009 - 2:00 PM Eastern, to see it all go down, and be the first to meet the new National PTA President, Chuck Saylors. You can register for the webcast here, and watch as Byron Garrett, the PTA’s first-ever male CEO, offers the parents that can’t attend the convention the ability to ask questions via email and have them answered live. Saylors and Garrett will focus many of their upcoming efforts on getting parents and teachers involved via Facebook, Twitter, and other Social Media platforms. They’ll also cover other important topics such as:

1. Strategic planning and priorities for the National PTA for the next two years
2. How National PTA is working with the Obama Administration and reauthorization of NCLB
3. Positive impact of male involvement and ways in which men can get involved
4. Summer tips to stay ready for back to school season
5. And so much more!

So what are you waiting for? Go sign up!

Thanks Julie for the heads up!