Sometimes I wonder if I spent the early years of motherhood in an invasion of the body snatcher-type scenario since I volunteered to coordinate class parties and be a room mom, and I enjoyed it.
When N began preschool, I eagerly went to planning meetings and parties. I took photos at every party. I even dressed up for parties to be festive. Same for G, although with decreased enthusiasm. By the time M was in his second year of preschool, when parties were on Fridays, I was working at the cottage school and wasn't able to attend them except for the one in December. And I didn't entirely mind.
For awhile, I hesitantly told teachers that if they were absolutely desperate I would be room mom (or preferably, share room-mom duty), but if someone else wanted to do it, I was happy, thrilled, ecstatic to let them have at it. I am not, nor have I ever been, a room mom who aspires to Pinterest-greatness. I have far too much party-related crap in my house to want to be the person who gives kids party-related crap to take to their own homes. I think this is one of the reasons I'm more suited to middle school---give 'em pizza and let them listen to music or watch a movie. End.of.party.planning.
This school year, for the first time, I didn't even put my name on the lists as even possibly being interested in helping with parties or being room mom. I'm happy to buy icing and stickers and send them in, as well as attend the party if I'm able, but I don't want the responsibility for the party or the room decorating or the door decorating or the anything entertaining/festivity-related.
I am not a person who enjoys entertaining. Inever rarely invite people to my home. I invite my brother, my parents, my MIL, and my SIL to the kids' birthday parties, and I host bookclub one time a year.
I don't just invite friends over for brunch or a party. D and I don't invite couples over for dinner. Maybe once every other year we meet another couple for dinner at a restaurant. That's it. I cannot imagine ever traveling with another couple on a trip.
I enjoy visiting with one friend at a time. I enjoy going to bookclub but especially when there are only about 5 people in attendance, when we can have one single conversation that stays on track and doesn't end up being 2-3 separate conversations around the room.
For someone who likes to discuss things with other people, I really hate socializing. If you are one of the five people on the planet (my mom included) whom I meet with for coffee or to take a walk or something....well, you are pretty damned special.
Anyway, the point of this whole thread is how I enjoyed doing things that I don't, when other opportunities abound (like teaching or writing), enjoy doing. I'm not sure what to think about this....I ask myself, "Was I faking?" I don't think so....I did really enjoy doing these things, and I wanted to do these things. But my preference, especially after I've done them for years and years, is to do something else that I naturally enjoy (and it helps if I'm getting paid to do those other things).
When N began preschool, I eagerly went to planning meetings and parties. I took photos at every party. I even dressed up for parties to be festive. Same for G, although with decreased enthusiasm. By the time M was in his second year of preschool, when parties were on Fridays, I was working at the cottage school and wasn't able to attend them except for the one in December. And I didn't entirely mind.
For awhile, I hesitantly told teachers that if they were absolutely desperate I would be room mom (or preferably, share room-mom duty), but if someone else wanted to do it, I was happy, thrilled, ecstatic to let them have at it. I am not, nor have I ever been, a room mom who aspires to Pinterest-greatness. I have far too much party-related crap in my house to want to be the person who gives kids party-related crap to take to their own homes. I think this is one of the reasons I'm more suited to middle school---give 'em pizza and let them listen to music or watch a movie. End.of.party.planning.
This school year, for the first time, I didn't even put my name on the lists as even possibly being interested in helping with parties or being room mom. I'm happy to buy icing and stickers and send them in, as well as attend the party if I'm able, but I don't want the responsibility for the party or the room decorating or the door decorating or the anything entertaining/festivity-related.
I am not a person who enjoys entertaining. I
I don't just invite friends over for brunch or a party. D and I don't invite couples over for dinner. Maybe once every other year we meet another couple for dinner at a restaurant. That's it. I cannot imagine ever traveling with another couple on a trip.
I enjoy visiting with one friend at a time. I enjoy going to bookclub but especially when there are only about 5 people in attendance, when we can have one single conversation that stays on track and doesn't end up being 2-3 separate conversations around the room.
For someone who likes to discuss things with other people, I really hate socializing. If you are one of the five people on the planet (my mom included) whom I meet with for coffee or to take a walk or something....well, you are pretty damned special.
Anyway, the point of this whole thread is how I enjoyed doing things that I don't, when other opportunities abound (like teaching or writing), enjoy doing. I'm not sure what to think about this....I ask myself, "Was I faking?" I don't think so....I did really enjoy doing these things, and I wanted to do these things. But my preference, especially after I've done them for years and years, is to do something else that I naturally enjoy (and it helps if I'm getting paid to do those other things).
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