There was a headline on the NYTimes page and it read: "Mom's Mad, and She's Organized". The teaser of a title worked on me, so I clicked on it - but it was really just some tidbits on the MomsRising.org movement. While this movement does seem like something I could get behind - and in fact, I'm even tempted to host a screening party for the Film they offer on their site -- I can see me hosting that with desserts and coffee more than I can see me hosting another Simply Tasteful or "make-your-own-handbag (for $160)" parties... I'm starting to feel all volunteered out. So, instead of: "Mom's Mad and She's Organized" an article I'd like to read would be titled: "Mom's Stretched to Her Limit - and somewhat Organized".
I lead middle daughter's Girl Scout troop, I'm cookie mom for older daughter, and preparing her troop's winter camp presentation. Both are managable time committments - but only because my company has limited travel lately and my husband has changed to a local sales territory. If a big Asian client lead comes along - my organized little world would be deeply impacted. It's as if I'm on borrowed time..putting some volunteer hours "in the bank" while I can.
In addition there is this very worthy cause I've been assisting with at our church - an African Mission in Tanzania. I'm not sure how much time this will take just yet, but so far it's taking a little less time than Daisy Scouts.
I'm a big proponent of volunteerism. In fact, I volunteered a lot in High School and won some award for most hours candy-striping or some such thing. (And if I had a dollar for each time as a naive 14 year old I entered some male patient's room to deliver balloons or flowers and they asked me if I'd seen the movie about Candy Stripers -- which I later discovered was a porno classic - I could've paid for my college education in dollar bills.)
I think giving your time can sometimes be even better than just a plain ol' cash donation. Certainly I think it's setting a good example for our kids. Lucy has helped at "Feed My Starving Children" a couple of times, and the girls WANT to help out when I volunteer in the nursery. If this African Mission trip results in a family trip to Africa some day to meet the people who have so much spiritual strength, but so little materially - I think that will also be a fantastic lesson for my kids.
What motivates me to volunteer? If you'd asked me in High School I'd say it was because I didn't have a social life and I liked the chocolate pudding in the cafeteria at the hospital that I could eat for free after each volunteer shift. Besides, my Dad worked at that hospital, so I felt like my being there would somehow get back to him - if I did a good job. (Attention seeking, wanting to be needed? Yes. Not exactly altruistic. But - not all bad for a 13, 14, 15 year old kid.)
But why now? I stick to things I'm "good at". I'm good at entertaining 5 and 6 year olds with simple crafts and can help organize and create newsletters. I've always been the one creating the newsletters - ever since I was the only one with her own PC in college (that fact ought to freak my kids out when they're older -- mommy went to school back in the day where almost no one HAD a computer), and could figure out PageMaker (by Aldus, version 1.0) on her Apple Macintosh.
I'm good at tracking details - names, dates and phone numbers. I'm dependable - and eager to help. That's 99% of what people seem to need, so it fits the bill. I'm good at delegating. I'll say things like: "I'm happy to do the newsletter but I don't like to deal with the finances. How do you feel about keeping the checkbook for the organization?"
Most of all - I think I like that I'm more than "just a mom" or just a corporate worker bee. I think I must enjoy having these multiple hats. And honestly, it's a bit of a stretch for me. It takes me hours to screw up the nerve to telephone people. And when I come home and there's a message on the answering machine with a question that requires I call back and talk to someone, honestly, it fills me with some dread, even if the answer is easy. It's NEVER easy for me to talk to people I don't know all that well.
On the plus side - I've been able to meet wonderful people and have surrounded myself with people I really like thanks to volunteering. I really truly like my fellow Scout Co-Leaders - I adore the girls in the troop, and I've had nothing but nice experiences with the parents from both troops I've assisted with. I'm making 2 more nice friends in the Tanzania group - one a woman who leads a group that feeds needy people weekly in our area, the other organizes charitable giving around the holidays for people who would otherwise be forgotten or slip through the cracks. These are wonderful women, inspiring women. It's good company to have.
Still - this week on 5 out of 7 nights I'm committed to something related to either Tanzania or Girl Scouts, and it's starting to get to be a bit much. I'm now officially counting the days to the end of the school year because then Girl Scouts will take a break.
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