1 of 2

Write now Article Tools

I'm the mother of 2 boys; one being 14 and the other 11. When they were younger they would love for me to volunteer at their school and when I was invited to chaperon an event it was a special treat. Days before I was scheduled to visit they would continually remind me of the time I needed to be there and they always made sure that their friends, as well as their teachers knew their mom was coming.

Now that they are older the excitement of me coming to their school isn't as great. Don't get me wrong they still want me to visit, but I have learned that what I was once able to do is no longer acceptable. Here are seven don'ts when visiting your child's school.

1. Classroom-While in the classroom make it a point to interact with the other children and stay close to the teacher. Don't spend too much time with your child because it really messes up their "rep".

2. Field Trips- If chaperoning a field trip or any other event, chose a group other than your child's. Although they want you to attend, they don't necessarily want you to hang out with them all day.

3. Lunchtime-Eating lunch is their favorite time of the day, but it is definitely OFF limits. In no way are you ever allowed to eat with them. That's their turf and you're not "cool" enough to be at their table.

4. Transportation-When arriving, park a block away and allow your child enough time to reach the school before you get out of your car. It would be, according to them "the end of the world" if other kids saw you walking with your child.

5. Communication-Talking to the students is inevitable when your volunteering at your child's school, but there is a fine line that should never be crossed. Yes you should be friendly and communicate but you should never, and I repeat never, use their dialogue. Save yourself the embarrassment and stay away from using their slang terms. You will be humiliated...trust me.

6. Pet names-I have pet names for both of my children and my husband. They are terms of endearment and I use them quite often. This is probably one of the most important don'ts. Don't ever, no matter how tempting, call them by their pet name. You will never receive another invite. I made this mistake by calling my son "Sugar Booger" and he paid the price the rest of the day.

7. Story time-As a mom we enjoy reminiscing about the past and how cute our kids were. But it isn't ok to tell the story about when your child first learned to use the potty. Steer clear of the "good old days".

So there you have it, the 7 golden rules of volunteering. Stick to this list and I guarantee that all of your visits will be a success.

Learn more about this author, Stephanie Espiritu.
Click here to send this author comments or questions.

Add your voice

Know something about Things to avoid doing when visiting your child's school?
We want to hear your view. Write now!