A Lesson in Not Volunteering

I am a volunteer, at heart. I volunteer at Miriam's Kitchen, which is just about the best run organization I've ever been in contact with. In the past few years, I have also been the Treasurer of the board at Potomac Crescent Waldorf School, been involved in handwork at PCWS, edited and written for the PCWS newsletter, and now sit on the finance committee of PCWS. At times, this has resulted in feeling like I have another part-time job, which I actually do not have time for. I also go up to Connor's classroom regularly - in part because I know I sent the teacher a kid who didn't read and in some respects, was certainly behind his peers at the start of the year, and I realize he needed extra time from the teacher. The least I can do is try and lighten her load on occasion.

I'm very interested in what's happening in Connor's school as a whole, and I recognize there is a lot of work behind a lot of wonderful events there. And normally, I would be all in, trying to figure out where I could pitch in. However, after getting totally burned out as a volunteer last year, I made a firm rule that I would not - under any circumstances - volunteer in any major way at Connor's school this year. I will, when I have both children there, find something to do - I PROMISE!

The problem is, even though I know I should not be volunteering any more if I want to keep my sanity, it's very hard for me to resist. So, before every PTA meeting, I arm myself with knitting needles. I am the only person in the room knitting through the entire meeting, but I find that the time it takes for me to set my needles down and volunteer, has always been enough time for someone else to volunteer instead of me. Brilliant, right?

And as a side note, I now have TWO PAIRS of hand knit socks. I have also completed a dress for Helen and a scarf for Ed this year, and have a sweater for Connor over halfway done.

I am available for knitting lessons. But that's the only volunteer commitment I'm picking up this year!

Elaine