By TMoM Team Member Suzy Fielders Aaron

Looking for a way to give back, meet new people and be involved in your child’s life on a new level? Then volunteering in your child’s school might be just what you are looking for!

One of the best things about volunteering in schools is there are so many ways to do so and be involved. From something as simple as joining your child’s class to tell a story and give the teacher some much needed time to get all the work they are sure to have to get through, to something more involved such as serving on the PTA board. No matter what you choose to do, every school in the Triad is always in need of volunteers and every little bit of time helps!

While it can be a challenge to balance volunteering with parenthood, jobs and everything else we have to juggle these days, it’s worth it for the children, schools and even the volunteers themselves. Almost all parent volunteers I talked to found they get something back from their experiences at their children’s schools. These local parents shared with me how they felt rewarded by the experience of volunteering in schools.

“I love the opportunity to meet the teachers and other students, watch the interactions between the children and the teachers and the feeling of contributing something to help make the school a better place, even if it’s just my time.” – Angie Clyburn Gardner

“It’s so rewarding to see the smiles on faces when the kids get to experience a really fun event at school that would not have happened without PTA volunteers. Also, being able to know what is going on at my child’s school from a different perspective is great.” – Cheryl Groves

“The most rewarding thing about volunteering in schools is meeting so many new people. Between the students and staff, I have met many great people that I have learned different things from and have impacted my life in different ways.” – Christina Lionts

Don’t think when you sign up to be a volunteer that you will really only be helping just your child or not really making a difference as that is rarely the case. Sometimes the seemingly smallest things make the biggest impact. For instance, this touching story by Lionts is one such example, “The majority of my volunteering is being a reading buddy. One day last year, I was in the media center reading one on one with a little boy and in the middle of reading his book, he stops and looks up at me and says ‘thank you for helping to make me a better reader” and smiles. It just melted my heart!”

For those interested in volunteering, it’s best to follow up directly with your child’s teacher or school administration to know what is required (usually some background check form is required) and learn about the opportunities present at that school and in your child’s class.

Are you an active volunteer in your child’s school? If so, tell us some of the things you like to do best – and why!

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