Do you feel stressed by the demands of your child's school?  Has volunteering come to feel like a fulltime job?

This dilemma was the subject of a top-emailed New York Times article a few weeks back: "Frazzled Moms Push Back Against Volunteering" in which many of the subjects described feeling resentful or burned-out from the demands of their children's schools. Some had trouble say "no" to requests for help, others didn't know what they were getting into until it was too late. Many ended up embittered and pulled back from volunteering altogether.

Many parents I know chuckled knowingly when they read that article.  At PS 29, no sooner had the  "Eat Pie & Shop" fundraiser ended than entreaties for the annual appeal appeared in our children’s mailboxes. There are frequent reminders for the annual toy drive and for the Amazon rewards program that sends proceeds to the school via online holiday shopping. With scores of kids out sick (and their parents home with them), the pre-K classroom needs last-minute helpers during lunch. And then there are theteacher gifts, a tradition around the holidays.

I’m not complaining, just giving a picture of how things work at my daughter’s school– one that relies heavily on parent contributions, especially with the brutal string of  budget cuts it has faced recently. I would resent all these requests if they were at all bullying in tone, but they're not. Parents contribute everything from fundraising dollars, copy paper and cleaning supplies, to hours of their time assisting in the cafeteria or teaching special classes. As a result, and thanks to the PTA's organization, we have been able to ride out the perfect storm of recession and budget cuts without having to forgo any of the basics, our children still getting to enjoy some excellent programs.

Insideschools would like to know:  Has your school come to depend on parent volunteers and fund-raisers? Or does the school or PTA not offer enough ways for parents to help out?