5 (sort of serious) ways dads can get more involved at school
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Wednesday, September 15, 2010
Way to go, dad.
Listen up, boys! Dads everywhere are being called upon to get more involved in their kids' school day.
National PTA, a nationwide parents group, announced its "Million Hours of Power" initiative this week, basically tsk-tsking some 350,000 American men into pledging three hours of service this school year.
Dads can log their hours online at refresheverything.com/millionhoursofpower.
The initiative is a little skimpy on details, though, and I think we can all agree we don't want most dads within a football field of our bake sale preparations. No worries. There are plenty of things dads are good at that are sorely needed at most schools:
- Achieving maximal classroom space efficiency. My dad could pack a car trunk, a dishwasher, or a garage shelf like it was nobody's business. It actually became a game for him. Any normal person would say "The dishwasher's full. We'll just run another load later." But my dad would swoop in, empty the thing, and reload it with the painstaking precision of a NASA engineer. That messy corner of building blocks in your preschooler's classroom doesn't stand a chance.
- Team manager. Ask a guy when his anniversary is and chances are it'll take him a second. Ask him Cliff Lee's road ERA against left-handed hitters and you'll get an answer faster than you can say "swing, batter." Wouldn't those skills be better put to use at the middle school softball games? "Coach, Jessica is only hitting .213 against righties in Wednesday games. I think this is a pinch-hitter situation." These same skills apply at recess kickball games.
- Budget meeting smackdown. Instead of having the superintendent explain why the _______ department can't get new ______s, just have a rotating board of dads saying "What, you think I'm made of money?"
- Pointing out character-building moments during the school day. This comes in especially handy during dodgeball. After all, it's a tough world out there and the sooner kids learn that, the better.
- Groundskeeping. Ask my dad any Saturday what he's up to, and he'll say, "Oh you know, yardwork." Dads seem to have more fun weeding, pruning, edging, planting and chasing the squirrels away than anyone who's that close to throwing out his back really should.
Dads out there, any of this sound like fun? Ladies, what's your man's special skill? Comment below!
Our picks
WeakBy Nathan on Friday, October 21, 2011 As a dad, I think it's a bit hollow for a writer, no matter how humorous the intention, to call out dads for not doing enough when according to her bio she doesn't even have kids to base her parenting "expertise" on. |
Dads at SchoolBy Jeff Rogers on Friday, October 21, 2011 I like to take the day off work and help chaperone at least one filed trip a year, and have been doing it for my daughters class for the last 5 years. Also, teachers always need help with preparations so I offer to do some of those projects at home. |
DadBy Ryan Salzwedel on Friday, October 21, 2011 My Dad, now a Grandfather still moves at about100mph. I am pretty sure he could of finished a years worth of lesson plans in oh...about 45 minutes. I was asked this week to attend "Virtus" training on Saturday. May god help us all! |
lolBy lisa on Friday, October 21, 2011 love these 'ideas' my hubby is actually on the frontline of school stuff because he's home full time but I'd highly encourage any dad to get in and use any "excuse" to get face time at the school. it makes a such a big impact when my boys friends all know who my husband is. for some he's the closest thing to a male role model that they have on a consistent basis. |
response
By Liz on Friday, October 21, 2011
Hey Nathan- First, thanks for reading and commenting. Second, I'm not sure anyone was calling out dads for not doing enough (that certainly wasn't my intention and I'll never claim to be an expert around here), but the source of the piece was the National PTA group. This was just a light-hearted way to share some memories of my own dad - and maybe give a few readers a smile. Sorry if I failed at either of those. Keep reading!