30 Acts of Kindness Task 8: Help @ An Elementary School

During February, I'm celebrating my 30th Birthday with 30 Acts of Kindness suggested by readers.  The point of these posts isn't to "brag" about what I've been doing, but rather to raise awareness about different organizations in Prince William County and share how you and your family can get involved in making our area a better place to live.  If you'd like to join me in any of my assignments, or if you participate in one on your own, I'd love to get your picture and/or story to share!! I'd love to think this is making a difference, and I hope that you'll join me!  

Whoohoo is this 30 Acts of Kindness keeping me busy!! Listen, if I can fit 30 of these suckers into a 28-day month, I hope some of you will consider getting in one at some point in 2014! Hopefully more, but at least one! I'm trying really hard to give you lots and lots of options so that you'll find something that is a perfect fit for you!

I cannot find the email, but someone wrote in and suggested I volunteer at an elementary school that doesn't get a lot of volunteers.  When Riley, my 10 year old, went to school (we haven't always been those weird homeschoolers, you know) I volunteered as much as I could at his base school.  It's not always easy when you've got younger kids at home, but there is truly no better way to understand what's going on at your child's school, and to know which teachers you want, than to be there!!  

I put up a post on Facebook asking for teachers that could use a few volunteer hours, and the first response I got was from Mrs. Rupay-Dean of Neabsco Elementary, who invited me to help out in the library for a few hours.  

Holy holy holy, people.

If you've got kids, and I assume you do since you're reading my website, you know what they can do to a bookshelf.  Now imagine a few hundred of them over the course of a day.  

Yup, we've got some shelves to stock :) This was actually a really nice way to pass a few hours- the kids come in and out, but clearing the carts really made me feel like I actually accomplished something, even if I knew it wouldn't last.

I'm in touch with that concept- I keep cleaning my house, and my kids keep messing it up.  However, I feel really good for the five minutes it lasts :) 

Anyhow, volunteering at a  school can work for just about anyone! Love kids? Great! They can use you in a classroom, as a reading buddy, or helping with an after-school activity.  Don't love kids? You can make copies, cut pieces for file-folder games, or stock books in the library.  Want to help but don't have a babysitter for your little kids? Call the school- there's probably something you could do from home, whether it's prepping a project or cutting out bulletin board pieces.  If you have a special skill, like computers, robotics, or any passion you'd like to share, the school might have just the place for you!! Just call the front desk and let them know you want to help out!

I think that volunteering at a school could be a great fit for lots of mommas, whether you're checking out the school your little ones will go to, helping while your children attend, or just going to help because you can! Teens could be a great help too, especially homeschoolers who have extra time, although I remember helping at the Lake Ridge Elementary French program when I was a high school junior- I just had to make sure I beat the buses out of the parking lot!  

Thanks for the great idea, and thanks to Neabsco Elementary for having me (and for the fire drill! Those were always the coolest when I was a kid!)