If you’ve ever found yourself saying, “Sure, I can help with that,” only to wonder what exactly you just signed yourself up for, welcome. You’re among friends.
I first dabbled in volunteering when my oldest was in preschool, becoming room parent her first school year. It was a gateway position that quickly led to my serving as chair of the graduation committee the very next year. After that, I was hooked, signing up for volunteer positions left and right.
Over the years, I’ve somehow accumulated a collection of volunteer titles that more often than not are way more work than I realized when I first committed to them. I was addicted, saying yes far more times than no, and learning the ins and outs of the various organizations that my kids were a part of. Here is my short list of what keeps my volunteer habit alive.
Youth Sports Coach
Best for: Former athletes, enthusiastic parents, and people who don’t mind carrying six extra water bottles.
Being a youth sports coach means spending an hour planning a practice only to discover that half the team is more interested in chasing deer into the brush than soccer balls. It means tying shoes, settling disputes, and reminding kids for the fifteenth time which direction we’re supposed to be going.
But there is something magical about watching a child finally master a skill they’ve been working on for weeks or fall in love with a sport for the first time. This one is actually at the top of my list for most rewarding!
Scout/Troop Volunteer
Best for: Organized planners who own a glue gun and aren’t afraid to use it.
Being a troop volunteer feels a little like helping to plan a small military operation—with stickers, snacks, and cookie sales mixed in. In between keeping the kids interested, there’s the drive to teach them something meaningful and weave in some philanthropy.
Some of my favorite conversations with kids, including my own, have happened around scout activities when we’re volunteering to help a cause. Their questions about why people might need extra food or why puppies are at a shelter spark conversations that are well worth having.
It is deeply fulfilling to lead children in cultivating empathy as they learn about meaningful causes and develop a deeper understanding of the needs and challenges beyond their everyday lives.
Team Manager
Best for: Sports lovers and people who secretly enjoy the puzzle of coordinating schedules.
The team manager is essentially the behind-the-scenes person making sure everyone knows where they’re supposed to be, when they’re supposed to be there, and what color shirt they’re supposed to wear.
It’s not glamorous. Nobody notices when everything runs smoothly, but parents appreciate all the effort because they would rather not do it themselves.
In addition, I love being part of creating off-the-field experiences that my kids and their friends will remember long after the schedules and tournaments are forgotten. I greatly value the back end of youth sports teams, when teammates bond, like during tid-tournament outings and at their end-of-season parties.
Room Parent
Best for: Social butterflies, party planners, and parents who can send reminder emails without feeling guilty.
Room parent sounds simple enough until you’re trying to organize a holiday party, recruit volunteers for a field trip, collect money, communicate with families, and curate teacher gifts all at the same time.
Classrooms thrive because of the partnerships between teachers and families, and being a room parent gives me a front-row seat to the incredible work our teachers do every day. It also allows me to be a part of some of the little moments with my own children that make elementary school so special, because once middle school hits, I’m learning those opportunities are few and far between.
Club or Group Teacher
Best for: Anyone who loves sharing a hobby, skill, or passion and has boatloads of patience to lead children through it.
For me, it has been being a group leader for our school’s variety show. It started with months of teaching kindergarteners a dance before leading them onto a huge stage to perform. In hindsight, I remember questioning my sanity midway through my first round of this.
But then I also recall the pride on their faces when they finished their performance, and the joy I felt watching my own child accomplish such a feat with her friends by her side, and I was hooked. Year after year, I take on this role willingly and am amazed by the children’s ability to learn dance moves so quickly and bravely walk onto stage to perform.
School Committee Chair
Best for: Big-picture thinkers who don’t need credit to understand value
This may be the least glamorous title on the list. It often involves meetings, planning, problem-solving, and countless emails. Further, you’re often not with your child during these hours of hustle.
The work usually happens quietly behind the scenes, and the successes often go unnoticed. But school communities don’t build themselves, and I’m happy to be one of the many parents who work to ensure our kids have the best childhood experiences.
My most recent committee was for my daughter’s school’s fifth grade year, when we worked as a small team to plan every detail of fun and celebration to honor our graduating fifth graders. It was gratifying to see my child and her classmates enjoy all of the committee’s efforts, and it also fostered a sense of camaraderie amongst the parents volunteering.
The funny thing about volunteer positions is that from the outside, they can look exhausting. And from the inside, they are. But, and here’s the thing, people keep signing up. Why??
Here’s my reason: the older my children get, the more I realize how quickly these years are passing. While the volunteer roles may not come with glamour, thank-you cards, or even much recognition, they give me something far more valuable: a front-row seat to my children’s lives.
This is the life I dreamed of. I feel incredibly fortunate to spend extra time with my kids by being present in their schools, activities, teams, and communities. I get to know their friends, cheer them on, witness their growth, and be part of memories that I know I’ll treasure someday.
Someday the group texts will stop, the schedules will clear, and the volunteer sign-ups will end. But for now, you’ll probably find me saying, “Sure, I can help with that.”
