So. I’ve joined the PTA.

Actually here in Ottawa they call it the “School Council” but I think that’s a silly name. It makes me think of kids running for school president and Reese Witherspoon being all Tracy Flick. I’ve seen too many movies featuring SuperMom Cliques drunk with power and shutting out the slouchy mom character to not call it the PTA. So PTA it is.

I’ve been thinking of doing something more productive with my time than surfing Etsy and following the details of Angelina Jolie’s life (not that they are not noble, noble pursuits), so I thought this was a good way to get involved in something my kids are doing. It didn’t seem like an unreasonable amount of time would be required. I was kind of afraid of the SuperMom Cliques but Sir Monkeypants thought that if I started now, and took a low-level peon kind of job, and worked my way up, then by the time Little Miss Sunshine is a student there in three years, I’d be running the show.

Turns out it wasn’t really that hard to infiltrate the ranks. You show up to the meeting, and everyone pretty much falls all over you with gratitude and begs you take on a job, any job. The only really disappointing thing was that there weren’t any squares. Where were the squares? You want to recruit moms, you need squares, dammit!

Next time, I’m bringing squares.

I figure by this time next year, I’ll totally be running the show. No one can deny the swaying power of squares!

I’m not too sure I really want the job, though. The vice-president position is actually free, which, if I took it, would practically guarantee my acclaimation to the top spot next year. But sitting through last night’s meeting — last night’s LOOOOOOOONG meeting, I am SO out of practice at listening to people yammer on in a meeting-type environment, and you know what would have really helped pass the time? SQUARES — made me wonder if I really have the energy for all this. Members of the PTA are expected to plan, set up, and run any and all school events, and I envisioned all my lovely, lazy Saturdays spent taking the kids to museums and going for long walks in the woods replaced by running the dunk tank at the school fair. I thought I’d just have to send a few emails, maybe give up a few evenings making giant stars for the Grade 8 Enchanted Evening dance.

Little Miss Sunshine is still small, and still VERY BUSY, and some days it’s all I can do to keep everyone alive and at the minimum subsistence level. I’m not sure I really want to be talking budgets and organising bake sales with the precious free time I have.

But I’ve joined now. It would be really wussy to back out. Plus, they clearly need some help in the squares department.

I think I’ll spend this year being a “Member At Large” which basically means, I get to attend the montly meetings and vote on stuff, but I don’t have any other real responsibilities. If it works out, I’ll take over next year.

Bwah hah hah hah!