Being a Parent Volunteer in High School is Exhausting

When my son was in kindergarten, I couldn’t wait to attend my first PTA meeting. I carefully added the date to my calendar, arranged for a sitter and even put on a little makeup for the first meeting. I was excited to volunteer at my son’s school and to meet other moms since I was new to the area.

As I walked into the meeting, I smiled at a woman as I signed in and looked for a place to sit.

She smiled smugly, “You’re new here, aren’t you?”

When I enthusiastically said yes, she laughed and sa...