Dont you hate that you do all you can do and still feel like you should do more just know your limits and stick to them you have a lot of people depending on you to take care of them and if you ware yourself down who is going to do what you are already doing? Take care!

You've already signed up to do more than I would of. I joined the PTA and am wondering if I have time do do that. - My house needs a really deep cleaning and I can't afford a maid. I used to feel guilty all the time - not anymore. Life is so short and I take all the happy times I can because there has been too many sad times in the last 5 years. Give yourself a hug and be good to yourself. You deserve it.

i think you are over doing! do all the parents go to the meetings? i swear americans make everything so difficult, and competative! what did we do before orgainzed sports took over? we played kick the can, kick ball, and base ball. no one was left out due to cost, lack of transportation or ability!

I wouldn't feel one little bit guilty. Most of those parents are young, with the energy one needs to do all of that stuff. I think you're already doing your part, maybe even more!

I had to resign from a township land use board when we got the three grandkids, and that was just a once-monthly meeting. Now I'm thinking about getting back on, but that's because it's my passion, not because I feel guilty not doing it.

If being a PTA parent is your passion, I'd say go for it as long as you enjoy every minute. But once it becomes a burden it may be time to say "not this time, thank you" :-)

Boy, I know how you feel. I am raising one daughter's two teenagers and the other daughter's 5year old. My boyfriend who lives with us has throat cancer and will be receiving hopice care now. I try to be involved in the girls activities and get them to church and school activities. The age differences add to this challenge. I have finally learned to say no to my daughters, raising the girls should be enough. I need to do better at taking care of myself.

I think most all the parents were at the meeting and most everyone signed up for something. It's a parochial school and parents are very active and involved in the school and all activities. Most parents go to the sporting events even if their kids are not on the team. My gs is very involved in sports and is hoping to play at college level. His coaches think he has a good chance at that. We spend a lot of time at sporting events including football, high school basketball, AAU basketball, and track. It's very busy but I love every minute of it.

The good news is that he'll get his license in the fall so at least he can drive himself to the practices. Most of the summer he had football weight lifting at 6:00 a.m. for an hour and a half, summer 7 on 7 games Sunday at 6:00 p.m., summer league basketball Monday nights, plus AAU practice and games. We traveled out of town several times for games. He is very active, healthy, has made friends from all over the U.S., learned fantastic social skills, and how to listen and follow direction for coaches. Plus, he's very busy, involved in school activities, and doesn't have time to get bored and into any trouble even if he was so inclined. So, sports has been great for him.

He's been in sports since first grade and in all that time I only missed one of his sporting events - a football game. Just as a background, his football team had an awful coach for two years and did not win a single game - one year they didn't even score. They got two new coaches when he was in 7th grade. They worked and worked with those kids and were so optimistic about the first game. They lost by a blowout, and the coaches were stunned, but as one of the parents said 'Well, we're kind of used to it.' I missed their second game because my company sent me out of town to do training. I called DH about the time I thought the game would be done, and he said "They won!" My gs grabbed the phone and you could hear the excitement in his voice as he shouted "We won! We won!!!! We scored SIX touchdowns!!!" I jokingly asked him "So, how many did you score?" He shouted "ALL of them!!!" "You scored all six touchdowns?" "Yes" "Rushing or receiving?" "Both" For an entire year afterward, parents would mention that game, and I had to say that I didn't see it because I was out of town. I've never missed a game since then and hope I never will again.

I think all children and all parents have regrets. In fact, I KNOW they do...lol.

My kids and I were always in 4-H because it was something they and I could all be involved together without running four different directions. It maybe wasn't what each of us would have picked individually, but it offered us all choices and a wide variety, and we all could participate in county events as well as the county fair! :) It worked for me then.

Things with my gs will be different, as there is only him, and I can go wherever he so chooses or wishes. I want to keep in mind the goal of developing his own unique personality. It may be difficult at times, but that's how I wish to do it, along with teaching him some very important life skills and abilities.

But I still will be very choosy about what I allow him to do. I am not impressed by the families or the children who run every night til dark for band, sports, plays, chorus, extracurricular activities of all sorts. Their families seem very fragmented to me. I want a centralized family that is the core of his life (even if it is just him and I....lol). So I will still limit his activities to one or at most two, depending upon the season and my time.

You sound very involved with football. So I'd keep that and don't worry too much about the rest. Make the PTA meetings when and if you can, but you can always keep in touch with the PTA through their newsletter if they have one or through his teacher.

I would not be ashamed to admit all of the people you are caretaker for and explain that you don't have the time to do more. The young do not understand, but some day they will....

Remember, you will be no good to anyone if you don't take care of yourself! Don't let yourself become run down! Take time out to just enjoy your gs. Take time out for together time, even if you have to say "no" to something else. Enjoy these years, don't let other people steal them from you! We have a second chance at doing at least THAT part right....lol :P

Take care and know you are not alone. We all feel overwhelmed some times. But don't let the false guilt in!! It's a killer!

{{{{HUGS}}}}

Ya know...I just felt I had done all that with my three kids and it was the present mom' turn to do it. I helped out where I could but I was not the first one to step up and volunteer. Anyways when I did volunteer it was usually them and me. They talked and gossiped and I was not a part of that so I usually was by myself. I had not regrets...it's their time. Don't feel guilty, been there, done that. There's plenty to do just with driving them to and fro and baking, etc. Stop beating yourself up....sounds like you are doing more than your share.