Lessons from my first committee experience

I'm not a big joiner-innerer. I've never volunteered or been on a committee for anything. Until now, that is. I've found myself on the committee for Abbey's preschool and I'm learning a lot about the whole process...

Don't say things like, "Is that my job?" or "Shall I do that?" - the answer will always be yes.

Remember that others drink caffeine to help themselves stay awake during long discussions of fundraisers. If you want chocolate, bring it yourself.

Come armed with reasons things should stay as they are, so that you're prepared when it's suggested that two newsletters per term would be better than one. In the absence of thinking of any reasons I said "OK, sure" and have now doubled my workload.

More than doubled, actually. Another lesson: when they say you've taken on an easy job which is just a matter of putting in the information from everyone else, stick with that. Don't redesign the entire format. (Control freak alert!)

It's very, very difficult to take adults seriously when they're sitting on miniature chairs around miniature tables.

Never underestimate the power of politics. The committee is likely to want to see and discuss every little change, so try to go along with this so as not to get any noses out of joint.

The moral of the story? I may not be a big joiner-innerer, but once I do volunteer I can't help but take it on as a mammoth task.

Maybe I'll go back to sitting on my hands when volunteers are next requested.