Committee Involvement

[Guest]

Thanks from me too Peggy. Feeling better today had a happy day at work yesterday and today we sorted a few things out and i am feeling my enthusiasm for my job come back. HOORAY!!

[Motherclanger]

Hi this is my first post (and maybe my last !)on the forum. Just got up enough courage to do it !

I'm afraid that the committee at my Pre-school takes no responsibility for the running of it, in fact its got to the stage that I've now decided to resign my post as supervisor. I've tried desperately to get them involved for the last year, and have found the workload just too much ! I'm trying to do two jobs the supervisors and the treasurers, sorry three as its left to me to liase between the other committee members and the chair ! Unfortunately for me I also live just down the road from the village hall that we use, so don't really get away from the major problems. I seem to be working 7 days a week at the moment to try to rectify the problems ! Its now taken its toll on my health,self esteem and more importantly my family !

Sorry for having a bit of a moan ! but I just feel so stressed and emotional at the moment, probably cos I'm not eating or sleeping very well. Its not been an easy decision as I have been involved with the group for over eighteen years !

[HappyMaz]

This will be my first post on the forum l would like to add, l would at times like more involvement from committee, however as already mentioned none of members are trained in childcare/education and do leave it to myself to run pre- school . However l feel that as a manager there are some issues that the committee should be more active in, i.e fundrasing, pay increases, fee setting.

Hi cazbaby

 

Welcome to the Forum!

 

Maz

[HappyMaz]

Hi Motherclanger, welcome to the Forum.

 

Now that you've made that all important first post the rest will be dead easy!

 

We're for the good and the bad, so have a good moan if you need to. As you can tell from the rest of this thread committees and their level of involvment is always a hot topic of conversation. I'm so sorry to hear that your problems with the committee have led to you making this difficult decision - I can only imagine how unhappy it must have made you. Leaving a group you've been involved with for 18 years is quite a move.

 

I hope that this experience won't put you off applying for others and that you find the right group to recognise your skills, talent and dedication.

 

Oh, and don't make this your last post: we don't bite!

 

Maz

[Motherclanger]

Thanks Maz !

No I think thats it for me, I really feel my time has come to give up ! Prehaps its the shock that my committee needs to take responsibility of the group. I know it is going to be difficult to find someone to replace me (we are a rural pre-school)and I feel very bad about that, but I won't just abandon the group. I hope I can see out the school year and watch my older children go onto school, I feel I need to stay for them and also the parent that have been very supportive.

[Guest]

Welcome to the forum cazbaby and a warm welcome to motherclanger too.

 

Motherclanger, I was in a similar position last year, not quite the same circumstances but I made the decision to close my preschool, I'd owned it for 7 years and have been in the EY field for over 20 yrs.

5 months on and I still miss the everyday relationships I had with the children and parents, some I still keep in touch with, but the positives for my health, my family and my 'pace of life' far outweigh the negatives.

Logging onto the forum helps me still keep abreast of what has been the main part of my life for 20 yrs, but without the stress and strain I had begun to let overtake me.

 

I have a continuing career as a Foster carer and I am involved in their school life, much more than I was involvd in my own sons primary school years, he's 25 yrs old now, I was too busy with my playgroup back then.

 

It took me 6 mths to come to the decision to finally close my preschool, although sad, the parents were very supportive. The main factor was a health scare that enabled me to put home life and work into the right perspective. Once I'd made the decision there was no change of heart or looking back. Life does go on and we are not indispensible.

 

I actually did a pro's and con's list to help with my decision, reasons to keep preschool open, reasons to close. Initially I felt quite bitter that I had felt forced to make the decision, sustainability also being a consideration, but now I am over that and I feel much less led by 'obligations' to others and more relaxed to enjoy my family. Yes, I also felt guilty and selfish too, but I have learnt that there is a fine line between selfishness and doing what is best for oneself.

 

Best wishes for whatever you decide, but now you've joined the forum, don't go, it really is a great place to be part of.

 

Peggy

[Motherclanger]

Hi Peggy !

Thanks for writing about your experience it has made me feel alot better, if not rather tearful !

I must admit I have been thinking about giving up for the last six months as well and have now made the decision to do so. Its taken me a long time to write my resignation letter ! but its done now and I will deliver it to my chairperson tonight. I know I will feel very guilty especially if the pre-school closes, (I'm praying it doesn't as it will effect the community I live in) but I now know I'm doing the right thing.

I feel its the right time to inject new life into the group by finding someone with more energy and hopefully as much commitment. It will be very difficult for me as I live down the road from the hall where the pre-school is based so will hear the children outside and of course I shall miss them very much. Hopefully I shall still visit the forum to see whats going on, I will always be interested.

[Guest]

I hope your decision was not based solely on your current experience of committees because as you know they come and go.

I am firtunate I live 7 miles away from my previous setting, it has been opened again by the suster of one of the children I taught. I have kept many photo's and fond memories, but 6 months on the names of all the children are passing me by and I am moving on. You will feel a bit lost at first, I currently don't know how I had the time to do 'preschool' and family, I find that now there are not enough hours in the day. I do now know how to have more 'me' time, took some getting used to though.

Try to leave on a positive note because the majority of your life at the preschool was I am sure positive.

Best wishes for the future and do keep logged on, I am sure you have a lot of valuable knowledge to share.

 

Peggy

[Beau]

Hi Motherclanger and welcome to the forum. I have not been on the forum this weekend so have only just caught up with your posts. You have made a very difficult decision but the feelings of guilt you have now will pass. If the group is resilient enough it will survive regardless - if it folds then it probably was doomed to do so at some point anyway. We only live our lives once and it is too short to spend in a job that is starting to impact on all other areas of our lives, especially your health and family life. Please keep us up to date with what happens and we can help to support you.

[Motherclanger]

Thanks Carol !

I have told some of the parents ( that have been very supportive today that i'm leaving) and they are gutted !

I'm off to a committee meeting in 20 minutes (not looking forward to it !) well thats if we get enough parents there ! I have heard that many of the parents won't be able to attend because they are playing rounders, says it all really !

So I will probably be back shortly because we couldn't hold a meeting, wouldn't be the first time !

I'll keep you posted !

I'm relieved that there are people out that understand how I feel and have experienced similar things

its made feel alot better ! I'm not going mad after all ! lol!

[hali]

hello and welcome motherclanger - im so sorry to here your news good luck tonight i know how tough it can be xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

[Guest]

Hi Just needed to let off a little bit of steam.... after all these years committees still make me mad and frustrated.. i have spent most of my 6 weeks break re-doing planning, policies ... everything in line with the EYFS... 4 weeks ago i sent the committee some policies which i had changed, all i needed was feedback as to whether they are happy.. i sent reminder e-mails but not one person replied.. today i telephoned the chair to be told she hasn't had time yet, she will get round to it at the end of next week.. this is when we go back...i'm hoping to have the next few days to myself as hubby is on holiday, i made sure they were all aware of this... now i'm waiting for them again....all they have to do is read them.... it just frustrates me sooo much as i have given all this time for nothing as i don't get paid for doing the paperwork in the holidays... sorry for moaning but i just had to moan at someone... i'm sorry it was you...

[HappyMaz]

That's the beauty of the Forum, simcity - there's always someone to hear your moan and respond!

 

Everyone has their own pressures, don't they? I'm sure the committee members would point out that its holiday time, etc, etc, etc - but as you say, it is supposed to be your holiday too! There is this age old dilemma about committees and employees: one can't operate without the other and it is so easy for resentments to build up.

 

I hope you feel better for venting your spleen here - but perhaps you need to be able to tell the committee too!

 

Good luck!

 

Maz

[Beau]

I have been there too and understand your frustration. Unfortunately you're going to have to grit your teeth and put up with it. Try not to let it get to you too much - there are some things in life you have no control over however much it may irk you!

[Guest]

As others have said, hope you feel a bit better for having somewhere to sound off and be listened to.

 

I'd suggest putting all your policies onto a CD, handing the CD to the chair of committee and let her know as their employee you will be happy to follow their policies, and oh by the way Ofsted will want to ensure that the policies reflect the new EYFS, so along with the policy CD give the chair a copy of the EYFS.

 

In other words, policies are the committee's responsibility not yours and maybe if they actually produce them they will have a better understanding of the work you do. (and the responsibilities you carry out on a day to day basis)

 

You can offer your support by saying that you will look over policies that they have written, not the other way round.

 

Be strong and decide tht you will not do any more work until you go back, spend the rest of the holiday with your hubby and family, you need the break.

 

 

Peggy