I have come to realize that Abraham Lincoln and I have a lot in common. Despite being faced with tremendous adversity, we never gave up.
ABE
- 1831 - Lost his job
- 1832 - Defeated in run for Illinois State Legislature
- 1833 - Failed in business
- 1834 - Elected to Illinois State Legislature (success)
- 1835 - Sweetheart died
- 1836 - Had nervous breakdown
- 1838 - Defeated in run for Illinois House Speaker
- 1843 - Defeated in run for nomination for U.S. Congress
- 1846 - Elected to Congress (success)
- 1848 - Lost re-nomination
- 1849 - Rejected for land officer position
- 1854 - Defeated in run for U.S. Senate
- 1856 - Defeated in run for nomination for Vice President
- 1858 - Again defeated in run for U.S. Senate
- 1860 - Elected President of the United States of America (success)
Me
• 2006- Submitted application to be preschool class mom and rejected
• 2007- Submitted another application to be preschool class mom and rejected
• 2008- Applied to be daughter’s kindergarten room parent and rejected
• Winter 2008- Allowed to bring party favors to boys’ preschool holiday party (success)
• Spring 2009- Brought a plate of brownies to preschool graduation and instructed by sister to leave them in the car (lost the will to live)
• Spring 2009- Learned that all room moms at my daughter’s elementary school have hand-eye coordination, good people skills, and a label maker machine (cry myself to sleep)
• Summer 2009- Gifted 10 boxes of National Geographic magazines and a bag of miscellaneous colored yarn from a neighbor who is cleaning out her basement (hope restored)
• September 2009- Applied to be daughter’s first grade room mom. Implied (falsely) on my application that I own a Cricut machine and can play the harmonica.
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42 comments
That's awesome. Best of luck learning to belt out tunes on the harmonica.
Amy
I am an avid reader.
I recall that you wrote that you made a "very special" chocolate cake, not brownies for the boys' preschool graduation.
http://themeanestmom.blogspot.com/2009/06/preschool-graduation.html
I hate to nitpick, but I love showing off how much I know. If ever you come out with a "Meanest Mom" trivia game, I'll be sure to win.
So funny! At least I wasn't the only one who was given the "you've got to be kidding me" look when I suggested to my sons Kindergarten teacher that I would love to come and help with the class....perhaps I should have brought brownies :D
They'll be making coins and monuments in your likeness VERY soon.
Congratulations on your incredible accomplishments. And go buy a cricut machine fast so you don't get fired for resume padding.
Can't wait to start buying The Meanest Mom collectible stamps. Perhaps you should also make brownie mixes with your name and little devil sprinkles, sold on President's Day, of course. ;)
I hope that it turns out to be all that you hope it will. I am sure with a cricut and harmonica you will do GREAT!! (even if you were the only applicant...TOTALLY irrelevant...and probably a lie started by those moms that DIDN'T make it)
You are a funny, funny girl.
=)
I didn't know room moms could be rejected. Schools need all the help they can get!
You are a hoot. I just found your blog, and I'm so happy I did. I am, however, in shock that you were ever rejected to be a room mom. At my kid's school, it's the poor sucker who can't find a good enough excuse to get out of it. Um, usually ME. I'm cracking up that you must "apply."
I feel every bit of your pain my friend...I was rejected every year until my oldest entered 3rd grade (I think the must have pulled a criminal record or something). I actually helped start my own Charter school and now I am the QUEEN ROOM MOM FOR THE WHOLE SCHOOL SO TAKE THAT YOU PTA CLIQUE, CRICUT, LABEL MAKING, SKINNY MOMS!
I am not bitter.
Next time my comment will be more about you. I need my pill
LOL.... as a first grade teacher for 12 years (and current mom of a second grader and preschooler), the whole Room Mom Competition still makes me incredulous.
Can't really imagine why being the one to organize parties and make lots of phone calls is such an honor... but I'm always very glad that people are willing to do it!
I so understand your pain! I have 4 kids that all attend a K-8 school. I have been applying for home room mom in ALL of their classes since my oldest started school 9 years ago, and I still have never had the honor of calling myself home room mom! I even have a cricut!
I did however attend 1 PTSO meeting last school year, (the first one I had ever attended) and was voted in as the PTSO vice president for this year! I have to say that it is just not the same!
P.S I love your blog, you always make me laugh!
Thanks for the laugh that was awesome!
LOL! Hysterical!
Sidenote: Get a Cricut...they're fun!
Thanks for the laugh and congrats on your new gig! :)
I love your blog...it's good to know there are other moms out there with children who are not always little angels!
Wow, look at you! All of that success and Lincoln has still got one public nervous breakdown on you! When do we get to see your name on US currency already?!
Uh, Jana? I hate to burst your bubble here, but you DO remember Abraham's demise, don't you?
My advice - Give up now! You're headed for assassination!
Good for you...you'll be great! :D
Yeah, dude, watch your back.
But also, I would be PSYCHED to have a plate of brownies in my car. Even rejected, bad brownies.
this is most hilarious. Abe was pretty rockin...and you are, too, cricut deficiencies & all. SWAK!
Can I just say that your blog is a ray of sunshine in the sea of blogs dedicated to how other moms children poop sunshine and fart rainbows? I heart you.
this is awesome!!!! so funny!! don't worry I am sure you will be the best room mother and they will be glad no one else applied!!!
The strength that most of us put ourselves through for our kids!! Well you know, as parents, we live for our kids. They are our pride and joy. We keep marching forward despite the rejections and awkwardness of volunteering or "applying" to do things at our kids' schools. For the past four years at my daughter's elementary, I'd signed up for classroom volunteering and every year, including this year, I got a letter from the teacher thanking me for signing up but the post I signed up for had been filled. The worst part of it is my third grader whines and asks why I can't be in her classroom to help out like so and so's mom. Errr...
So this only cost you what? $300-$400....now you have to buy a Cricut machine.
Just tell your husband that it's for the GOOD of the WHOLE class.
Morning dose of hilarity. Now that you have 'broken through,' just imagine the heights you might achieve.
When will you purchase said crickit machine? On a side note, as the children get older, parent participation slacks off so you will find many more opportunities to be room mom or book mom or help out at the winter(not Holiday or :gasp: Christmas) parties. Your cup will be overflowing being able to help out! Your social calendar will be booked! You have to find daycare for Cameron- just to keep up! And make sure to participate with the PTA-- as that will open up and unseen amount of doors for you! You will be the GO TO mom!
Succcess none the less, success none the less. Enjoy riding that cloud of happiness!
You have to APPLY to volunteer?!? I might as well give up and go back to work now, lol.
Please oh Please teach them to play the harmonica and I want to be a fly on the wall when it happens!
Ha ha, you're so funny :)
Ok, first off I have to say you are such a crack up!! I check everyday saying "Jana, what have you got for me today?"
I can't believe you have to "apply" for room mom. I have been room mom almost every year except the last two years for 5 years! They have a hard time getting parents to step up. Anyway, you will be great. Just keep the parents laughing and they will do anything for you!!
Enjoy your trip to Gettysburg! (will it be a school field trip led by the room parent?)
Hooray! Proud of you!
Oh, man. I just love you. I hope you have thousands of readers ( I can't tell...) because you are as funny as it gets out there. You and Bye Bye Pie, which I bet you read. The Abe Lincoln comparison - killed me. I rifled through my kids stuff to see if a room parent packet came home today signifying that I had been chosen (missed the PTO mtg last night -whoops!) and nothin', nada. It's a lottery however and in my town - ALL the moms apply. So, I didn't take it personally. But, I wanted it. I even put it on my resume. That's true. Thanks for the laughs Jana.
Deb from MA
Ok, this truly made me LOL. Congratulations :)
now where is the similarity at the end? when lincoln is assassinated? I'd think being in a classroom full of 6 year olds is just as good as being shot at a play.
in my case I think I'd rather be shot than have to deal with my daughters classmates.
there is something about teachers god bless them. but I think they are crazy. (my mom being one of them a fantastic english teacher for more than 15 years. which proves the crazy part.)
Really enjoyed this post, as I do all of them.
Put up one of your button's on my site because you crack me up!
Keep up the great writing.
# of applicants is so not important. you being 'the chosen one' is the important part. Congrats!
EXCELLENT! My last blog post was about the same success. I'll be scanning your blog for room mom ideas ... first up is that delicious looking litter cake. Yum!
I hear you here. I WAS going to be rejected this year again, but no one else wanted to be there (?!). At least someone DID attempt to hide this from you, they told me straight forward... I need a Cricut!!
Oh the joy!.... Here I come 5th graders!!!
Are you also Republican? ;)
Blessings-
Amanda
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