As a full-time working mom, I just say no a lot. I'll admit to using it as an excuse too. Because even if I could duck out of work for an hour for yet another class party, I didn't really want to. The one time I ended up on the hook to bring something for a class lunch I had pizza delivered (and became an instant hero to the kids). That said, I appreciate that some parents have the time to help out and they have my thanks... as long as they aren't trying to teach anything.
At her last school, DD ended up with PTSD about art of all things (and I ended up with a call from the principal about her behavior) because of the horrible controlling "volunteer art teacher." How can you do art wrong as a kid? Why would anyone even think that making a 4th grader cry because she wasn't following your lame controlling "creative process" well enough is OK? /rant
