The Only Dad at the PTO

I've decided that next year I want to be the president of the local Parent Teacher Organization.  At least, I think I have.  We have a very good one, an active one with a lot of volunteers that work hard to support the school.  And yet, the meetings are frustrating.  

They run long.  People mumble or speak softly and fast.  No one wants to second a motion so I constantly do.  People hardly ask questions.  They just listen.  

I know I am looking differently at this because I am the only father there.  I'm the only man there.  I want to be involved and so I go every month.  But I see that the mood changes.  I know that the atmosphere is different when I'm there.  And I worry that if I become president and try to run meetings then it will affect how individually involved the other families are.  Because while the meetings are painful, the moms who volunteer really do a lot of good work.

I told my wife that she should be president.  She is more organized than I am.  She can be just as direct as I can be.  More so sometimes, and she would make sure that everything got done like it needed to.  But I think she's afraid of upsetting someone.  Maybe that's the difference here.  Maybe that's why the women are quieter and things take longer because they're not going to be direct and instead put their energy into the actual volunteering.  Maybe my leadership would upset that balance and make things fall apart.

Maybe I shouldn't run for president after all.