CHANGE

What is change and why are people so afraid of it? Change is to make different; a transformation. Change is something that presses us out of our comfort zone. But why is change viewed as negativity or a threat? Why aren't we open to change?

I experienced my first taste of Mean Girls today except through a very unlikely group--moms. For this entry, I will refer to them as the Mean Girls. I have been pouring my heart and soul into working on my daughter's Halloween Carnival at her school. I took on the title of "Chair" because the school was going to cancel the event. I have worked hard on this event-squeezing it in between my runs/pickups/kids activities, etc. My house could be a haunted house right now with all the halloween crap that I have purchased!

The event in the past has been mediore at best, or like the kids have told me-IT SUCKS. I decided to transform it into FABULOSITY! I have brought in new games, props, a DJ, professional face painter, and an improved haunted house. I thought parents/kids would be excited, right? NOOOO. I woke up this morning to find my inbox FILLED with emails from moms, 8th grade moms to be exact. They were not supportive of my changes and basically told me that I could not make these changes. Hello, I am the Chair of this event!! Anyhow, not to let a title gt the best of me, I tried to assure here that I had a lot of great ideas but she was NOT hearing it. Another mom even called me only to insult me by saying "'you're just a kindergarten parent.'" Excuse me? WTF?

Mean Girls. Remember the movie with Lindsay Lohan? If you are a parent and haven't seen it-rent it on netflix tonight. It's a mean world out there on the playground and even uglier with parents, especially the ones who live though their kids. (think angry soccer parents) It never really dawned on me that this is/could be learned at home. I mean yes, I know kids mimmick their parents but I kind of always figured meanness was just something you were born with. But the meanness I experienced today got me to worry about their kids. Were their kids mean? Was their mean kid my kid's school big sister/brother? I am convinved that this parent probably doesn't even know she is mean, or better yet, if she does, she tries to use it for power. Bullying is not power. Its weakness and shows insecurity. Instead of incorporating her ideas with my changes , this "bully" threated to have her 8th Grade class boycott my event. How would she explain this boycott to her kids or class for that matter? This bully is unknowingly teaching meanness. Would she actually explain to the kids that they were boycotting our event because I moved the haunted house from inside the cafeteria to outside in the courtyard? This is the kind of behavior that we are supposed to teach our kids not to act out. How could someone be this mean over a happy halloween carnival for grades k-8? Are you kidding me??!! My girls have witnessed me lose it in the car or even arguing with their father. I am not perfect, but common, what mom says to another mom, "'you're just a kindergarten parent?'" A really mean and lame mom that's who!

I took on this task for my daughter. It's the only fundraiser geard for the kids. I want her to see how involved I am with her school and to be proud that I am there to help contribute and make it a better place. However, I do not wish to partake in cattyness with moms or anyone for that matter. I write this story today to share with you my experience not to dwell on it.

The Mean Girls took it upon themselves to contact "the powers that be." They pleaded their case, or lack of, and tried hard to undermine all of my hard work and Change, all along I not knowing. The "powers that be" forwarded their messages to me along with their reply:

Michelle stepped forward to chair the Carnival because no one else did. We should welcome the new ideas and respectfully work with her. I am confident that it will be a great event.