The PTA Dementor

Have you ever met one of those people who instantly sucks the life out of a room? You know, everything is super OK and then they walk in and suddenly you could cut the tension with a knife. These people are brutal to be around but what if you didn’t HAVE to be. Let’s say you’re doing a school volunteer gig and one of these PTA dementors is hanging over you. What do you do?

By Merritt Patterson Aug. 17, 2010 | 12:30 pm | 5 Comments | Comments RSS
5 comments to "The PTA Dementor"
  1. bc @ August 17, 2010 at 1:48 pm
    Cast my Patronus on them, naturally. “Expecto Patronum!” Either they’ll take the hint or they’ll think you’re crazy enough to avoid. Win-win.

  2. mk @ August 17, 2010 at 2:27 pm
    Truthfully, I’d probably talk poorly about them behind their back and try to never work with them again. My untruthful answer is that I’d win them over with my charming repartee and good manners.

  3. QM @ August 18, 2010 at 5:07 am
    I just stare at their forehead and refuse to engage with them. I just smile quietly and think, “Well good luck finding more volunteers because I won’t be re-upping to volunteer with you” And usually I have found the rude ones are the ones that can’t find anyone to help them. Sad because it affects the kids but no one likes being abused.

  4. sq @ August 18, 2010 at 2:44 pm
    I think it’s a God thing. You are put with them for a reason – whether its for you or for them is up to the big guy. Be positive and lead by example! Don’t run and hide.

  5. kmom @ August 18, 2010 at 4:10 pm
    Insist on switching the day if it’s something like cafeteria or supply room, or change committees if it’s something with different types of volunteer gigs (band, cheer, football, etc. all have many positions). If you are a room mom with one insist on changing shifts – if you are spring insist on Fall, or vice versa. Life is too short to spend time with those people, and you know if you try and just stick it out it will only get worse.

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