In the Plymouth-Canton Locale, Community Counts

Last week, I opened my first blog with a little bit of boasting. This week, I want to get serious for a moment and discuss what’s important to all of us – our kids.  Everyone takes pride in what we deem as the most important job we as adults will ever have: parenting. We’ve chosen to live in the Plymouth-Canton community, an area rich with good schools, great parks, wonderful homes, and of course great people who surround us. It’s truly a community. 

On Friday night, this great community will come together to celebrate as one. I’m talking about the big football game between Plymouth High School and Canton High. Yes, there will be some trash talking, some cheering and probably some booing, but at the end of a very anxiety-riddled week at the Plymouth-Canton Educational Park, I know we all agree it’s a great place to live, to go to school, and for many, to work. Friday’s football game will be a wonderful showcase of student athleticism, spirit, and artistry. Whether it’s the football players, the cheer and pom squads, or the marching band members, all of us as parents will sit in the stands as one community together. We will feel proud of our individual children as we sit and watch them in wonder. We will feel happy, almost content that we are raising great kids who someday will become great parents themselves.

Parents' common goals

Each of us runs our own household just a bit differently than the home next door.  Some eat dinner at 5:00, some eat at 7:30, and some catch up over a quick bite before running back out the door for the next activity. But, we all have common goals. We all wish the best for our children. We want them to feel safe, feel loved, make good friends, and do well in school.  When you step back and really think about, we as parents have the hardest job of all. I believe that the parents of this community work very hard to ensure our kids are happy.

The activities that occurred this week at PCEP have shaken a few kids and a few parents respectively.  No one likes to hear about a lockdown in a school situation.  It creates anxiety and fear for many. Although the incidents appear to be caused by students, you have to wonder what’s happening in the homes of these few individuals who may be responsible for this. Are they happy at home? Are they getting the attention they crave? Is it bullying at school that causes someone to act out in such a way? As the authorities work through the process of figuring it out, it reminds me of how important our relationships with our kids are.

How volunteering helps

As a parent, do you try (and I say try because its not always easy to get a response) to ask your child how their day was on a daily basis?  Do you listen to their stories of crossing the path, taking a test, talking to that special someone during the course of their day?  We as parents play such an important role in our kid’s lives.  Yes, they are teens, and it appears on the surface they don’t want us around all the time.  But, really they do.  So what can a parent do to be close to a kid without ‘hovering’ too much?  Hold on to your hats, folks, but I think I have the answer:  VOLUNTEER!

Volunteering for something related to your kids is probably the best way to stay close without being too intrusive.  As a parent with a child in the Plymouth-Canton Marching Band, I’m automatically a part of one of the best volunteer organizations this side of the Mississippi, the Plymouth-Canton Music Boosters.  The Boosters have quite a reputation of being a powerful force in our community.  But the truth is, its just simple Moms and Dads who want to be active in their child’s upbringing.

For our parent volunteers, there are literally dozens of activities you can help with.  We have washer parents who care for the uniforms after every game or competition. We have an equipment crew that includes parents who help construct the props, help the kids move their instruments on and off the field, and drive the big trucks to and from the competitions. We have many fundraising events that require folks to step forward and chair a sub-committee, like our fundraising craft shows held each November and March. Whatever the task, there’s a role for someone to step forward and volunteer.

Quality time with kids

Why wouldn’t you want to spend just a few extra minutes each day on something that benefits your kids?  Since Junior has to stay after school to play football, wouldn’t it be nice for him to know that your working with other parents to create a great tailgate experience for the big game on Friday? Whether its football players, marching band members, or the Chess Club, every kid feels more secure when they see their parents are nearby. Parenting equals volunteering.  It really does go hand in hand.  And here in Plymouth-Canton, volunteering and being a parent is what makes us a community. And let’s hope we never lose sight of how important it is to live in such a great community.