Without a meeting to recap or a massive fundraiser to stress over (thank you everyone for meeting our goal and not making me stress out all year!), I’m at a bit of loss of what to discuss. I thought about not posting this week but then I thought about how rare it is to have the space to share something that’s personally meaningful to me.
Just a couple of years ago, with a freshman and no prior LASA experience, I knew I needed to meet other parents. I just had a kid graduate from Anderson and I saw how intense senior year was. And all the parents I knew at Anderson were either from back in day of elementary & middle school or were tied to my kid’s activities. But my LASA kid is not one to join things. And despite coming from Kealing, between the pandemic and the needs of the elder one, I didn’t really know other parents. So first I started going to PFLASA meetings where I met other parents but more importantly, I learned about LASA and its traditions. I was already familiar and supportive of Project Graduation, but I didn’t know about Senior Salute. And I didn’t know about the various ways PFLASA supports the community at LASA.
One of those traditions was the various parent coffees. Yes, we hosted one at the beginning of the year, but anyone can do this! We will help any parent “host” informal parent coffees. How do these work?
- Decide what group you would like to invite (all of LASA, Freshman parents, etc)
- Pick a date (typically a weekday or weekend morning)
- Decide on location (we tend to do Central Market North)
- Create a SignUpGenius to get an idea of headcount
- Send it to us to publicize (it helps to have some lead time here)
- Show up (LASA gear makes it easier to find you) and meet parents
That’s it. You don’t have to pay for anything or anyone.
But my favorite LASA tradition that builds community are the “Great Gatherings” formerly known as “Happy Hours.” With the help of an experienced LASA parent, who answered my many questions (no, you don’t need a meal or a bartender), I got on the calendar for a Fall night ready to meet other freshman parents. Then of course the nerves hit. What if no one comes? But my class was excited to party, and we quickly sold out! Then I hosted a party where I only knew my husband and my co-host. Was it nerve racking (a little) but it was also so much fun! In fact, it was so much fun that at sophomore BTS night multiple people asked if I was going to do it again. So, I did.
Hosting a party for strangers is a leap of faith. But in my experience, it is a well-worth it. Trust me when I say I don’t have the biggest most glamorous house. But we had yummy cocktails, wine, beer, and assortment of bites. More importantly, we had that desire to meet and welcome people. That energy goes a long way and attracts the same. If you are on the fence, get off and go for it. Not up to hosting alone then find a co-host. These events are completely customizable. Check out the info here.
Regards,
Ellen Stewart-Klein
PFLASA President