Klyd, My former boss used to refer to those parents as "gifted parents". It's disgusting, and they always monopolize the school committees, etc., and do NOT like to let people into their little club.
We were building a new playground for the elementary school, and it was going to take quite a bit of fundraising. I dutifully went to the first meeting, which was attended by the usual cast of characters. At the time, I was VP of the local economic development corporation and, quite frankly, knew more local businesspeople than anyone. I offered my services, signed up for the fundraising committee, drew up a contact list of businesses that I felt would be amenable to being tapped, and guess what? I was never invited to one single meeting.
You've got them too!
Here's another concept that goes with the "play date": the "team snack." This has been a staple for years in the youth soccer leagues when my kids played. There was always a parent with a sign up sheet at the beginning of the season, making a different kid each week be responsible for bringing a snack and a drink for each of his teammates after the game. This was fine when the kids were 5, but as they get older it can get a little embarrassing. I actually had a parent ask all the other parents exactly what the snacks were going to be weeks in advance. On our weeks for snacks, we'd often be approached by parents to see if we had extra snacks for their other kids who were watching the game. Some of these kids were 13.
I always found it comical that throngs of young kids arrive at the fields in their minivans, play soccer for 40-50 minutes and return to their vans, slurping juice boxes and crunching Oreos.
