Ninja Mom

Well, guys… Are you still there?

I’m still here.

And I’d like you to know that I’ve survived the lowest ranks of PTA.

I was quite nervous to begin with and my initial interactions within the meetings were quite humbling. But after several meetings, events and countless messages and confirmations and relays of information and paperwork, well…

I’ve officially “trained” my successor. She actually got more “training” than I got. I gave her a more in-depth explanation of what was to come, the confirmation of information already established for her, and an encouragement that if I, an incompetent gaijin (foreigner) can manage it, she’ll do just fine.

I think she actually did take comfort at that.

This last week, I attended my last meeting, relayed my last messages and gracefully made my exit from the messaging group. Sayonara!

As I discharged my final duty by relaying the final message to those I was over, I was actually quite surprised.

In my years being involved in the group, I knew that the message I had sent did not require much of a reply. In fact, it didn’t even really convey that my job was coming to a close, just that the official paperwork regarding next year had now been posted on our app and to please check that.

Still, I guess those with more experience than I knew this was the cue that this message was officially our last to-do.

And in fact, I got replies from every mom in the group.

“Thank you for working so hard for this group.” “Thank you so much for your hard work from the very beginning to the end.”

I was actually shocked, and even moved, because no one ever thanks the renraku-ins. At least, in my experience, they haven’t. It just moves on to the next person, a new group you get added to. You might get an “O-tsukaresama” (“O tired one”), but I didn’t expect their kind replies.

They knew I had started, not thinking I could pull this off. But I didn’t try to get out of it or make excuses for myself.

They knew this was harder for me than it was for them.

And they were gracious with me, and I think, they were grateful that I tried.

The Japanese generally know things are complicated. The language is not easy for westerners, PTA requires a lot of work and time and nuances and back and forths.

It means something to them when they see you trying. They honor that.

Honestly, while it was a lot more to add to my plate, I don’t feel like I actually did anything worth “praising” or worthy of acknowledgment from them. Still, I will remember that moment as a small victory.

I proved myself.

And now, I get 9 months of peace and calm until I have to take on a far more complicated PTA position in the role of the leader of our area branch.

I remain, until then, quite the “tired one”.