Amanda,

Do any of the local colleges have parent education programs, or family studies departments? If so, there may be a network that could be used to aid in filling volunteer hours.

Colleges with education, museum studies or parks & recreation departments? Contact them, may lead to something.

Perhaps a posting, or conversation with staff at the Illinois Association for the Education of Young Children (AEYC) 
<http://illinoisaeyc.org>

Consider boundries when parents volunteer. Can children be brought with? How many children, what ages? Should they be potty-trained? If a parent brings a child does the child stay with their parent; if so, where will the attention of the parent be? Is there a waiver to be signed? 
Volunteer + parent = flexiblity + positive attitude.

Good luck,  
Cathy Campbell
University of Washington, Seattle

On Thu, 10 Sep 2009, Amanda Paszek wrote:

> 
  
Stay at Home Parents as Volunteers
 
Our museum will soon be opening a more extensive and hands-on children’s discovery area which will inevitably over extend our current volunteer population. We are seeking new and innovative ways to attract more volunteers and one idea was to tap the stay-at-home-mom/dad graphic. We have just begun to study the thought and realize some immediate concerns; for example a Pro being- once the kids go off to school the parents will be able to continue working with us. Con- what happens if mom needs to change a pull-up during her shift? 
Have any museums tried this before in their volunteer program, namely for their children’s discovery areas?
 
Thanks for any feed back.
 
Amanda Paszek
Monticello Intern
Illinois State Museum
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