Amanda,
    Speaking as a former stay-at-home mom, I'd say this sounds like a  
great idea. 2.5 hours is probably too long, though. Depending on the  
age of the kid(s), 1 to 1.5 hours would be more realistic. Does your  
community have a Moms of Preschoolers (MOPS) group? If so, you could  
meet with moms there to gauge the interest. The difficult part could  
be the kids. You don't want your volunteer's child(ren) running around  
causing problems while she is trying to work. However, if you got  
enough volunteers, you might be able to set up a sort of sharing  
system where one mom watched the kids (either on or off site) while  
another worked at the museum and then they switch.
    Good luck,
Heather McClenahan, museum assistant/web master
Los Alamos Historical Society
http://www.losalamoshistory.org
[log in to unmask]
PO Box 43
1050 Bathtub Row (Note: same location, new address)
Los Alamos, NM 87544
505-662-6272 (office)
505-470-2912 (cell)


Quoting Amanda Paszek <[log in to unmask]>:

> We have a number of high school volunteers as well as retirees. The   
> thought of stay at home parents serving as volunteers first entered   
> my mind when a woman visiting our Discovery Room with her young son   
> expressed interest in volunteering but stated that she would have to  
>  bring her son with her.. Our Discovery Room- as well as our new  
> Play  Museum which is set to open in the Spring- is open 6 days a  
> week,  all day, and is fully staffed by volunteers who currently  
> work 2.5  hour shifts. This, rather than special events, is the  
> situation for  which I raise my query. I believe that stay at home  
> parents  specifically could be an incredible resource and am  
> interested in  whether or not it has been tapped anywhere else,  
> thought of at any  time somewhere else, and what concerns/benefits  
> have been reached.
>
> Thanks again for any feedback!
>
> Amanda Paszek
> Monticello Intern
> Illinois State Museum
>
>  
>
>
>
>
> ________________________________
> From: Tracy Jentzsch <[log in to unmask]>
> To: [log in to unmask]
> Sent: Friday, September 11, 2009 9:16:13 AM
> Subject: Re: [MUSEUM-L] Stay at Home Parents as Volunteers
>
>
> Just a thought, but have you considered possibly tapping into high   
> school volunteers? Check your state’s requirements, but some states   
> require community service hours for students to graduate.  Also,   
> what about homeschoolers?  If you have “home school classes” in the   
> Discovery Areas, that would possibly draw in potential parent   
> volunteers?  You can check with home school associations in your   
> area. 
>  
> Tracy Jentzsch
> Administrative Assistant
> Museum Studies Program
> University of Delaware
> www.udel.edu/museumstudies
>  
> From:Museum discussion list [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On  
>  Behalf Of Diane Hutsell
> Sent: Friday, September 11, 2009 8:31 AM
> To: [log in to unmask]
> Subject: Re: [MUSEUM-L] Stay at Home Parents as Volunteers
>  
> That's a good questions Amanda. I'd be interested in hearing what   
> others have to say on that myself.
>  
> Diane
>  
> Diane Hutsell
> Executive Director
> McMinn County Living Heritage Museum
> 423-745-0329
> www.livingheritagemuseum.com
> ----- Original Message -----
>> From:Amanda Paszek
>> To:MUSEUM-L@HOME.EASE.LSOFT..COM
>> Sent:Thursday, September 10, 2009 5:31 PM
>> Subject:[MUSEUM-L] Stay at Home Parents as Volunteers
>>  
>>
>>  
>> 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
>> MonticelloIntern
>> IllinoisStateMuseum
>>
>>  
>>
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