In a viral TikTok, a ‘Venmo mom’ defends her decision not to volunteer at school events

According to this viral TikTok, there are two types of school moms: the volunteer moms, and the Venmo moms. In the video, one mom, Casey Neal, introduced us to the concept of a “Venmo Mom,” and now we’re embracing it wholeheartedly.

“Here comes all the judgment from the room moms and team moms,” Neal wrote over her video, where she explained that as a Venmo mom, she is not interested in doing any volunteering at her kids’ school or activities.

“I don’t know about anyone else out there, but ‘Meet the Teacher’ is super stressful because I do not want to be involved at all,” she said. “I will obviously make sure my kids do their homework, get to school on time and stuff, but I do not want to be on PTO, PTA, room mom, team mom. I don’t want to do any of that.” 

Neal continued, “I start getting real stressed when they start asking for volunteers. I know they’re judging me because I’m not raising my hand, but I don’t want to do all that extra sh*t. I don’t want to come in. I don’t want to set up. If the room mom needs money for everyone to participate, fine — I’ll Venmo money right over. I do not want to set up for it. I don’t want to do it.”

Hey, listen, the world needs both types of mom! Classroom activities and extracurriculars totally need volunteers — and there are parents who thrive on action and want to take part. But it also takes cash to make a lot of those activities happen, and that’s where the Venmo moms come in. Introverts with disposable income, assemble!

In the comments, many parents shared how relatable they found Neal’s assessment to be.

“As a PTO and room mom we appreciate the send money moms. A place for everyone!” one wrote.

Another added, “As a room mom, I love venmo moms!”

A veteran teacher commented, “A Venmo mom IS involved! Don’t discount yourself!”

And another teacher weighed in, “Ma’am, I’m a teacher and don’t want to be involved in meet the teacher.”

That might be the most relatable one of all.

At the end of her video, Neal added, “Today was very stressful, but I successfully avoided all of that today. All of that. I avoided all of it. I didn’t get asked one time to be a room mom, a team mom. I even told one of the coaches today that I am a Venmo mom.”

If nothing else, this viral video shows there are plenty of ways parents can contribute to their children’s education and school community. Financial donations, big or small, from mothers who may not have time for direct PTA involvement are incredibly valuable for so many reasons.

• Financial donations allow schools to purchase necessary supplies, equipment, or fund programs that benefit students. This can include technology upgrades, books for the library, or extracurricular activities.
• Not all parents have flexible schedules that allow for volunteering during school hours. Monetary contributions provide an avenue for these parents to still make a meaningful impact.
• Schools and PTAs often have various financial needs that may not be met through volunteer efforts alone. Monetary donations can fill these gaps.
• Some parents may have greater financial resources than time. Allowing for financial contributions acknowledges that different families can contribute in different ways.
• In some cases, financial donations can be more efficient than volunteer time, especially for large projects or specialized needs that require professional services.
• Cash donations give schools and PTAs more flexibility in addressing their most pressing needs, which may change over time.
• Offering multiple ways to contribute (time, money, skills) can increase overall parental involvement in school affairs.
• Parents who donate money demonstrate to their children the importance of supporting education and community institutions.
• Some employers offer matching programs for charitable donations, which can amplify the impact of individual contributions.
• Consistent financial support can allow schools and PTAs to plan for larger, long-term projects that might not be feasible with only volunteer efforts.

All forms of support are crucial for a thriving school community. Schools and PTAs should strive to create an inclusive environment that values all types of contributions and ensures that families who cannot donate money or time do not feel marginalized.