Our daughter's school politely requests you volunteer regularly. Most of the time, the school seems to be full of volunteers but I know there is always more work to be done. I've got to make a decision about helping in the classroom at all this year and I'm unsure of what to do.

When she was younger, being in the classroom to volunteer was being like a second pair of hands for the teacher. You were herding children into centers, helping with projects, reading, working on math problems and other things.

Last year in third grade, for the first time there was a big need for help on things for the teacher that didn't involve interacting with the kids. Projects and work were more elaborate and needed teaching aids to complete. I was still in the room a lot but I also was in the teachers' workroom with the big laminating machine and cutter more.

My daughter loves me in the classroom. She flings herself across the room to cling to me. Some of her friends even hug me. Both of those are really welcome things. I like being in there, getting to know the people and things in her school world. It's great to get a first hand look at what the curriculum and core courses. But I knew her reaction to me was high intensity enough to schedule myself to be there near the end of the day so when I was done volunteering, her day was done too and we'd head home.

But at the fourth grade level, am I more of a disruptive presence than a help? Will I be too much of a disruption in the day for her?

The days of helping kids with a game or coloring instructions are gone. Truthfully, I don't think I'm capable of teaching certain things to kids. You really don't want me to helping anyone with more than basic math facts, certainly not long division.

Is it time for me to move onto the media center or gym for all my volunteering duties?