When I was a teenager, say about 14-15 years old I was starting to become interested in boys, was busy listening to music, starting to get into musical theatre and hanging out at stage door and the furthest thing from my mind was how to make a quick buck.

This weekend my Mum and Dad’s house was robbed, they smashed a window, damaged two doors, pulled everything out of the wardrobes and drawers. Pulled things off shelves and threw them on the ground. They also stole some items, nothing massive, but enough to be a nuisance and they caused enough damage and mess to make the clean up a big effort.

The thing that bothers me about it though is that the police think it was most likely amateurs, kids at that. Their theory on this is that the things they stole were small, portable and easily sold for cash, a quick buck. To quote ‘if they were professionals, they would have cleaned out everything’.

So for my Mum and Dad’s sake it’s a good thing it was amateurs as it could have been a lot worse. I find it sad though that kids would break in to a house, make a massive mess and take what they could. What turns them to this? What makes them tick? Who raised them to have a values system where they feel they can do this? Are there older people guiding them, coaching them, fencing the things for them? Do they even think about who’s house their invading and whose privacy they’re violating by going through their things?

For me this robbery has raised lots of questions. Did teenagers back when I was one do this? Or has society changed and robbery is getting younger like most other things?

The hard thing though has been trying to explain it to the Muddy Kids, why someone would come into Nana and Grandpa’s house and take things that are theirs. Why someone would throw their clothes around and make a mess. Two things that I try to instill in my kids are that they don’t take or damage things that are someone else’s and to clean up any mess they make! Obviously the young robbers were raised under a different parenting system to mine.

Have you had to explain robbery or property damage to your kids? How did you explain it?

When my Muddy Organiser started Preschool I was so excited, I put my hand up whenever I could to help, including joining the committee. I have really enjoyed being a part of the Committee, helping to shape the direction the preschool is heading and helping to nurture our young and enthusiastic new Director. I have continued to put my hand up as my Muddy Pixie started this year and will keep it going through the Muddy Puzzler and Muddy Bubby. I can’t help it, I am a ‘Helper’ by nature, when someone needs a hand I am keen to say Yes.

Then when my My Muddy Organiser started school this year I was equally excited and again put my hand up to help, Canteen Duty, Grandparents Day, Liturgy Morning Teas, Special Kinder Lunches, if work and the other 3 Muddy Kids allowed I was happy to help.

What has become obvious though, as the years go on, is that despite there being over 50 families at preschool and 125 families at the school, it is generally the same people volunteering. The same families lending a hand at working bees, or special events. The same Mums baking and working on stalls. I am constantly amazed by this.

Maybe it’s my Helper gene that can’t understand why people don’t want to help as much as I do. I can empathise with busy families or single parent families, but I have also seen single parents and extra busy families not hestitate to put their hand up too. So why is it that it’s the same people always helping?

Is it that they possess the helper gene too? Do others not even realise the amount of work it takes to run events or keep the school canteen going? Is it just me or is it the same everywhere? Is it a core group of families that continue to volunteer in your schools and preschools too? Am I being too harsh, should it just remain those core of volunteers and too many helpers would mean ‘too many cooks in the kitchen’? Or is it just one of those things to which there is no answer and I will be forever wondering?