Teachers are with our children almost every day of the week, for a good portion of the year (and in many places year-round). When we say it takes a village to raise confident, kind, intelligent children, that village is often led by teachers. They are people who choose a profession that doesn’t usually provide them with lots of wealth, but the opportunity to impact many, many lives- in more ways than one. Even if someone doesn’t have children, those same people were taught by teachers and made a life for themselves because of those who give their lives to teaching us to be better. When we grow old and find ourselves needing extra care- we can only hope that those who are attending to us, helping us live our best lives, were taught compassion, knowledge and how to be kind from wonderful knowledgeable teachers.
With teacher appreciation week fast approaching I am sure there are lots of companies who can’t keep apple themed items, #1 teacher ornaments and coffee mugs saying, “Best teacher in the world” on the shelves. (My mom had a huge box of Christmas ornaments proclaiming that she was the best teacher ever- and I would agree, but our tree wasn’t big enough to hold them all 😉 ) Teachers are appreciative of any token of appreciation, to know they are making a difference.
However, when our newsfeed, Netflix, book recommendations and friends are all talking about tidying up and minimalizing it often makes you wonder what should you give to make a teacher feel special that won’t cause them to need extra space. Here are some ideas for how to show your love during Teacher Appreciation Week. This year it’s celebrated May 6-10 this year (trust me, my mom has lots of ideas!)
- Everyday items that we all dislike shelling out money for.
My mom always tells me one of her favorite, unique gifts was tokens/gift cards to the car wash. Think about it. You drive up to the car wash, blasting your favorite 90’s hits (admit it, I am not the only one doing this…). With a few dollars in quarters realization hits, that while you might be living in 1995, it’s 2019 and you are going to need rolls of quarters to wash and vacuum your car. I can’t be the only one who says, “I remember when $6 was the fancy undercarriage wash and wax… you mean to tell me now you want $15 for me to get the fancy wash?!”
So think about the silly little things you hate paying for- does your teacher live in a town where you have to pay for garbage bags? Maybe make a care package of their favorite things and include those. If you live somewhere that gets snow, a car wash at the end of the winter is so satisfying (and usually you need a few because it inevitably snows once more after you just waited 30 minutes for a car wash!) Maybe they have to pay tolls to get to work? Or you know where they get their oil changed? There’s a good chance (at least in Maine) that your teacher has a second job in the summer and they might have to pay to park- maybe a parking pass or some money towards parking presented in a cute way. Maybe you have run into your teacher at the dry cleaner and could give them a gift certificate there? Anything that helps to lessen the blow with those everyday expenses we all hate to open our wallets up for is appreciated and thoughtful.
- Handwritten notes from you or your child
There is nothing as meaningful or heartfelt as a letter from you or your child (or both) telling them how much you appreciate them. We often rush through life without acknowledging the difference people make in our lives. Take a minute to really thank them for all they do. Trust me, after a stressful day, those words of affirmation can really lift someone up. Recognition to school administration also can be an amazing gift that can make a lasting impression on someone’s career.
- Something that acknowledges their life outside teaching
You wouldn’t believe how many students are shocked to see their teacher outside of school or when they learn that their teacher actually has a house they go home to at night. Don’t all teachers have Murphy beds in a secret wall in their classroom where they sleep every night? (With all the time I spent at school with my mom as a kid I wish they did!)
It’s so cute that they think teachers live at school- and it shows their devotion to the profession, especially when they are willing to talk school in the aisles of the grocery store or when they are out to dinner. So how about a gift that shows you recognize them as a person with a life outside of your children? Maybe you have heard your teacher mention they love to paint, how about a paint night gift card, a class at a local place or art supplies? Maybe they mentioned a place they love to work out, get a massage, have their nails done, etc. and you can treat them. Maybe they love to garden and you know a great local nursery or they mentioned getting a cutting machine and don’t know how to use it (there are always classes at craft stores.) Who doesn’t want to have a night out at the movies or there might be an amazing new restaurant you know they will love, or a coffee shop they love to visit. We all know that once children enter our lives we have less time for our hobbies, when someone makes it a little easier to go and enjoy something we love it shows they are listening to us and care.
- Handmade Gifts
My mom had a student in Kindergarten who painted a rock brown and put chocolate chip cookies all over it, because she had told the class how much she loved chocolate and chocolate chip cookies. She thought it was incredibly sweet he went through so much trouble to paint her a rock with cookies that she had to snap a photo of him holding it. This rock was painted 22 years ago… when my mom retired 2 years ago she still had it on her desk with his photo. And of course that rock came home with her and still sits at her sewing area. It may seem trivial (especially to parents who are always trying to weed out all the art that comes home), but it really meant something to her and there are those special mementos that find a place in their hearts… and desks for a long time.
So I encourage you to have your kids make something special for their teachers. When they pour their little hearts into something it really shows and their teacher will know how much they are loved.
- Chocolate… coffee… repeat…repeat…repeat…
Moms joke about hiding in the closet to eat a candy bar so they don’t have to share with their kids. Teachers aren’t any different (I can’t tell you how many times when I would substitute little eyes would stare down what I was eating and ask what it was, if it was good and are you going to finish it…)? I know a lot of teachers often end up sharing their food with students who may not have had snacks or lunch packed, didn’t have enough to eat, they shared it, got a bum deal on a trade or didn’t have money for lunch. So why shouldn’t they get inundated with a whole bunch of their favorite things (in a locked box so they don’t have to share!) to enjoy when they have a moment of peace (because I am sure they get a lot of that!) My mom LOVES Peanut Butter Cups so she had students always bringing them in to her (and then I made her share with me, sorry mom, I get it now!) I don’t think any teacher would say no to their favorite chocolate (well I guess if they are on a diet or hate chocolate you need to find something else.)
We also know many people can’t wake up and listen to their kids chatter without coffee- a teacher with 15+ kids chattering at them will definitely need lots of coffee. So do a little sleuthing and figure out what their favorite coffee is (assuming they drink coffee-maybe tea or hot chocolate if they don’t) and caffeinate them! Maybe present it in a mug that doesn’t mention their profession… I doubt a banker needs every mug in their house saying, “Dolla, dolla bills, y’all”…. Or maybe they do??
Whatever their favorite items are, maybe it’s best to disguise them in a bag of Brussel sprouts or creamed corn so the kids avoid them like the plague! No matter what it is or how it’s presented, no one will ever say no to a box of their favorite treats!
- Help them win the lottery
Assuming it isn’t against any school code violation or against a teacher’s personal ethics, scratch tickets are always a fun way to help a person dream big (just make sure you have them sign a contract that if they win big they can’t head off to Bora Bora until the end of the school year because your kids would be devastated!) Place it in a clear bag with a Payday or 100 Grand bar and you have a silly gift. It’s a fun way to let them know they are deserving of a lot more wealth than what they receive, because what they are giving our future generations is invaluable.
And if you still don’t know what to give your favorite teachers, combine a few ideas in a flower pot to make a teacher bouquet! Take an empty flower pot, have your child paint it and then put floral foam in the bottom. Cover it with some fake grass (or something else) and then attach your little gifts, etc. to kabob sticks with tape. Insert them in the foam and you have a cute little bouquet of their favorite things!
Thank you to all the teachers out there for making our world a better place! I wish I could go all Oprah and say, “You get a million, you get a million, you get a million!” Instead, a million thank yous and many hugs!
