Running moms ragged with Teacher Appreciation right before Mother’s Day

[Anonymous]

Who planned this? Every damn year, the week leading up to Mother’s Day is Teacher A-Freaking-ppreciation Week. I appreciate teachers and do more than my part to celebrate them multiple times a year—gift cards and buying from Amazon wish lists multiple times a year, contributing to numerous PTA lunches and coffee carts, volunteering as a chaperone and helping with class parties, on and on. I do gift cards, notes, and a SignUpGenius contribution for the Teacher Appreciation Week stuff.

But why must we run mother’s ragged during this specific time? It’s like squeeze all the juice out of the lemon before celebrating moms on one DAY after they’ve spent a week doing things for teachers. It’s a lot, on top of a full-time job and all the other things we do as moms.

[Anonymous]

I have thought the same thing! Maybe teacher appreciation is before Mother’s Day, because traditionally teachers are women? I don’t know just speculating.

[Anonymous]

My son is about to graduate high school and from the time he entered Kindergarten, I saw what a ridiculous event that was. I spent years on the PTA board of his elementary school, and noticed so many teachers who didn't really want food (they were on diets, or were wary of home-made), and found awkward displays of gratitude, well... awkward. They'd rather have well-behaved students, receive short emails of thanks from a couple of parents, and perhaps a little gift card if you're so inclined. No food or gifts or big shows.

You've been entirely had. Stop doing whatever it is you're doing.

[Anonymous]

Give cash to teachers. That is what I do. I give gift cards to all my kid's teachers.

[Anonymous]

It's not required to do all that. The best way to show appreciation is to encourage your child to be well behaved and work hard.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Give cash to teachers. That is what I do. I give gift cards to all my kid's teachers.

OP here. I…literally said in my original post that I give gift cards to teachers. I don’t get them cutesy crap, just a gift card and a note, and then I also make a contribution to whatever the PTA is doing, like muffins or napkins or something. I consider that to be pretty bare bones, but still…all of it is a lot on top of everything else moms do. I think it would be much nicer if Teacher Appreciation was at the end of the school year or something, not right before Mother’s Day.

[Anonymous]

Yes - I volunteered for something that required a lot of work this year and I will NEVER do it again. I didn't have time to do the daily things for my kids' own teachers and now I feel terrible about it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Who planned this? Every damn year, the week leading up to Mother’s Day is Teacher A-Freaking-ppreciation Week. I appreciate teachers and do more than my part to celebrate them multiple times a year—gift cards and buying from Amazon wish lists multiple times a year, contributing to numerous PTA lunches and coffee carts, volunteering as a chaperone and helping with class parties, on and on. I do gift cards, notes, and a SignUpGenius contribution for the Teacher Appreciation Week stuff.

But why must we run mother’s ragged during this specific time? It’s like squeeze all the juice out of the lemon before celebrating moms on one DAY after they’ve spent a week doing things for teachers. It’s a lot, on top of a full-time job and all the other things we do as moms.

You know you don't have to do all (or any) of it, right?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My son is about to graduate high school and from the time he entered Kindergarten, I saw what a ridiculous event that was. I spent years on the PTA board of his elementary school, and noticed so many teachers who didn't really want food (they were on diets, or were wary of home-made), and found awkward displays of gratitude, well... awkward. They'd rather have well-behaved students, receive short emails of thanks from a couple of parents, and perhaps a little gift card if you're so inclined. No food or gifts or big shows.

You've been entirely had. Stop doing whatever it is you're doing.

All good points. I have my kids write a nice card and send in a gift card or buy something off the teacher’s Amazon wish list, which the PTA thankfully provides to all the parents. I don’t think the teachers really want another “trinket,” mug, etc.

[Anonymous]

In the past - I have reached out to my kids teachers and asked if I could bring them their favorite coffees.

I do this not Teacher Appreciation week- rather a week / day that works for me.

Another thing I have done is during Parent Teacher Conference day asked if their was anything I can bring for them - healthy snacks or lunch as they typically run into each other.

I don't do teacher appreciation week.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My son is about to graduate high school and from the time he entered Kindergarten, I saw what a ridiculous event that was. I spent years on the PTA board of his elementary school, and noticed so many teachers who didn't really want food (they were on diets, or were wary of home-made), and found awkward displays of gratitude, well... awkward. They'd rather have well-behaved students, receive short emails of thanks from a couple of parents, and perhaps a little gift card if you're so inclined. No food or gifts or big shows.

You've been entirely had. Stop doing whatever it is you're doing.

All good points. I have my kids write a nice card and send in a gift card or buy something off the teacher’s Amazon wish list, which the PTA thankfully provides to all the parents. I don’t think the teachers really want another “trinket,” mug, etc.

OP here again. I literally said I buy gift cards. How did you people interpret that as I buy “trinkets”? Honestly asking.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Who planned this? Every damn year, the week leading up to Mother’s Day is Teacher A-Freaking-ppreciation Week. I appreciate teachers and do more than my part to celebrate them multiple times a year—gift cards and buying from Amazon wish lists multiple times a year, contributing to numerous PTA lunches and coffee carts, volunteering as a chaperone and helping with class parties, on and on. I do gift cards, notes, and a SignUpGenius contribution for the Teacher Appreciation Week stuff.

But why must we run mother’s ragged during this specific time? It’s like squeeze all the juice out of the lemon before celebrating moms on one DAY after they’ve spent a week doing things for teachers. It’s a lot, on top of a full-time job and all the other things we do as moms.

You know you don't have to do all (or any) of it, right?

And then we’ll be treated to more “Teachers are soooooo unapprecccciiiiattteeddd” threads here on DCUM.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My son is about to graduate high school and from the time he entered Kindergarten, I saw what a ridiculous event that was. I spent years on the PTA board of his elementary school, and noticed so many teachers who didn't really want food (they were on diets, or were wary of home-made), and found awkward displays of gratitude, well... awkward. They'd rather have well-behaved students, receive short emails of thanks from a couple of parents, and perhaps a little gift card if you're so inclined. No food or gifts or big shows.

You've been entirely had. Stop doing whatever it is you're doing.

There you go, OP. Maybe your PTA needs to scale back.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Who planned this? Every damn year, the week leading up to Mother’s Day is Teacher A-Freaking-ppreciation Week. I appreciate teachers and do more than my part to celebrate them multiple times a year—gift cards and buying from Amazon wish lists multiple times a year, contributing to numerous PTA lunches and coffee carts, volunteering as a chaperone and helping with class parties, on and on. I do gift cards, notes, and a SignUpGenius contribution for the Teacher Appreciation Week stuff.

But why must we run mother’s ragged during this specific time? It’s like squeeze all the juice out of the lemon before celebrating moms on one DAY after they’ve spent a week doing things for teachers. It’s a lot, on top of a full-time job and all the other things we do as moms.

You know you don't have to do all (or any) of it, right?

And then we’ll be treated to more “Teachers are soooooo unapprecccciiiiattteeddd” threads here on DCUM.

BS. There have been so many posts from teachers saying they don't want or need all of this. Teach your kids to be respectful and don't be a jerk to their teacher.

[Anonymous]

I agree, OP. The timing sucks. Thankfully my kids are out of elementary school so it’s not as big of a thing for us anymore. It was exhausting and over the top and doesn’t treat teachers as professionals.