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

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:No one wants 20 individual wilted flowers plucked from gardens on the way to school. You all are crazy. It’s forced appreciation with the demands from the classroom moms. They don’t need a cart of snacks being wheeled through the hallways either.

Again with that word. Nope. Sorry. Words have meanings.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Look I’m not going to pretend there’s not a vast amount of misogyny baked into ALL aspects of this— paying teachers so little that “appreciation” gifts matter, expecting teachers to be “appreciated” by free breakfast something provided every day in Silicon Valley…expecting mothers to spend time being “appreciation chairs” as an unpaid activity…all of it. All of it.

But, you are making this way too hard on yourself and there is no excuse for that other than poor planning. Let me help you make 2023 the last year this sucks for you:

On prime day or cyber week, gift cards are discounted (I think last year target did $10 off every $50). Purchase $400 worth of $50 gift cards, put them in your top desk drawer.

If you or anyone in your group chat go to Aldi you will find occasionally nice-looking but inexpensive thank you cards. Buy 8. If you must make your life harder also grab a holiday themed card or two.

Every time there is a request for teacher appreciation, Venmo the organizer, have your kid scribble in a card, add a gift card and send the card to school. Do not “scramble”. Do not volunteer for anything extra. Do not stress further. Do not continue to think about this after confirming the card reached the teacher.

Tone deaf, much? Not all of us have $400 to “just” throw around at any one time, let alone to pre-pay a long-term investment for some future date. Wow, $50 each for teacher gift cards? Must be freaking nice. Wow, how organized you are, what a planner you are. Oh, wait. You’re just rich.

I mean... I'm definitely not rich, solidly MC by DCUM standards but I basically do what this PP suggests. It's a priority to me to be able to give to DC's teachers.
I SAH now but was a teacher. Gift cards are best, no need for much of anything else. Of course I had many students who genuinely could not afford gifts of any type but when their parents thanked me for helping them or whatever that was just as awesome as a gift card.
I started out working at a wealthy school and during TAW the PTA did a catered lunch from a very nice restaurant and that was the only time I felt like it was worth the effort they put in...but I'm sure it was $$.

NP. Ohhhhh, so people who can afford to pre-pay $400 at a time for teacher gift cards are able to do so because it’s a “priority.” Got it. Sorry, poors, you’re going to have to make $400 for gift cards a *priority.* It has to be important to you. Go put the bread, green beans, cereal and milk back, because Good People Prioritize Gift Cards. It’s a matter of priorities, you see. Not means.

Yeah this is crazy to me. We don't make a lot for DCUM and $50 is more than our budget for Christmas or birthday gifts for any adults, including each other (we usually try to keep it $20-40 max). $400 is close to what we'd spend at Christmas for the entire extended family. Teachers are important but not a higher priority than everyone else in my life.

JFC. Do you people have no imagination or problem solving ability? If you can’t buy $50, buy $20. If you can’t buy $20, buy $10. If you can’t afford $10, have your kid make a free card at home. The point is that all of these things can be planned in ADVANCE instead of throwing tantrums when the dates show up just as they do every year.

If the room parent asks for specific things every day of a week, it is not a requirement. If it’s sooooo harrrrd and you’re soooo buuuuusy, just don’t do it. But we all know you won’t, because then you wouldn’t get attention for whining about your mEnTal LoAd.

NP and yes, your privilege is showing, too. I can afford $10 gift cards, but not until the paycheck immediately before the event. Stop acting like some of us are not “planning ahead” or “prioritizing” when we CANNOT AFFORD TO BUY AHEAD.

Since you can’t read, here, let me help you.

“If you can’t afford $10, have your kid make a free card at home.”

You’re welcome, No more need for you to engage in any further melodrama, attention-seeking, whining or ALL CAPS.

Done.

Why do we need to give teachers cards for doing their jobs?

I am seriously beginning to wonder if a non-insignificant subset of DCUM Moms are illiterate.

As has been said 9,583,487, every single thing about TA is optional (I know. It’s a big word. Look it up).

If you and/or your kid don’t want to make a card, then D-O-N’-T.

Just put a sock in your asinine whining.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Why are all you moms doing all the work? Where are the kids’ dads?

You are doing this wrong.

I’m a dad, and do nothing for teacher appreciation. Haha.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Look I’m not going to pretend there’s not a vast amount of misogyny baked into ALL aspects of this— paying teachers so little that “appreciation” gifts matter, expecting teachers to be “appreciated” by free breakfast something provided every day in Silicon Valley…expecting mothers to spend time being “appreciation chairs” as an unpaid activity…all of it. All of it.

But, you are making this way too hard on yourself and there is no excuse for that other than poor planning. Let me help you make 2023 the last year this sucks for you:

On prime day or cyber week, gift cards are discounted (I think last year target did $10 off every $50). Purchase $400 worth of $50 gift cards, put them in your top desk drawer.

If you or anyone in your group chat go to Aldi you will find occasionally nice-looking but inexpensive thank you cards. Buy 8. If you must make your life harder also grab a holiday themed card or two.

Every time there is a request for teacher appreciation, Venmo the organizer, have your kid scribble in a card, add a gift card and send the card to school. Do not “scramble”. Do not volunteer for anything extra. Do not stress further. Do not continue to think about this after confirming the card reached the teacher.

Tone deaf, much? Not all of us have $400 to “just” throw around at any one time, let alone to pre-pay a long-term investment for some future date. Wow, $50 each for teacher gift cards? Must be freaking nice. Wow, how organized you are, what a planner you are. Oh, wait. You’re just rich.

I mean... I'm definitely not rich, solidly MC by DCUM standards but I basically do what this PP suggests. It's a priority to me to be able to give to DC's teachers.
I SAH now but was a teacher. Gift cards are best, no need for much of anything else. Of course I had many students who genuinely could not afford gifts of any type but when their parents thanked me for helping them or whatever that was just as awesome as a gift card.
I started out working at a wealthy school and during TAW the PTA did a catered lunch from a very nice restaurant and that was the only time I felt like it was worth the effort they put in...but I'm sure it was $$.

NP. Ohhhhh, so people who can afford to pre-pay $400 at a time for teacher gift cards are able to do so because it’s a “priority.” Got it. Sorry, poors, you’re going to have to make $400 for gift cards a *priority.* It has to be important to you. Go put the bread, green beans, cereal and milk back, because Good People Prioritize Gift Cards. It’s a matter of priorities, you see. Not means.

Yeah this is crazy to me. We don't make a lot for DCUM and $50 is more than our budget for Christmas or birthday gifts for any adults, including each other (we usually try to keep it $20-40 max). $400 is close to what we'd spend at Christmas for the entire extended family. Teachers are important but not a higher priority than everyone else in my life.

JFC. Do you people have no imagination or problem solving ability? If you can’t buy $50, buy $20. If you can’t buy $20, buy $10. If you can’t afford $10, have your kid make a free card at home. The point is that all of these things can be planned in ADVANCE instead of throwing tantrums when the dates show up just as they do every year.

If the room parent asks for specific things every day of a week, it is not a requirement. If it’s sooooo harrrrd and you’re soooo buuuuusy, just don’t do it. But we all know you won’t, because then you wouldn’t get attention for whining about your mEnTal LoAd.

NP and yes, your privilege is showing, too. I can afford $10 gift cards, but not until the paycheck immediately before the event. Stop acting like some of us are not “planning ahead” or “prioritizing” when we CANNOT AFFORD TO BUY AHEAD.

Since you can’t read, here, let me help you.

“If you can’t afford $10, have your kid make a free card at home.”

You’re welcome, No more need for you to engage in any further melodrama, attention-seeking, whining or ALL CAPS.

Done.

Why do we need to give teachers cards for doing their jobs?

I am seriously beginning to wonder if a non-insignificant subset of DCUM Moms are illiterate.

As has been said 9,583,487, every single thing about TA is optional (I know. It’s a big word. Look it up).

If you and/or your kid don’t want to make a card, then D-O-N’-T.

Just put a sock in your asinine whining.

What I hear you saying is that you’re a teacher. Hence the attitude.

[Anonymous]

But do teachers take a mental mote of kuds who didn't bring them stuff? No gift card from Larlo - well, I'll be sure to grade her essay a little tougher.

[Anonymous]

I wrote a very sincere thank you note to my child’s teacher. My child also wrote a card telling the teacher how much she appreciated the teacher. I am happy to show our appreciation to the teachers we truly love and appreciate.

My son has 3 teachers, one is fantastic and 2 are meh. I will be sending in gift cards for all but I did not write a special note for the not so great ones.

I contributed to the food requests from the pta. The teachers can eat it or not. I’m happy to contribute.

[Anonymous]

Teachers want heartfelt notes from parents. They want you to write letters to the principal for their file. If you must give something, then give a gift card. All these stupid craft things are a waste of time. Teachers don’t want your homemade crafts. They don’t want to eat the cookies you made. Instead of running yourself ragged, just sit down and write a note or buy some gift cards from the grocery store. Donate a few dollars to the PTA so they can buy some donuts or cater a lunch from Panera.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:But do teachers take a mental mote of kuds who didn't bring them stuff? No gift card from Larlo - well, I'll be sure to grade her essay a little tougher.

Teacher here.

Why would I do that? I’m not vindictive or mean. I‘m also a professional and that would be unethical.

(As a professional, I’d love to stop this week entirely. I actually find it insulting that society thinks it’s okay to pay us in appreciation instead of a higher salary and reasonable working conditions.)

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Teachers want heartfelt notes from parents. They want you to write letters to the principal for their file. If you must give something, then give a gift card. All these stupid craft things are a waste of time. Teachers don’t want your homemade crafts. They don’t want to eat the cookies you made. Instead of running yourself ragged, just sit down and write a note or buy some gift cards from the grocery store. Donate a few dollars to the PTA so they can buy some donuts or cater a lunch from Panera.

I agree, no teacher wants your homemade products. They want a gift card and a nice note of appreciation.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:But do teachers take a mental mote of kuds who didn't bring them stuff? No gift card from Larlo - well, I'll be sure to grade her essay a little tougher.

Not unless the teacher is a petty person.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:But do teachers take a mental mote of kuds who didn't bring them stuff? No gift card from Larlo - well, I'll be sure to grade her essay a little tougher.

Teacher here.

Why would I do that? I’m not vindictive or mean. I‘m also a professional and that would be unethical.

(As a professional, I’d love to stop this week entirely. I actually find it insulting that society thinks it’s okay to pay us in appreciation instead of a higher salary and reasonable working conditions.)

+100,000

[Anonymous]

No teacher needs Teacher Appreciation Week. Send your kid to school prepared, well behaved as possible and ready to learn everyday. Strive to do this best you can.

Too many parents who focus great effort on fluff aren't putting enough time into the basics.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:No teacher needs Teacher Appreciation Week. Send your kid to school prepared, well behaved as possible and ready to learn everyday. Strive to do this best you can.

Too many parents who focus great effort on fluff aren't putting enough time into the basics.

This. Read and respond to our emails. Treat us as a teammate rather than the enemy. Tell your kids you expect them to listen and be respectful be school. And please, for the love of God, have your kids practice multiplication facts at home. It will make everyone’s life easier for the next 8 years if you do.

[Anonymous]

My kid's PTA handled it all. I donated/bought stuff on their Amazon wish list for the items they needed for the week. Done.

[Anonymous]

Teachers are helping the future. Be empathetic towards early educators. Many of them has to get a second job to survive.

Give them visa money, gift cards, anything that can help them to their daily lives.
Help the teachers