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

[Anonymous]

It’s optional. It’s ALL optional. And all of our schools have always had the option of just giving money; which is what I do. Venmo takes 30 seconds. The moms who want to run it are welcome too, and have my thanks.

[Anonymous]

If it makes you feel any better, at my kids' school next week is Teacher Appreciation Week, Mother's Day is Sunday, and then they're having a "virtual day" on Monday, which means I have to try to work remotely and play teacher, a la pandemic lock downs. Not the best timing for garnering appreciation, in my opinion.

[Anonymous]

I find the gift buying so crazy in public school. Where I grew up it was not allowed to buy teacher gifts or gift cards because a lot of families couldn't afford to. The rule was cards or gifts made by the kids. I'm cool with baking stuff too. Maybe I'm a jerk but that's still my practice. My husband teaches so yes, we know what they make.

For day care I am just exhausted when there are different daily gift/activity themes. As a working parent i cant keep up with 5 differebt specific requests! We are paying to be there and the teachers seriously don't make what they deserve so in that context, yes to gift cards.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Instead of Teacher Appreciation week, we do Staff Appreciation month. Once a week, there is something for staff. The work is spread out and there’s less pressure to get it all done in one week.

Last week we (the PTO) paid for an ice cream food truck to come for a couple of hours at lunchtime. This coming week we’re catering a lunch. The following week we’re setting up a candy bar. The last week is stocking the lounges and fridges with drinks & snacks.

Different parents sign up for the one event that week. Staff appreciates having it spread out.

I honestly can’t decide which is worse.

At our school, gratitude it shown through food, and food only. I stopped volunteering because it was too much. I'm okay with luncheons...but it was the hot coca cart, desserts, food trucks, carnival-themed snack bags, buffets of popcorn and candy, etc.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Instead of Teacher Appreciation week, we do Staff Appreciation month. Once a week, there is something for staff. The work is spread out and there’s less pressure to get it all done in one week.

Last week we (the PTO) paid for an ice cream food truck to come for a couple of hours at lunchtime. This coming week we’re catering a lunch. The following week we’re setting up a candy bar. The last week is stocking the lounges and fridges with drinks & snacks.

Different parents sign up for the one event that week. Staff appreciates having it spread out.

I honestly can’t decide which is worse.

At our school, gratitude it shown through food, and food only. I stopped volunteering because it was too much. I'm okay with luncheons...but it was the hot coca cart, desserts, food trucks, carnival-themed snack bags, buffets of popcorn and candy, etc.

As a long-time PTA volunteer, I can guarantee you teachers hate that. If you can, please persuade whoever is running this to stop.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Instead of Teacher Appreciation week, we do Staff Appreciation month. Once a week, there is something for staff. The work is spread out and there’s less pressure to get it all done in one week.

Last week we (the PTO) paid for an ice cream food truck to come for a couple of hours at lunchtime. This coming week we’re catering a lunch. The following week we’re setting up a candy bar. The last week is stocking the lounges and fridges with drinks & snacks.

Different parents sign up for the one event that week. Staff appreciates having it spread out.

I honestly can’t decide which is worse.

Well, if you’re OP who is exhausted from doing everything in one week, then this is better.

At the end of the day, do whatever you can and want to do. Just don’t be rude about it or rude to teachers. It’s rough out there right now.

I’m pretty sure—*checks notes*—no, I’m definitely sure neither OP nor any poster on this thread has made the case to “be rude to teachers.” Venting a bit about an imperfect dynamic is not “being rude to teachers.” We know it’s not their fault, they likely didn’t create the timing. Whoever did propose that TA always be the week leading up to Mother’s Day was probably some male principal.

[Anonymous]

Drop the rope. Delete the begging emails without opening them. You do not have to engage, contribute, volunteer, etc. All the "activities" are for a set of SAHMs who like to create busy work for themselves. Let them have at it. Do what's important to your life and your family.

[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.

Teacher here, and ouch.

You don’t have to do a thing to show appreciation. I don’t need coffee, mugs, cards, etc. You know what I would like? An ounce of respect. That’s all. I’m a professional, so treat me like one. From you, that might look like passing on the next opportunity to disrespect teachers.

[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.

Teacher here. You don’t have to do any of it. None of my students’ parents do. Save your energy for other things. The only thing I get for TAW is lunch from my admin.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Teacher gifts are way out of hand. Civil servants are not supposed to receive gifts.

Not everywhere. I teach in a Title 1 school and every few years, I might get one gift for Christmas or TAW. We don’t have a PTA. The only things we get are from admin.

[Anonymous]

Most teachers don't want gifts. They want gift cards or simple notes of appreciation.

[Anonymous]

You’re not required to do any of this. If you don’t want to don’t.

[Anonymous]

I give my kids' teachers a gift at winter holiday and end of year and I don't feel the need to go nuts during teacher appreciation week.

I sent in a small gift card one day (but actually extra that we had around the house anyway), my kids wrote their teachers a note one day, and I sent in cleaning supplies for the classroom one day - but it was actually extra wipes that I had around the house. So I didn't really have to prep too much.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

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.

Teacher here, and ouch.

You don’t have to do a thing to show appreciation. I don’t need coffee, mugs, cards, etc. You know what I would like? An ounce of respect. That’s all. I’m a professional, so treat me like one. From you, that might look like passing on the next opportunity to disrespect teachers.

Literally do a search about “teachers” and “appreciate” on DCUM and there are many, many whiny threads. It’s just a fact.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It’s optional. It’s ALL optional. And all of our schools have always had the option of just giving money; which is what I do. Venmo takes 30 seconds. The moms who want to run it are welcome too, and have my thanks.

Yep, I send 50 dollars per child to the class teacher appreciation fund.