Teacher Appreciation Week & Mother’s Day
We should not need a calendar event to celebrate the goodness and hard work of educators and mothers, but Hallmark and retail chains have gotten in on the action and I am okay with it since teachers and maternal guardians are so very important to our world. Tessa is a teacher and both of us are mothers, therefore we understand the reasoning from the masses to celebrate these two outstanding groups during Teacher Appreciation Week and Mother’s Day.
I write about motherhood a lot, and we have published several blog posts regarding the teaching profession. Click on one of these title links to read some great articles from Family Footnote’s past.
A (Very) Short List of Gift Ideas
May is a hectic month and oftentimes the buying of teacher gifts and Mother’s Day presents get demoted to the bottom of the “to-do” list. Here are some items that I know will be big hits with teachers, mothers, grandmothers, caregivers, and friends.
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Gift Cards
Gift cards may seem impersonal, but they give the recipient the courtesy of buying something they actually want and being able to shop on their own time. Gift cards can be bought for literally anything, so it is okay to go wild or be unique. There are gift certificates for: Netflix, Amazon, local garden centers, floral shops, ice cream parlors, coffee houses, breweries, fitness gyms, unlimited music streaming, daycare centers, nail salons, beauty parlors, movie theaters, Hulu, wineries, and more.
A person can think outside the box, while still being practical with the gifting of a gift card.
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Donation of Time
Everyone’s time is valuable, so consider donating some of it for a good cause. Mothers everywhere will never turn down a gift of someone else doing the laundry, dishes, lawn work, vacuuming, kitchen clearing, cooking, dog walking, bed making, dishwasher loading/unloading, weeding, and more. Seriously, a donation of time to finish some chores will be greatly appreciated. Especially when the job is done well and with no whining from little ones.
Teachers may also appreciate this type of gift. The end of the year is hectic, so if students and parents can show some appreciation by helping in the classroom or sending last minute supplies for the end of the year dismissal party–go for it!
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A Storybook
It is no secret that I love to read, and I especially love reading with my children. If I Could Keep You Little by Marianne Richmond is my all-time favorite storybook to read aloud to my youngsters. It is sweet and makes me teary-eyed, and also touches that place in my heart that understands the concept of time, aging, and letting go bit by bit so my kids can flourish.
I gave this book to my mom and mother-in-law for Mother’s Day when my oldest was a toddler, and there was not a dry eye in the house after reading it. The storybook would also be a great gift for elementary teachers to have in their classroom.
Enjoy your teachers and enjoy your moms this week and every single day! Thank you for reading.