Knickers in a Knot

Be forewarned: Rant to follow.

It is "Teacher Appreciation Week" at my children's elementary school.  Yeah, I said "WEEK."  Would you like to know what the parents children have been directed to bring by the room moms?  A flower, a coke, a candy bar, a $5-25 gift card to one of her favorite stores, a new or used book for the class library and other things I am supposed to go out and buy so my children can adequately show "appreciation."  Oh!  Do not forget the coaches and the librarian and the principals and the counselor.

What. On. Earth?

This offends the tar out of me on two counts.  First, I am not made of money.  The list adds up for just one child.  I have more than one child at the school.  That means I am spending a small pile of money so my children can show their appreciation.  If we want the children to show appreciation for their teachers, maybe they ought to do something on their own that does not cost the parents money?  Maybe they could do something that does not require the parents to run around and actually do the appreciating?  What happened to a homemade card?  How about they do the wave during recess?  That's cute.  What if they pledged to not talk for 30 whole minutes and do their work quietly?  That's fantastic.  And free.

Second, I am a former high school teacher and I gotta tell ya, there was no such thing as "Teacher Appreciation  Week."  Yes, for Christmas there might be a card or two, a baked good or two, but not much more.  And frankly, I never expected it.  I never expected to be showered with gifts.  Teaching is a calling and you are there because you love it and you love your kids and if you think for an instant that you need a pile of "appreciation" on your desk to know you're doing a good job - you'd better go get a different job.  You know what fed me as a teacher?  I fed on the looks of accomplishment.  I basked in the glow of a kid who struggled and finally "got it."  Cokes are nice.  Gift cards are great.  Knowing you have made a difference is the best.

I bet you dollars to doughnuts that none of these parents running their rears around town to collect ONE flower and ONE coke and ONE candy bar will do a dadgum thing for their children's high school teachers.  They'll already be burned out on the social pressure to keep up with the "appreciating."  Where did this insanity originate?  Whose idea was it to shower elementary teachers with stuff - for a whole WEEK.

So, this is what I, the lazy parent who has her knickers in a knot, decided to do.  Nothing.  Not a blessed thing.  A neighbor called and asked if I had flowers in my garden to give to a teacher.  I gladly gave her three.  My children wanted nothing to do with carrying flowers to school.

Would you like to know how we show appreciation in our house?

We say "thank you."