Each year teacher appreciation week stresses me out. I am sure it is not meant to be stressful, but it is.  There is no gift that I could ever afford to buy that could adequately thank my children’s teachers for being patient enough to teach them their ABC’s,and  forgiving enough to still smile at them after my child has been a HOT mess all day.  Teachers are the unsung heroes of the world, and teachers, I don’t care how much you love the art of teaching, there is probably one child and one parent who make you completely rethink your profession and wish that you had opted to be something else instead.

Anyway, my kids’ preschool school take teacher appreciation week seriously, as they should, but I always feel stressed. What should I buy?  Should I make something? Should I bake something? If I get a gift card, how much should it be for? If I don’t get the teachers anything will my child be black balled?

My gut said to take my usual approach  –  to take the easy and safe route and give gift cards.  But, this year, with the lovely introduction of Pinterest in my life, I decided that I was going to get inspired and make something from the heart. So I scoured Pinterest for hours and decided that I was going to whip up some water bottles and include  teacher candy like smarties, skittles (the color of the rainbow), and M&Ms.  What teacher would not love this?  I dragged the kids to Michael’s with about15 coupons and purchased cute water bottles, Pinterest-approved tags, and ribbons, and then I dragged them to Target for the candy.  I hauled all of this mess home, started assembling the water bottles, and then it hit me: Teachers don’t want a water bottle filled with kid candy.  Shoot, I wouldn’t want that either.  Of course, I think teachers are honored to be appreciated but what they probably really want is a kid who washes their hands after using the bathroom, a child who stays home if they have hand foot and mouth, and a child whose parents are smart enough and practical enough to get a gift card.

Lesson learned:  From now on, I will get my kids’ teachers gift cards from stores I know they will enjoy.  Take that, Pinterest!