By Wilma Young
We recently had a client who has the admirable job of being a teacher. She is also a wife and a Mom with the responsibility of taking care of a family including a special needs daughter. She is a terrific person and with all that she has to do she is also trying to manage her own health with good nutrition and exercise. She came in this week feeling a bit down because it had been “Teacher Appreciation Week” and with very good intentions the gifts of treats and sweets added up. Not just in her classroom but in the break room and with all her fellow teachers. She tried hard to resist most of the time but caved on a few occasions and was beating herself up. Come to find out one of the administrators, with perfectly good intentions, sent out a note to parents about showing “appreciation”. Unfortunately, in our current state, we think of appreciation as a sweet food or sugaring coffee drink which only brings on the high of a quick boost and the sudden drop of blood sugar. Add to that grumpiness and tiredness and we don’t feel like being appreciated, we just feel like being left alone. I would like to suggest something better. How about if we show our appreciation with flowers, or how about some paper, sticky notes or pencils that are needed in the classroom but yet so many teachers , with our failing budgets, tend to buy out of their own pocket. Maybe a gift card to Michaels or Target where that can load up on supplies or maybe a well thought out note of thanks. Just putting into words that you acknowledge a teacher’s hard work and sacrifice will go a very long way with someone who normally only hears a parent’s complaints and not their praises. Teachers mold all of our futures when they mold young minds. Can we recognize that just like kids, too much of a good things leaves them burned out and unable to perform at their best. PLEASE, we want our teachers to feel appreciated but let’s change our mindset on how to do this. Let’s not associate feeling good with cupcakes and brownies. Let’ start with the abc’s of appreciation…Show them Affection, wish them Blessings and offer Compassion!
This is so important and how true! I have a grandson living with us during the weekdays and on every “occasion” at school, food is the major way to celebrate. And I mean bags of chips, sodas, cookies, donuts, etc. Nothing else. Don’t see how the kids make it through the day. But to get this to happen, schools need to take a part in educating and suggesting alternatives. Of course parents also. It’s so ingrained in our society to celebrate or reward with these “treats.” For Teacher Appreciation Day, maybe a little note requesting ‘healthy gifts (and your ideas were great). This is really a challenge.