National Teacher Appreciation Week is May 7-11.  This is the perfect week to really show the teachers in our lives how important and special they are to us.  

I want you to think of all the things a teacher does on a given day.  Not only are they responsible for teaching our children learning tools that they will use for the rest of their lives, they also teach our little ones how to be good humans.  They encourage our children, stress appropriate communication and self-control, and enforce rules.  They incorporate different teaching styles to meet the needs of each student in their classroom.  They understand our child's strengths, weaknesses and quirks.  They don't get a bonus check for consoling a sad child on the playground, taking home papers to grade or staying after school to talk with a parent.  It's all just part of the job.  We trust teachers with our children 180 days out of the year.  Needless to say, teachers are very important people in our childrens' lives.

Teacher Appreciation Week is a reminder that we should THANK teachers for all the big and little things they do for our child on a daily basis.  It's also a great way to help your child show gratitude and respect towards people who help them.   

The good news is showing appreciation doesn't have to be expensive.  Have your child write a note, in their own words, to express their gratitude.  Have your teacher fill out a list of their 'favorite' things (food, drinks, treats, stores, etc.) and create a gift basket for them.  Thank your child's teacher in person, by specifically naming things they have done to help your child thrive.  Bring them flowers from your garden.  Send in a homemade goodie for them to enjoy.  Buy something special for the classroom.  And if your creative juices aren't flowing, you can always check out Pinterest for some cute ideas! 

Hopefully you are feeling inspired to make your child's teacher feel extra special next week!  Go hug a teacher :)