Now that we’re safely into the summer holiday season, it feels like a good time to discuss teachers. Or more specifically, saying thank you to the saintly folk who teach our little monsters.
With the end of term just a week or two past, how did you thank the teacher who has spent the past year – 151 school days to be precise – looking after your little pride-and-joy, imparting wisdom, moulding them into future grownups?
As the husband of a teacher, with at least 5 or 6 other teachers in my family, I can tell you first hand that “thank yous” vary wildly – from a handwritten card or note, a box of chocolates right up to the “group of parents did a collection and managed to get a decent amount” joys of a spa day or short break.
Contrary to popular belief though, most teachers aren’t expecting anything lavish or expensive – I know it’s cliche to say that it’s the thought that counts, but in a lot of cases even a ‘thank you’ note or card is enough to make your child’s teacher feel appreciated.
Don’t get me wrong – if money isn’t an issue and you can afford to splash out a bit, a teacher is one of the most deserving recipients of a gift. They work incredibly hard, often with some of the most challenging people in their care, they frequently go way over and above the call of duty. And don’t even get me started on how they get used as a political pawn by every incoming government or education minister. Unless you have no compassion whatsoever, I’m sure you’ll after that teachers do a pretty tough job.
We personally usually opt for a bottle of wine or some chocolates – speaking as the husband of a teacher, I can vouch for the fact that a few extra bottles of wine in the house at the start of the summer holiday are a welcome sight!
This year, because Robert was moving from primary to secondary school, I also wanted to send a special “thank you” to a few of the teachers and staff who have helped him over the 6/7 years he has spent at the school.
So, with a little help from the lovely people at Funky Pigeon, I built a personalised card from their huge selection of “thank you teacher” cards – I opted for a sweet design that allowed me to remind the teachers about how far our son has come in those 6 or 7 years.
It didn’t cost a huge amount either – If you get multiple copies of the same card design, they can be around £3 each, which seemed pretty good – especially considering the quality of them. Take a look at the photos below to see what I came up with!
Even if you don’t have the means to splash out on something flashy, though, please do make sure you thank your child’s teacher next time you get the opportunity. I promise you, they’ll appreciate it far more than you can know.
(And a big thank you to the people at Funky Pigeon, too, for working with me on this post!)
