Children in mainstream school give a gift to their teacher at the end of the school year. Well that's how it works here in Australia anyway LOL. Whether it's something home made, store bought, inexpensive or not, teachers leave for the Holidays with lots of 'Thank You' gifts from their students and their parents.
And deservedly so.
They do a great job!
But I ask you this.
Do you, as a homeschooling parent,
acknowledge the job well done and the dedication
YOU
have provided to your family through the year?
Do you get your children to make you a gift or buy you a gift as a Thank you?
Do you, as a homeschooling parent,
acknowledge the job well done and the dedication
YOU
have provided to your family through the year?
Do you get your children to make you a gift or buy you a gift as a Thank you?
If not, why not?
You deserve it too.
When my son attended school, we bought gifts for his teachers. There was a lot of them. Each year he had two class teachers, two-four teacher aides, a Head of Special Needs Coordinator and a Special Needs Classroom teacher. That's 6-8 teacher gifts. When you add up the cost of them all, it's not cheap. Yet the first year I started homeschooling, I got to the end of the year and thought wow I have done the job of all of those people. Yet when doing my end of year shopping I found my budget much healthier as I had no teachers to buy for.
A week later my son asked me what I was going to get for my teacher present.
Firstly I was happy that my son recognised my value as his teacher. Secondly though I wondered if I should, wondered what others would say, wondered if I should spend the money on something self indulgent for myself.
A week later my son asked me what I was going to get for my teacher present.
Firstly I was happy that my son recognised my value as his teacher. Secondly though I wondered if I should, wondered what others would say, wondered if I should spend the money on something self indulgent for myself.
Not long after, I found something on sale at the shops that I had wanted for a long time. I had my usual 'no mantra' running through my head along the lines of not being able to justify the expense. Something as mothers most of us do all the time. Only this time I stopped myself mid-mantra. I DID have a reason to buy it, I could justify it. I did deserve to spend money on myself, after all I had been a teacher all year and put in the hard work, got amazing results from my child and all for no weekly wage.
When I told my friends about my Teacher Gift I got a wonderful response.
The best part was helping other mothers to recognise their value as home educators too. It wasn't about the cost of the gift, just that they deserved something, like any other teacher does. Whether that be a handmade card, a box of chocolates or a gift of something special.
The best part was helping other mothers to recognise their value as home educators too. It wasn't about the cost of the gift, just that they deserved something, like any other teacher does. Whether that be a handmade card, a box of chocolates or a gift of something special.
I already have my gift for this year picked out. I don't feel guilty about it either because I deserve it.
So my question to all you homeschooling parents out there is,
what will you get yourselves this year as a reward for all your hard work?
So my question to all you homeschooling parents out there is,
what will you get yourselves this year as a reward for all your hard work?
Love this Kelly!
ReplyDeleteThanks!! I think getting the kids to think about us in that way helps them realise we are Teacher as well as Mum and Person. After all, I recognise my students efforts at the end of the year so I think it's respectful for him to do the same hey.
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