Lots of states have tax-free shopping for school supplies and children’s clothes this weekend. We’re taking advantage of the sales and tax break today, getting school supplies and a few clothes for Annalyn (as well school supplies to donate to our church’s school supply drive for our local schools). This weekend is also a great time to get goodies to stick in a teacher appreciation gift!
(Spoiler alert: I vote for simple.)
After all, I’m not Super Mom (Exhibit A: see this week’s Facebook discussion on the insanity of Bento lunches in which I beg fellow parents to tell me what they REALLY pack in their kids’ school lunches). And I don’t think a basket of goodies is going to make up for forgotten permission slips, late drop-off (or pick-up!) or a general lack of PTA paricipation.
But it can’t hurt to be nice to the person tasked with teaching my child to read, write and ‘rithmatic.
Also? A story…
I don’t remember a whole lot about fourth grade, but what I do recall is full of The Awkward. Back then I had thick glasses, thick bangs (NOT the cool fluffy kind) and a thick waist. Oh, and a big gap between my front teeth. I had hand-me-downs and frenemies, and if I remember right, this is the year when one particular mean girl actually formed an I Hate Mary club at recess.
Good things probably happened that year, too, but mostly it was Awkward City. You know what doesn’t help? When your mom knows your teacher. And you know what makes that even worse? When she buys a pair of socks (SOCKS!) to give him as a teacher appreciation Christmas gift.
SOCKS. Argyle socks, if you must know. Socks!
I actually don’t know why that was so embarrassing to me back then. Perhaps it was the personal nature of a gift (SOCKS! That’s practically just one step up from underwear!), or maybe it simply was the fact that I thought they were ugly (ARGYLE?). I don’t know.
I just know that I will not torture my daughter by giving her teacher socks. EVER.
Instead, I’m sending her to kindergarten with a Teacher Survival Kit in hand, with hopes of making her teacher smile and feel appreciated as we begin the school year together.
See, lots of my friends homeschool their kids, and while I admire them and respect their decision, the thought of doing that myself just makes me reach for the bottle of Tylenol. On top of that, dozens of my friends and family members are teachers and principals, so I know from their firsthand experience that teaching kids is HARD. So before we even walk in the door of Annalyn’s new elementary school in 13 days (not that I’m counting!), I am exceedingly grateful to her teacher.
I also suspect she might reach for the bottle of Tylenol a time or two before the semester is over. Hopefully our full little survival kit can ease her burden or lighten her mood when those days come!
Last year, I made Teacher Survival Kits for Annalyn’s preschool teachers. I included a pack of Kleenex, hand lotion, Advil, chapstick, hand sanitizer, a pack of gum, Band-Aids and several pieces of dark chocolate.
This year, I mixed it up a little (but not much. I am a creature of habit, really).
Here’s what we included this year:
- A school-themed notepad
- Several sheets of correction stickers
- Package of Kleenex
- Box of Band-Aids
- Travel bottle of Febreze
- Two packages of almonds
- Two packages of Emergen-C
- Colgate Wisp (mini toothbrushes)
- Pack of gum
- Small pack of Wet Wipes
- Travel bottle of lotion
- Burt’s Bees chaptstick
- Hand sanitizer
- Lots of Dove dark chocolates
Most of the items are from the dollar spot at Target or the travel size section at Walmart. Which is good and bad. Because that means each item was pretty cheap by itself, but I really should’ve kept a running tally as I collected items. Some of the items will be used again, though – I only put a couple packages of almonds and Emergen-C in this kit and will keep the others for later. (And let’s be honest, way more of that Dove chocolate will end up in my mouth than in the bottom of that survival kit!)
I tried to find a mini lint roller and travel bottle of Advil, too, but came up empty. I’ll probably find them while we’re out today, but I’m not sure I could fit them into this bucket!
By the way, I originally bought a canvas bin from Walmart for this kit but it ended up being too big. So I ran to Hobby Lobby and found this cute green bucket, which I thought would be perfect. It is great…but is a little too small. Rather than keep searching for the one that’s just right, I decided to go ahead and MAKE THIS WORK. I can only handle so many stores in one day.
Other items you could include in a Teacher Survival Kit:
- Water bottle or tumbler with lid
- Mini crate or bin
- Plastic school box
- Mini lint roller
- Advil or Tylenol
- Granola bars
- Special tea or hot chocolate
- Crystal Light on-the-go drink mixes
- Starbucks VIA coffee packets
- Bottle of Vitamin Water
- Travel bottle of hairspray
- Bobby pins or ponytail holders
- Safety pins
- Travel size deodorant
- Comb or small brush
- Airborne mix or chewables
- Cough drops
- Note cards with envelopes
- Pens or pencils
- Paper clips or binder clips
- Post-Its
- Homemade gift, such as Homemade Brown Sugar Body Scrub
Are you shopping this weekend? Do you give your kids’ teachers gifts?
And if you ARE a teacher, what kind of gifts do you appreciate most??
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How exciting to have a kindergartner this year! My last one head to K in just over a week! But with three elementary school kiddos, I just can’t do Survival kits for all teachers and assistants. Too much!
Oh yeah, doing a full survival kit or gift basket for three teachers WOULD be too much! I have a friend who suggests a simple Starbucks card as a cheaper option.
Love the teacher survival gift ideas. My little one is in preschool. Just might have to make a few for her teachers. I am also another mother who has given up on perfect. When you find out REAL lunchbox ideas please share them!
Haha, I think the most REAL lunch idea is what so many shared on my Facebook page – the same.exact.thing every.single.day! :)
Oh Mary, this is such a sweet idea! It really breaks that barrier or parents vs. teacher, but sends the message that we’re on the same team! Love it!
Yay!!! I love hearing how teachers see it from your side!
As a teacher I would love this! Though I teach middle school and I can’t see any of the parents doing this at this stage of their child’s learning. I may have to make one for myself and my teacher friends! Thanks for sharing!
Oh, what a great idea to give them to your teacher friends!
This won’t make your memories of the argyle socks any better, but one of my students (we homeschool, but I teach classes one day a week) gave me a pair of pink and white fluffy socks that I LOVE. :)
Oooooh, fluffy socks are awesome. :)
Wow! How thoughtful! I am a kindergarten teacher and I would be very touched to receive such a sweet (and useful) gift! I am sure your daughter’s teacher will enjoy it.
Thanks, Heather! I hope you have a great school year!
Hi! I *am* a kindergarten teacher and I love your ideas! I’m getting married at the end if October and I had such a blast putting together “Welcome Bags” for my guests coming out of town. Your survival kit reminds me of them! Good luck as the school year begins. :) Enjoy this wonderful time with your family and God bless you! :)
Oooh, how fun for your wedding guests! Thanks for your comment, Courtney, and best wishes as you finish up wedding plans this fall!
This is such a cute article. I teach at an elementary school in Oklahoma and the students and I made our own survival kits. Out here we need these types of kits at all times because anything could happen. But I got good ideas from your site and from http://www.survivalkit.com/ and we made our own cute survival kits. It was so much fun!!
To be honest, as a relative of many teachers in my family and extended family, if my daughter hadn’t graduated from high school this year, this would have been an awesome idea when she was young! But I think I would have made a basket full of “calming” products, because as we all know, being with little ones all day is not easy. I would have purchased things like lavender pillow spray, rose or jasmine oil for the bath, chamomile tea, a sandalwood candle, a nice vanilla lotion and of course Godiva Chocolates! Of course I would do this on a MUCH MUCH smaller scale as I wouldn’t t even know the teacher well enough yet.
OOOOHHHH, I love your idea of calming products. I’m going to do it!!
I came across this on Pinterest. Cute! As a teacher, I’d probably use most of the things that you included in your bucket. Everybody has their own preferences on brands, but your basket is pretty generic and simple- I like that. I think some of the other things on the “extra ideas” list are more risky to give because preferences vary so much on snacks, drinks, and office products (and the deodorant seems a little too personal to me).
A note on the comment above me: fun idea to do a calming basket IF you know the teacher likes those things. Some may not like a certain scent or may have medical aversions (like for me, scented candles and lotions give me headaches).
As a teacher, the gift I appreciate most: a card with a note from a student and/or parent. Anything accompanying a card is appreciated too, but since every person has different preferences, it’s hard to make a blanket recommendation. I guess my one bit of advice would be to ask the teacher receiving the gift for their favorite candy/store/pen/etc – then you’ll know you’re giving them something they’ll really use.
At the end of the day, I appreciate any gift simply for the expression of care and thanks it gives. :)
Our church’s LWML (Lutheran Women’s Missionary League) group is looking for ideas for a “Teachers Back-to-school” Kit that we would like to give to the teachers of the parochial school attached to our church, grades K-8th. We have given “Students Bags” in the past and this year would like to help the teachers with some little extra supplies or gifts. Any suggestions other than a gift card to Walmart?
Debby, I think any of the ideas in this post would work great for your teachers. I’m sure they’ll appreciate your thoughtfulness!
Hi Mary,
My first born will start Kindergarten in a few weeks and I LOVE your ideas and attitude about it all! Who can really live up to Pinterest expectations? Not me! It’s just so stressful! I also agree with the lunch – same thing every day…or alternate. That’s what we do now at home anyway. Pretty much two main lunches, with a few different “on the side” items to mix it up a little. And…if they say no peanut butter…well then we’re pretty much back at the one thing every day! ;p
Good luck with the start to kindergarten! How exciting! And yes, yes, yes – simple lunches are a MUST. :)
Mary,
This is fabulous! I have received several of these as a teacher. I now give them to new teachers starting on my grade level or friends that move grade levels in our building.
Have a great rest of the summer! :)