Beyond the Apple - Great Teacher Gifts

By jonell ziola in Family on March 15th, 2008

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by Jonell Ziola

How many times have you been presented with the need to give your child’s teacher a gift and are left with ideas that seem trite and overused? Just how many trinkets with apples on them can one teacher use?

Recently I had a night out with my gal pals and we got to gabbing as we always do about how busy we all are. We all have to juggle full time jobs with our families and it can be hard. On of the women is a teacher and suddenly it hit me - our teachers are just as busy as I am trying to get dinner on the table, shopping and house cleaning all the while trying to be a great mom.

With all teachers have going on, a gift that simplifies their life is a good choice. One way to do this is to consider a gift certificate to a restaurant. Another great idea along the same lines is to find a house cleaning service that provides gift certificates for a full house cleaning. If your teacher is a guy, maybe a certificate to get his car cleaned thoroughly at one of those car detailing places.

Maybe you would rather give something more tangible than a gift certificate. Have you ever watched a teacher walk into her classroom? Have you ever seen him or her empty-handed? That made me think the gift of a sturdy bag or tote would be a useful gift. And you can find totes that can be personalized, making the gift even more special.

If a bag is too big then think small and technical. I’m talking about a gift of electronics or at least some accessory. Cases for their ipod or cell phone can be invaluable. But maybe you don’t know if they carry those things or what type of cell phone they have. Consider some other modestly priced item for the classroom that if a teacher wanted they’d have to pay for themselves. School budgets are so very tight these days.

One of my greatest joys is getting away from the family for a little ‘me’ time. This is the time I look forward to for relaxation. I’m guessing that teachers have the same desires. Whether we look to getting a spa gift for a woman or maybe some sports tickets for the sports enthusiast, the focus should be something that can take them away from the stress of their everyday lives.

We owe teachers so much and they ask for so little. The next time you decide to get them a token of appreciation show them they are worth so much more than an apple and make their day.

About the Author:

Jonell works for EyeCandyGift.com as a consultant and juggles a career with raising her two lively children. Jonell values personal gifts whether that’s a spa gift or something specific like a tote bag