Thank you, teachers. We appreciate you and here's why

How do we thank thee? Let us count the ways....

When this COVID-19 crisis is over and we have ourselves a vaccine, I'm pretty sure we can all agree that our teachers deserve a raise. Can I get an Amen?! This week is Teacher Appreciation Week across America. Our teachers have never been more appreciated - or seen - thanks to Zoom. And while we get to see and chat with teachers more than ever, it can still be challenging trying to show them how much we care.

Some schools placed thank you signs in their teacher's yards this week. Some initiated thank you car parades. Some sent gifts home to their teachers. Some surprised their teachers with drawings and notes they raised up during the whole class Zoom meetings. Many companies have provided discounts for teachers as highlighted in this WPTV story. There are many ways to reach out and let educators know we care... but try to include the why. Why do we appreciate our educators? Because they guide us through learning… because they guide us through life… and because over the past month, many of us parents have been walking in their shoes.

As a result of COVID-19, virtual learning has made us all teacher assistants... and this job is not always easy. The struggle. The juggle. The breakfast. The assignments. The Zoom codes. The logins. The projects. The snack. The reading. The math. The snack. The songs. The PE. The science. The snack. The links that work. The links that don't work. The fussing. The hugging. The lunch. The nap (wait, who gets one of those?). The apps. The wifi. The wifi not working. The frustrations. The joys. The art. The music. The snack. Wait, you're hungry again?

My children's teachers, I thank you. I thank you for taking my kiddos under your wing and teaching them the lessons I can not. Thank you for guiding them through their days in the classroom, in the library, on the playground, on the field, through the halls or via this virtual world. We know you are working overtime now and we appreciate you. Our children will remember each year no matter how and where they learned. And they will certainly remember their teachers whether you gave them a real hug or an air hug.