Giving Thanks

I received a "Happy Thanksgiving" card in the mail yesterday. On the inside it said, "Appreciation: it changes your perspective about everything...Enjoy the Holidays!"

And then, as I sat here typing this blog post, the mailman came and I received another one. This one said, "Thanksgiving a time for sharing special joys - Sending warm thanks for your business and wishes for a Thanksgiving filled with family, friends and favorite traditions."

These cards came from two places of business - my financial planner and my insurance agent. I'm happy they are sending me thanks. They provide a service for me throughout the year and are showing me their appreciation. I prefer this type of card to the Christmas holiday card. I think this one is more heartfelt and focused.

I prefer Thanksgiving to Christmas for the same reason. The focus is on giving thanks and not on getting something.

Then I thought of teachers. Teachers also provide a service for us. We pay them (either with our taxes or tuition) to teach our children. Wouldn't it be unique to get a Happy Thanksgiving card from a teacher? What if a teacher sent a card to a parent saying, "Thank you for your child. They brighten my day every day Monday through Friday." Or, "Thank you for helping your child outside of the classroom which makes my work easier in the classroom." Or, "Thank you for trusting me to decide what is best for your child with regard to reading or math." Or, "Thank you for providing volunteer hours in my classroom." Or, "Thank you for taking such good care of your child - he comes to school happy, clean, and eager to learn most days."

Or, what if a student received Thank You cards from a teacher on Thanksgiving? Perhaps a card saying something like, "Thank you for always having a smile on your face." Or, "Thank you for working extra hard on that project." Or, "Thank you for making me laugh." Or, "Thank you for not giving up when you are struggling." Or, "Thank you for being a good friend to your classmate who is troubled." Or, "Thank you for making mistakes and learning from them."

It may seem like blasphemy to ask an already overworked, stressed out teacher to write Thank You cards, but I disagree. I think the Thank You's should come all year long, whenever a student or parent does something authentically pleasing to a teacher. Even a quick email saying thanks for a specific action would be appreciated.

And, of course, thanking teachers is nice, too. If a parent or student feels thankful for a particular teacher this holiday season (or anytime throughout the year), she or he should write the teacher a note or email expressing thanks. This will also help pave the way for students and parents to easily and openly communicate with teachers if something difficult arises during the year.

But remember, it must be authentic. Giving thanks because you are told to, misses the point.