Roses are Red, Teachers are Saints ...

This week is Teacher Appreciation Week. And with the kinds of gifts I have a history of sending, my kids' teachers would probably appreciate it more if I didn't send anything. (Remember last year's used-flower fail?)

I'm trying to step my game up this year. Really. Each day this week, the kids are supposed to do something different to show their teachers their gratitude.

Day one was a handwritten thank-you note: check.
Day two, today, the kids were to "bring their best behavior and a smile for their teacher." That isn't something I can control much except through threats so I'm just hoping for the best. Although I'm not too optimistic since my kindergartner demonstrated his "teacher smile" this morning and it looked kind of like this:

Fake, is what I'm getting at.

Anyway, at the end of the post I linked to above, I promised a poem for this year's Teacher Appreciation Week. And if there's one thing I'm good at, it's eating a whole box of cookies in one sitting. Wait, what? Oh yeah. If there's one thing I'm good at, it's expressing sentiment through flowing, lyrical prose. (Or, you know, peppering my poems with words like "ass.") 
So here we go.

Dear Teacher, the year's almost come to an end
You're more than a mentor: you've become my child's friend.

So to show you we notice your effort and time,
I've written my thanks in the form of a rhyme.

You're tolerant, kind, and you make the day fun
Putting up with kids' crap from the start 'til it's done.

You deal on the daily with stubborn and lazy;
Rambunctious, rebellious - and still don't go crazy.*

*(What's your secret? Seriously.)

You welcome my child warmly into your class
On mornings when even I can't stand his ass.

You still take the time to praise efforts he's made
When you're up to your eyeballs in papers to grade

So thanks for the projects, the pictures, the notes
All the stuff that I'm saving in big plastic totes

You're an integral part of my child's history
Thank goodness you're much MUCH more patient than me!


Happy Teacher Appreciation Week to all the teachers and paraprofessionals in the field! You're awesome!

(And to my sons' teachers ... I know what you deal with, and that's just from MY kids. I'm in awe of you. Really.)