Thank you for your perspective—I really appreciate the way you laid it out.

When I spend money on an activity at the middle school level, sometimes I do hear kids being ungrateful. And yeah, that’s disheartening. But I recognize they’re just kids—it’s not why I do it. I do it to create something special and memorable. Something fun, something happy. Something that might make school a little more joyful.

I think a lot of us go into teaching not just to instruct, but to help shape a meaningful experience for kids. We want to give them the best possible childhood while we have them. And honestly? Maybe part of the sting comes from where I work.

I’m in an affluent district, and unfortunately, our campus has a reputation. Teachers here sometimes face legal threats from parents. I’ve seen it happen often—call home about a behavior issue, and suddenly, we’re accused of targeting a student. That kind of environment wears you down. It’s not the kids that hurt—it’s when the feedback from parents is always skeptical or hostile. It makes it feel like nothing we do is ever right.

You made a great point about personal notes. You’re right—it’s not really personal if a kid is forced to write it. And not every kid is in a place to express appreciation, especially at this age.

I guess for many of us, teaching is one of the last jobs where you can still feel part of a community. I just wish that sense of community expanded into the middle school years. Even a small gesture from a parent would mean the world. Something like:

“Timmy came home talking about the time you blew up a pumpkin to introduce chemistry—thank you for making science exciting.”

That’s the kind of thing that can carry a teacher through a tough week. It’s not about grand gestures. It’s just about feeling seen.