It's the end of the year and here we are again trying to think of something special to give the teachers/coaches/instructors who have worked with our kids for 10 months. We are under some mild economical constraints, as well as hoping to convey our gratitude in a unique and memorable way.
One of the things to consider is expense. We have 8 or more people to recognize, including dance and TKD instructors, teachers, coaches, and learning assistants. We cannot afford to spend more than $10 on each gift, and still $80 is quite a hit at this time of year.
Another thing I consider is the thoughtful nature of the gift. I want the recipient to know that we appreciate their efforts, that we care about them, and thought about them specifically when choosing their gift.
So this year I made each of the teachers (and others) a card, and tucked inside each one was "An Interview" with the child in question. I had asked each child questions about their teacher and encouraged them to answer as best they could. The answers were cute, touching, and in some cases funny.
An example of one of the interviews:
An interview with Caylie:
What is your teacher’s name?
Caylie: Miss Anna
What is Miss Anna’s favourite colour?
Caylie: Black
What does Miss Anna “always” say?
Caylie: She always says she has to show us what to do.
What do you love about Miss Anna?
Caylie: She’s a nice teacher.
What is Miss Anna’s favourite thing to do?
Caylie: Teach us.
What does Miss Anna do when it’s not your school time?
Caylie: She gets the house ready.
What is Miss Anna’s favourite food?
Caylie: Salad.
What is one thing Miss Anna has taught you?
Caylie: I learned putting this wooden thing on the paper piece and blowing a straw with it.
When you grow up, what are you going to do that is like Miss Anna?
Caylie: Dress up pretty.
If Miss Anna were here right now, what would you say to her?
Caylie: She’s nice to me and I’m glad she’s here.
Do you have anything else to say about Miss Anna?
Caylie: I like to be with her.
The reviews of these interviews have been good so far. Madison says her teacher teared up while reading hers, and both of Caylie's teachers raved about this idea! I will definitely keep this as an option for future years.
Tuesday, June 28, 2011
Thursday, June 16, 2011
Stanley Cup Fail
Kent is an avid hockey fan, and I have learned to love the sport over the years. We were both rooting for the Canucks this week during the final series of the Stanley Cup. Though Kent is a die hard Oilers fan, he switched to Canucks as soon as the Oilers were out of the running. The finals were a roller coaster of emotions with our team alternately squeaking out a victory, or getting creamed by the Bruins, so the final game was rife with tension and anxiety.
I made “game food” in preparation for the Hubster’s snacking pleasure during the game, and Kent had stocked up on beer. We were ready to watch and cheer, though only cautiously optimistic about the chances of a win.
Alas, in this we were disappointed, as Boston scored on Vancouver again and again early in the game, and our guys never recovered. It was a let down, but we conceded that Boston had outplayed Vancouver, and did deserve the cup. What happened afterwards, however, ruined the whole experience for us and for many other hockey fans.
After the game, some of the people leaving the area started a riot. They flipped over cars and set them on fire, they smashed windows, knocked down gates, and generally ran amok. Watching this on the news, we were horrified that the world was viewing these events and judging Canada, Vancouver, and all of hockey fans by these actions. We knew that most of the fans had acted honourably inside the stadium after the game, had peacefully left the area and returned home without incident (except those many who paused to capture the riotous spectacles on their cell phone cameras). But the small percentage of people who caused the trouble that night made a huge mess, thousands of dollars of damage, and embarrassed the whole country in front of the rest of the world. I was sickened by the stupidity and thoughtlessness displayed by these individuals.
The media, of course covered the burning cars and people breaking and damaging property the rest of the evening. The world saw these images and was reminded again and again of the previous riots in Vancouver, also precipitated by a lost hockey game. And strangers seeing us through the media say to themselves, “Those crazy Canadians, they get too riled up over hockey. Look at how dangerous they become time and time again!“ I can’t stand the thought of us being viewed like this when nothing could be further from the truth.
Through friends I was exposed to images of the next day in Vancouver; thousands of volunteers returned to the wasted downtown area and cleaned up broken glass, boarded up windows, and set the city somewhat back to rights. These are the real fans, the real Vancouverites who care about their city! Has the media been covering this act of selflessness and community? I sure hope so, because though it may not make for as “juicy” an image on television, I feel it shows a lot more of the truth of who we are.
Though I was not among those who helped clean up the mess left by immature and reckless young people (I live about a half day’s drive from Vancouver), I am proud of the people of Vancouver. I still feel at home there, I still think it is one of the most beautiful cities in the world, and I am still proud to be Canadian!
I made “game food” in preparation for the Hubster’s snacking pleasure during the game, and Kent had stocked up on beer. We were ready to watch and cheer, though only cautiously optimistic about the chances of a win.
Alas, in this we were disappointed, as Boston scored on Vancouver again and again early in the game, and our guys never recovered. It was a let down, but we conceded that Boston had outplayed Vancouver, and did deserve the cup. What happened afterwards, however, ruined the whole experience for us and for many other hockey fans.
After the game, some of the people leaving the area started a riot. They flipped over cars and set them on fire, they smashed windows, knocked down gates, and generally ran amok. Watching this on the news, we were horrified that the world was viewing these events and judging Canada, Vancouver, and all of hockey fans by these actions. We knew that most of the fans had acted honourably inside the stadium after the game, had peacefully left the area and returned home without incident (except those many who paused to capture the riotous spectacles on their cell phone cameras). But the small percentage of people who caused the trouble that night made a huge mess, thousands of dollars of damage, and embarrassed the whole country in front of the rest of the world. I was sickened by the stupidity and thoughtlessness displayed by these individuals.
The media, of course covered the burning cars and people breaking and damaging property the rest of the evening. The world saw these images and was reminded again and again of the previous riots in Vancouver, also precipitated by a lost hockey game. And strangers seeing us through the media say to themselves, “Those crazy Canadians, they get too riled up over hockey. Look at how dangerous they become time and time again!“ I can’t stand the thought of us being viewed like this when nothing could be further from the truth.
Through friends I was exposed to images of the next day in Vancouver; thousands of volunteers returned to the wasted downtown area and cleaned up broken glass, boarded up windows, and set the city somewhat back to rights. These are the real fans, the real Vancouverites who care about their city! Has the media been covering this act of selflessness and community? I sure hope so, because though it may not make for as “juicy” an image on television, I feel it shows a lot more of the truth of who we are.
Though I was not among those who helped clean up the mess left by immature and reckless young people (I live about a half day’s drive from Vancouver), I am proud of the people of Vancouver. I still feel at home there, I still think it is one of the most beautiful cities in the world, and I am still proud to be Canadian!
Sunday, June 5, 2011
Living in the Now
Kent and I have finally decided to move to the current century. We've committed to new phones.
We had been making do with a home land line and an old cell phone with minimum minutes. I would carry the cell most of the time (with a dead battery), and Kent would take it on days he felt he might need emergency communication capabilities. This was working out ok, except if Kent forgot he needed the cell and then didn't have it, or except if it inexplicably refused to produce the person's voice on the other end. What do you want for a 7 year old flip phone?
So we decided we needed a new phone, and probably two phones - one for each of us. As is Kent's MO, he researched phones, plans, shared minutes vs individual plans, different companies and their network coverage, etc. When we felt we were armed with enough background information, we went to the mall (where all the cell phone companies have mini-outlets or kiosks). We talked to a few different salesmen who glibly walked us through their recommendations for us, and we decided to stay with telus and go with two individual plans.
One of the great things they did for us was rolling our existing phone numbers to the new phones and plans. What was our cell number before is now Kent's direct personal line, and what used to be our home landline is now my cell number. I loved that they could just click a few keys and make that happen without any further application on our part. And now we can talk and text to each other as much as we want, anytime!
Kent and I both chose smart phones that are capable of texting, surfing, voice commands, and unlimited applications. This is the first time we've been so current with the times and it feels so cool!
I think Kent's favourite part of the new phone is the games and apps he can amuse himself with. My favourite thing is texting - my phone has a little keyboard for ease and comfort. So feel free to text me any time!
We had been making do with a home land line and an old cell phone with minimum minutes. I would carry the cell most of the time (with a dead battery), and Kent would take it on days he felt he might need emergency communication capabilities. This was working out ok, except if Kent forgot he needed the cell and then didn't have it, or except if it inexplicably refused to produce the person's voice on the other end. What do you want for a 7 year old flip phone?
So we decided we needed a new phone, and probably two phones - one for each of us. As is Kent's MO, he researched phones, plans, shared minutes vs individual plans, different companies and their network coverage, etc. When we felt we were armed with enough background information, we went to the mall (where all the cell phone companies have mini-outlets or kiosks). We talked to a few different salesmen who glibly walked us through their recommendations for us, and we decided to stay with telus and go with two individual plans.
One of the great things they did for us was rolling our existing phone numbers to the new phones and plans. What was our cell number before is now Kent's direct personal line, and what used to be our home landline is now my cell number. I loved that they could just click a few keys and make that happen without any further application on our part. And now we can talk and text to each other as much as we want, anytime!
Kent and I both chose smart phones that are capable of texting, surfing, voice commands, and unlimited applications. This is the first time we've been so current with the times and it feels so cool!
I think Kent's favourite part of the new phone is the games and apps he can amuse himself with. My favourite thing is texting - my phone has a little keyboard for ease and comfort. So feel free to text me any time!
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