How to Start: Giving Thoughtful (and easy) Teacher Gifts
I interviewed the expert: Anna Ballard of Ballard & Prescott!
When I set out to write a Substack, I wanted to have a broad topic that would allow me to share a lot of my life but also share interesting, useful, and tactical information. For the past couple of months, I’ve been sharing what it means for me to be “starting” this new consulting business, things I did to start STIK, and then also admitting that I’m not that good at starting Substack as I didn’t write anything for a few weeks!
But alas - here we are - two weeks in a row, baby!! I am so excited to feature my friend and coaching client, Anna Ballard. Anna is the founder of Ballard & Prescott. I first became aware of her business when my graphic designer sent a holiday present. A box showed up in the mail with a BEAUTIFULLY wrapped book and handwritten note. I was blown away by the gesture! Turns out, Kate had hired Anna to send these gifts.
In a world of gift cards and online thank you notes - Anna’s gifting business really stands out. She is amazing and I’ve had so much fun working with her over the past 3 months. I asked her (somewhat selfishly), to write a post about teacher gifting. I have heard that teachers don’t want anymore mugs!! So check out her post below to get some fresh ideas :)
Gifting expert and mom, Anna Ballard, gives her top 3 favorite teacher gift tips. Anna founded Ballard & Prescott to make elegant gifting easy for busy moms.
Know the rules - There are rules!? Yup! Most school districts have a cap on how much each family can give. Also, there may be a tradition of room parents organizing a group gift or each family to give their own gift. Not sure how it works at your school? A quick email to your PTO or room parent will get you the answers you need.
Start Early - End-of-year chaos rivals the holidays. It’s easy to get overwhelmed and miss the chance to give something thoughtful. Taking care of teacher gifts early means one less thing to worry about, and more time to enjoy this busy and exciting season.
Give Thoughtfully - Teachers pour so much into our kids—let’s return the love and effort. Here are my favorite teacher gifts. Bonus: They are already wrapped for you!
If your family has lots of teachers to recognize, check out these high quality, budget-friendly gifts
Gift Card Bags: These personalized bags are a fun and easy way to give gift cards to lots of teachers.
Journal: These journals are as useful as they are pretty. Pick the design your teacher will love best.
Teacher Kit Gift Set: This thoughtful little gift is filled with high-quality items teachers can use every day.
If you are responsible for giving on behalf of the whole class, these gifts will really wow your teacher
Summer Vibes Gift Set: Encourage your teacher to relax this summer with gifts that are perfect for the pool, lake or ocean.
Gourmet Gift Set: This gift is perfect for any teacher that loves to cook or entertain.
Silk Sleep Set: Every teacher deserves good rest after the school year. Acknowledge their hard work by gifting them this luxury silk sleep set.
BONUS TIP: Don't Forget the Unsung Heroes
It’s not just teachers who shape our kids’ school days. Bus drivers, custodians, aides, and school nurses deserve recognition too. A small gesture of a gift can go a long way.