Every August, parents’ WhatsApp groups become a little busier. Someone asks who will coordinate the class gift. Others suggest flowers, vouchers, food or a shared contribution. Before long, everyone is discussing how much to spend and what would be appropriate for the teachers. I have taken part in these conversations for many years. They are practical questions, especially when parents are trying to organise something for an entire class.

But over time, I have realised that the most important question is not only, “What should we buy our child’s teacher?” It is also, “What do I want my child to learn from this moment?” For me, Teachers’ Day has never been only about giving a gift. It is an opportunity to teach my daughters to recognise the people who have helped them and to express their gratitude.

When my daughters were younger, I encouraged them to make cupcakes or sandwiches for their teachers. As they grew older and family life became busier, I also bought gifts from outside, just like many other parents. I do not believe appreciation becomes less sincere because something was purchased. Parents have different schedules, resources and abilities. Not everyone has the time to bake, organise a project or create something elaborate.

What mattered to me was making sure that the purchased gift was not the entire gesture. I wanted something personal to come from the children themselves, even if it was only a short message, a drawing or a few words of thanks. As a parent volunteer, I helped organise class appreciation almost every year. Some years, we created thank-you books filled with messages and drawings from every child. Other years, we prepared cards. Eventually, we made videos so that each child had the opportunity to thank the teachers in their own words.

These projects took time, especially when we had to collect contributions from an entire class. But the children’s involvement was important. They were not simply handing over something arranged by their parents. They had to stop, think about what their teachers had done for them and find a way to express it. The gift may have been useful or enjoyable, but the message carried something different. It told the teacher, “We noticed what you did for us.”

I did not grow up with this tradition myself. My mother was a hawker, and our family was always busy. Life revolved around work and getting through the demands of each day. We did not prepare elaborate Teachers’ Day gifts or create appreciation projects together.
That does not mean we were ungrateful. We simply did not have the time or habit of
expressing gratitude in this way.

When I became a mother, I had the opportunity to create a different tradition with my own children. I wanted saying thank you to become something deliberate rather than something assumed. Teachers’ Day became one of the occasions when we paused as a family and
thought about the people who had helped them.

People often say that it takes a village to raise a child. In Singapore, that village can be larger than we realise. It includes the preschool teacher who helps a child become comfortable away from home, the form teacher who notices when something is wrong, the student care educator who spends the afternoon guiding them through their work and the tuition teacher who patiently supports them through a difficult subject or an important examination.

It may also include teaching assistants, coaches, music teachers, dance instructors and enrichment teachers. These adults do more than teach a subject or skill. They help children learn confidence, discipline, patience, resilience and how to keep trying when something feels difficult. I have always seen teachers as partners in my daughters’ development. They spend a significant part of the day with our children and sometimes witness sides of them that we may not see at home. They notice small changes in behaviour. They encourage children after disappointment. They celebrate progress that may seem ordinary to everyone else but means everything to the child. Their influence is not always obvious at the time. Sometimes we only understand it years later.

My daughters left preschool a long time ago, but they still remember their teachers from
NAFA. They may not remember every classroom activity or song they learnt, but they remember how those teachers made them feel. They remember being happy, safe and cared for. That says a great deal about the value of a teacher’s work. Children may forget individual lessons, but they often remember the people who made them feel encouraged and capable.

A meaningful Teachers’ Day gift does not have to be expensive. Most teachers are not
waiting to be impressed by how much parents spend. What matters is knowing that their effort was seen and that they made a difference. A handwritten message from a child can be meaningful because it is personal and specific. A class video can become something a teacher keeps for years. A thoughtful food gift may give the teaching team a chance to sit down together and enjoy something during a busy school day.

The form of the gift matters less than the appreciation behind it. When choosing a teacher appreciation gift, it helps to think about the person receiving it rather than simply buying what is most convenient. Some teachers may appreciate something practical. Others may enjoy a gift that can be shared in the staff room.

Teachers may also have different dietary needs, preferences or health considerations. Some may prefer reduced-sugar food, while others may need gluten-free, vegan or other inclusive options. Asking a simple question or choosing something with variety can make a food gift
more thoughtful.

At the same time, parents should not feel pressured to create something complicated.
Teachers’ Day should not become another source of stress. A purchased gift with a sincere message from the child can be just as thoughtful as something handmade. A class contribution can be practical, especially when parents are thanking several teachers. Even a simple note explaining how the teacher supported your child can carry more meaning than something costly.

The important thing is to involve the child in some way. Ask your child what they appreciate about the teacher. Encourage them to write a sentence, draw a picture or record a short message. Younger children may need help finding the words. Older children may initially say they do not know what to write, but a few simple questions can help.
You might ask:

• “What did your teacher help you with this year?”
• “When did your teacher make you feel encouraged?”
• “What is one thing you will remember about this teacher?”

Giving children the time and language to express gratitude is part of the gift itself.

I do not think parents need to choose between handmade and purchased gifts as though
one is always more meaningful than the other.

A handmade gift carries the child’s effort. A purchased gift may be useful, beautifully made or easier for a busy family to arrange. Both can be thoughtful. The difference is usually not whether the gift was made or bought. It is whether the gesture feels personal.

A box of food with no message may still be appreciated. But the same gift accompanied by a note saying, “Thank you for helping me feel more confident in Mathematics this year,” tells the teacher exactly why they mattered.

That is the part worth preserving.

People sometimes ask why I still bake cinnamon rolls for my children’s schools. The answer is simple. Baking is my best skill, and I want to thank them with the best that I can offer.

When someone has invested time, patience and care in helping to shape my children, sharing food is one of the most natural ways for me to express appreciation. Over time, this personal tradition also became connected to Guilt Free Food. Many parents want to give something thoughtful but may not have the time to bake or prepare it themselves. We can help with the food, whether parents are looking for cinnamon rolls, cakes, mochi muffins, cookies or something suitable for sharing with the teaching team. But I do not believe the food should replace the personal thank you that comes from the child. The gift may begin the moment, but the message gives it meaning.

Teachers’ Day gives families a visible occasion to express appreciation, but gratitude does not need to be limited to one date. Parents may wish to thank a teacher at the end of the school year, during preschool graduation, after an important examination period or when a child is moving to another school. Sometimes a teacher goes out of the way to help a child through a difficult season. That may deserve a thank you when it happens, rather than waiting for a formal celebration. There are also many people beyond the main classroom teacher whom families may want to remember. A teaching assistant, student care educator, tuition teacher, coach or instructor may have played an important part in a child’s development.

Appreciation does not need to follow a formal list. It should go to the people who have made a genuine difference.

If there is one lesson I hope my daughters carry into adulthood, it is this: be thankful. Everyone they meet will shape them in some way and contribute to who they become. Some people teach knowledge. Others teach courage, patience, resilience or kindness. Some believe in us before we have learnt to believe in ourselves. None of us becomes who we are entirely on our own.

Teachers’ Day is a chance to pause and recognise some of those people. It reminds us to tell them that their work was noticed, their presence mattered and what they do is more than simply a job. The gift may eventually be eaten, used or forgotten. But the act of stopping to say thank you can stay with both the teacher and the child. That is the tradition I hope my daughters continue. Not simply buying a gift every year, but learning to recognise the people who helped shape them and never missing the opportunity to let those people know that they made a difference.

Joyce Chung
Founder, Guilt Free Food