Growing up, I was blessed with some of the most amazing teachers. I had teachers who understood me, helped me understand things, gave me life lessons and even taught me how to fold shirts. Don't get me wrong, I appreciated each and every one of them from kindergarten to senior year; however, when I think about it, I don't think I appreciated them enough or told them enough. You see, my mom is a teacher. That alone should have been enough to make me thank each and every one multiple times a day. I know what goes on when the kids are all gone and the teachers are "off," and that is why I have written a list of reasons for you to thank your teacher or your child's teacher.

1. They take time away from their own kids.

You may be thinking that this may not be true because they work while their kids are in school. It's perfect, right? While that is true to an extent, they spend hours after school every day doing paperwork, sitting in meetings, and working on ways to make you or your child's education the best it can be. There have been times my mom has stayed until the school closed at 8 p.m. or would get home and go to bed at 6 p.m. or 7 p.m. without dinner. They come home late and exhausted, but still wake up and do it again the next day.

2. They love on you and your kids.

I cannot tell you the amount of times I have been out with my mom and she will see something and tell me, "Oh this student would love that because she loves..." or heard the words, "I have to figure out when I can go see my students play ball." Maybe not all teachers will do this, but I guarantee many do. These teachers are given students for a year but they will love them for a lifetime. Even in high school, I had teachers come to games, competitions and school plays. They love each individual with their whole heart and will treat them as if it is their own child.

3. They don't always get a full summer off.

I always hear people make the comment, "Well teachers get the whole summer off." While this is true to an extent, they still have meetings and sometimes even take time to teach classes or go to classes to learn new educational material. They will also spend the summer preparing for their new kids and getting ready for open house and the first day. Those things don't just fall into place.

4. They spend their own money.

It's no secret that teachers don't get paid the best in the world. What you probably did not know is that they also don't get everything provided for them. They spent their own money on much of what you see and even more on things you don't all so that they can do the best job possible. It's practically impossible to get my mom out of the Target dollar spot without teacher items.

5. They give all they have.

Teachers literally give it their everything. Do you think it's easy to teach 23 kindergartners how to sit still, let alone read? Just ask my mom. Do you think it's easy to teach teenagers how to do math with letters? Just ask my 11th grade math teacher. These individuals exhaust themselves so that they can better the lives of the younger generation. They give everything they have so that their students can continue on, find what they love to do and pursue it with no limitations.

6. They don't get the payment or thanks they deserve.

They don't get paid the best, they work after hours and they exhaust themselves day after day. So why be a teacher? They have the heart for it. This is what they are meant to do and despite all of the negative things that may come along with it (paperwork and meetings -- gross) they love what they do and they will continue to do it. I have heard my mom say time and time again that she loves her job and her kids she gets every year. That is why she does what she does. That is why we need to thank our teachers and our children's teachers.