Gifts for pre-school teachers

I'd lke to extend a thank you to the teachers at school but there's NO WAY i can afford to give them all something. Each boy has his own teacher and then there's a bunch of "paras" or assistant teachers (they are in separate classes). I don't want to hurt anyone's feelings but seriously. This could get out of hand. Then I have people telling me I "should" give a weeks pay to my daycare lady as a gift??? HUH? I can't afford another $200. Any ideas for the preschool situation?

 

QUOTE(MusicalAli @ Dec 17 2008, 08:19 PM) [snapback]1114575[/snapback]
I'd lke to extend a thank you to the teachers at school but there's NO WAY i can afford to give them all something. Each boy has his own teacher and then there's a bunch of "paras" or assistant teachers (they are in separate classes). I don't want to hurt anyone's feelings but seriously. This could get out of hand. Then I have people telling me I "should" give a weeks pay to my daycare lady as a gift??? HUH? I can't afford another $200. Any ideas for the preschool situation?


Hmmm...I totally understand how you feel. I was once a preschool teacher. Honestly-I think homemade gifts are the best-and I especially love ornaments. If you are short on time, I can see how that might not be feasible. Handmade gifts/notes of appreciation are great. Really though-it's the thought that counts. I would set a limit if you do want to get them something... Maybe $10 for the head teachers and $5 for the assistants. I don't know. I always appreciated gift cards-didn't matter the amount-Dunkin Donuts, Starbucks, etc... every little bit counts! But for me-ornaments were always a favorite.

As for the daycare lady-I am thanking my lucky stars my boys aren't in daycare then! I personally wouldn't do that as a gift. I would assume she would be happy with anything-gift certificate for dinner, nails/hair, movies-or make up a basket like movie night, or pasta night, etc. $200...YIKES!

 

Could you send a group present? Some kind of food. For example: cookie or fruit bouquet.

 

First off, WHO said that you sould give you daycare provider a weeks pay? THAT'S CRAZY! Honestly. I don't think that people do that. I don't know anyone who would do that, so please don't feel bad.

Gifts for teachers, etc. can really add up fast! I want to say that when I was teachng, I appreciated the gesture of a gift, but I didn't expect it. The best "gift" that I got was a nice note of appreciation from a family. That meant more to me than any candle or lotion!
But, I understand your wanting to give something. Personally, I plan on spending about $5 each gift. max. I just can't afford any more. I'll probably get coffee cards.

 

I would go with a 'group' gift of cookies, donughts, etc one morning. You could also get a $1mug at the dollar store and fill it with M& Ms or other candies---less than 2-3$ a piece and cute.

A note of thanks or Xmas card should be nice as well--i fyour boys liek to color maybe a picture inside.

I dont think you need to give a gift, but a note, card, or other token of appreciation ( chocolate bar?) is a nice way to show you are thinking of them.

As for a weeks pay---What?!? That could get pricey--we barely spend $200 on our girs together!

 

When my children were in preschool I used to buy something supply wise for the classroom as opposed to giving something to each individual adult who helped my children. Usually it was a book or something that was put on the book shelf to be used for years to come.

 

You should check with the class mothers if your boys classes have them. At my girls preschool, one of the class mothers decided an amount for the class gift and she is getting the teachers (my girls are in the same class with 2 teachers) a bank visa card. It was more then I wanted to spend, but as of yesterday she had from all but one parent in the class.

 

Thanks for the ideas, everyone! I like the iea of a basket of supplies for the classroom. At this rate, it will be a "new year's" gift, but I think I'll head to the dollar store and get a bunch of the supplies on their "wish list" as a gift and then send along a note of thanks.

As for the day care thing, I HAVE heard of people doing this. They tended to be those with full time nannies, so maybe that's a bit different. Last year I just did a gift card. I like the movie basket idea, though.

Thanks for the thoughts.

 

I am in the same boat as you with wanting to give gifts to all of their teachers, but it is 6. So I decided to make candy. I bought these cute dishes at Michael's for $1. I also bought chocolate chunks. Melted those down (2 different colors layered, cooling in between layers) and put crushed candy canes on it. After everything is solid, you break it up into bite size chunks. I think they call it Peppermint Bark. Anyway, I put some candy in the dish, found cute ornaments (also $1 each) that I could personalize, and put it all in a cheap gift bag. I am planning to deliver today (being that my boys have been sick all week and my parents will be watching them while I work next week).

It is nice to hear that pre-school teachers enjoy the thought of the gift, and the ornaments!

I didn't plan to do anything for the owner of the center (indivually run and owned). A weeks tuition - that's ridiculous!! We pay them enough as it is!

Hope this helps!!

 

A week's pay??? No way, at least not here. But I agree that it might be different for full-time nannies rather than teachers in a center or school.

I get my kids' two everyday teachers each a $30 gift card.

We also contribute a pretty big chunk (the "suggested donation" is about $150 per child) to the staff appreciation fund, which is pooled and divided among ALL the teachers and staff according to seniority. I think that's a great way to handle it, since some people (like the cook, who has been there for years and is fabulous -- or the roving subs) would probably not get gifts from parents since they aren't anyone's primary teachers.

A lot of parents also bring in goodies and just put them in the staff break room, so everyone can share.

 

My Mom has been a teacher for 40+ years. While I used to love opening all the X-Mas gifts, she hated the stuff and much preferred the personal notes, cards, edibles. My kids have 4 teachers so each made a card -- snowman or tree. I cut all the stuff and they glued. We made hot chocolate mix (mason jar with ribbon) and baked cookies (tin each). Last year we did chocolate covered pretzels, which are super easy and "hamburger" cookies (vanilla wafers, york peppermint patty, and yellow/red icing).

FWIW: It is very common around her to give a babysitter or nanny, a week's worth of wages for the holidays.

 

Last year when they were in the same Pre-K class, we did 2 movie tickets for the two teachers and an ornament and a thank you card. That was all of the time I had really, and I thought it was more than enough.

 

We have three main daycare teachers and I found cute little snowmen box/bags and am putting a little candy and starbucks cards in them. I think I'm doing 20 for the daytime teacher and 15 each for the afternoon ladies that split the room. I've got to stop on the way home since tomorrow is our last day before our trip. If there were any more than that I think I would have gone the ornament route - esp if the boys were old enough to actually make or help make them.

The weeks pay is for people that employ full time nannies as their Christmas bonus or at least that's how it is around here.

 

I have never heard of a weeks pay... but ettiquette around here would be a days pay. So my sitter usually gets about $45-50 on a shift at my house- And I give her $50 in her Christmas card. She is always thrilled.
My boys preschool teachers I found little mini stockings with their first initial on them and put in a gift card for Ross Dress for Less (it is a block away from the school!) and it was for $20 each. I didn't think about the director of the school??? I think that might be pushing it for me- maybe I'll bring her some chocolates if I do anything..
Lanie

 

First of all, before you give a teacher an ornament, please make sure they celebrate Christmas--I have received many ornaments which to me are a waste since we don't put up a tree, and I don't really celebrate Christmas--we do celebrate with the inlaws, but never at home.

Many times I have spoken with 3-4 other parents from the class and we each contributed $5-$10 for a larger Visa gift card--which was always appreciated!

 

I think the week's pay thing is for a nanny or au pair that provides care, etc in your home.

I gave the 2 teachers we have Barnes and Noble gift certificates. I got the suggestion from a daycare provider and confirmed with one of my teacher friends (thanks, Kate ) that it was a gift that would be appreciated. They can then either buy some books for the classroom or get something for themselves.

 

The Director or Owner of the Day Care Center should be the one to give the extra one week's pay as the Christmas Bonus.

When I was a teacher at a private school, I enjoyed things like note paper, Restaurant gift cards, and ornaments. If I had been teaching younger aged children, I would have also liked stickers or a gift card to a teacher supply store so that I could have purchased things to decorate my room.

 

I asked this question a couple of weeks ago... about what to get preschool teachers.

I ended up getting cute coffee mugs from the dollar store, and I put a pack of hot cocoa mix in each cup w/ some hershey kisses and a candycane for each of the childrens teachers, and the Director, which adds up to 8 people.(under $15) I am also giving one teacher a $30 gift card to Olive Garden b/c she always buys my children things and she is really sweet, and I wanted to show her that I really appreciate her thoughtfulness towards my children. I will probably also buy some kind of tray of candy or fruit or something for the whole center, and I also get the boxed christmas cards and write individual messages to each of the teachers.

I hope this helps a little. I was going to do the $10 gift card per teacher thing, but that would have been beyond my budget and I wanted to make sure it was something they would enjoy...and everyone loves food!!