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Gifts for teachers
MarieH
Posts: 1,016 Forum Member
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My Children are both in primary school, and for the past 7 or so years we always buy the teachers a small Christmas present as way of thank you for teaching the children that year.
Each year you see a hundred or so kids each bearing gifts of this kind, mainly a plant,box of chocolates or some sort of smellies. Each teacher gets around 20/30 of these gifts (depending on class sizes)
I always wonder do you suppose they keep them all or pass them on to charity shops?
Do they judge the kids or parents on what the child gives?
I had four teachers to buy for this time and spent £5 per head, is this enough?
Maybe teachers would be best sticking a charity box on reception rather than receiving 20+ boxes of biscuits and sweeties?
What do you buy your children's teachers for Christmas?
Each year you see a hundred or so kids each bearing gifts of this kind, mainly a plant,box of chocolates or some sort of smellies. Each teacher gets around 20/30 of these gifts (depending on class sizes)
I always wonder do you suppose they keep them all or pass them on to charity shops?
Do they judge the kids or parents on what the child gives?
I had four teachers to buy for this time and spent £5 per head, is this enough?
Maybe teachers would be best sticking a charity box on reception rather than receiving 20+ boxes of biscuits and sweeties?
What do you buy your children's teachers for Christmas?
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Comments
I didn't mind small tokenistic gifts or better still, a picture or card or something made by the child. I'd treasure those.
But i did find parents who spent a bit much or put a lot of thought into it - a little creepy. Esp. them that spent a lot. Except the caretaker's daughter cos he was my colleague and we got on really well, so I didn't mind it that she went to town!
I am on a crafting forum where people post asking about what to knit/sew for their kids' teacher and I'm not popular when I reply - seriously don't put hours of your time into something. It's a bit stalker-esque. Seriously used to freak me out.
I'd buy some card and glitter glue and force Junior to make a card. Those were the gifts I loved. Something actually made by and from the child.
I have been known to give stuff to the charity shop and the chocolates to my own kids rather than risk eating them cos you never know where they've been (whereas my sons don't give a monkey's).
I have seen a news item today whereby (apparently) the average cost of a gift is about £50! Outrageous!!!
I know I sound like an old scrooge, but I am not - anything but. I am simply fed up with the school treating us parents as cash cows.
If either teacher were doing above and beyond then I would get them a small gift.
I am surprised that the teachers don't have to declare their gifts (I am not sure if they do have to or not), I certainly wouldn't be allowed to accept that many gifts, or expensive gifts without declaring them.
LOL its not a bribe its a thank you!
If it's out of gratefulness then why do so many think it is obligatory and asking if X is enough?
Something personalised saying thankyou.
Seems really weird to me. When I was at school in the 70's, any kid giving the teacher a present for Xmas would have been beaten up in the playground by the other kids.
I remember taking presents for my teachers in the 80's,so its not a new thing.
So it is a bribe and compulsory in some places. That really shouldn't be encouraged.
I can see why you would make a gift to a teacher that had done something extra special like spend extra time to tutor, or help a child over a particular problem but everyone having to keep up with the Jones and give the teacher something sounds like an organised rip off and rather sad for the kid whose parents aren't part of the suck ups or can't afford to keep up.
It's the same here, I couldn't possibly keep up. As I put in my earlier post, to buy the two presents the money would have to come out of the Santa presents for my son which I don't intend to do.
Giving presents reminds me of the old 'apple for teacher' situation to be teachers pet. I think the best present my son can give his teachers is to be good at school all year and do his best at learning for them.
I like this
If they do they're not really someone worth considering to give a gift to at all.
Then maybe it goes to show such bullying at school is on the decine!
If a child really wants to give something like that to their teacher, how about actually making some themselves like mint creams, coconut ice etc that are very easy and would be more special.