Holiday Present for Daycare Teachers

[Anonymous]

Hi, we would like to get our daughter's daycare teachers a present, but we have no idea what the norm is. Do people give presents, cash, or gift cards? How much to spend per daycare provider? She is in the toddler room and has a primary provider, but there are four teachers total. My thought was to get a gift card for each, but to give more to the primary provider. I have no idea how much to get. Thanks for any advice.

[Anonymous]

I'd like to know too.

[Anonymous]

There are already tons of threads about this topic. Use the search option.

[Anonymous]

Most people give gift cards, I believe. I do $150 split among however many providers my son has that year. Plus a nice card. Some years that was $75 a piece. Some years it was $40 each. That is what fit comfortably in my budget.

[Anonymous]

Target gift cards. It is the most popular among teachers, coaches, instructors . . . Starbuck gift card for coffee drinkers are well received too.
Chocolate or self bake cookies are fillers and can be omitted.

[Anonymous]

Our budget was super tight this year, so we gave small Starbucks gift cards ($15 per teacher). Wish I could have given more, but our daycare is so expensive that we just don't have the budget available.

[Anonymous]

I have an almost 3-year old and read these threads every year because I don't know how much to give. We have given a slightly different amount every year, partly because the number of teachers varries and partly because we need to pick something that we can afford. We gave $300 ($50 to each provider) in year 1. Last year we were broke so gave $40 to each full-time provider and $20 to each part-time provider. This is the last holiday at our daycare and I think that we can afford more now...so my plan is to give $80 to the full time providers and $40 to the part-timers.

I really think that anything you give is appreciated. Give $10 if that is all you can afford. Or give $100 if you feel like it. Include a nice note.

[Anonymous]

I think cash is the most appreciated. We do $50-100.

[Anonymous]

Do people give gifts to the director too? We are in a private daycare that is not a Bright Horizons, meaning that the owners are also the directors, and they do a lot for the kids. But I have a limited budget, so $ that goes to the directors is $ that doesn't go to the teachers. My inclination is to just give to the teachers, but curious what others think/do.

[Anonymous]

I've been wondering if I should give the director something too. Thoughts on this?

[Anonymous]

We gave $40/teacher for 4 teachers, but have given less in the past when money was tighter. I really like the teachers and would give more if I could. As it is, we skimp on other things (no cable, old cell phones, old cars), but we work in the $160.