Do you really think $10/teacher is ok for a holiday gift?

[Anonymous]

Provider here, I never expect anything from the families in my care, sp when I recieve a gift it is nice to know that they are thinking of me. If money is an issue, just know that it's not about the gift itself, it is about the thought that goes with it. For the parents who used the logic that it's not a part of their contract to top, remember that you aren't tipping, you are giving a gift. And FYI, for the poster that inferred that the care their child gets shoyldn't have anything to do with the gift given to the teacher, that is not the case with most care givers. If that is your excuse to not want to give a gidt, then save it, because on behalf of care providers and parents, that is an insult. Don't make excuses, just don't give a gify and be done with it.

[Anonymous]

Our day care asked the parents to contribute $50-75 each to be divided among the teachers giving $75-100 per teacher. I also gave DD's primary teacher a $30 gift card

[Anonymous]

Sounds like you are at a center, but I know for my provider (family based) we are going to give her about $500 (one week's tuition).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Our day care asked the parents to contribute $50-75 each to be divided among the teachers giving $75-100 per teacher. I also gave DD's primary teacher a $30 gift card

I think they have us contribute to a general gift to make sure all the teachers are covered bc there are 16 kids and 8 teachers (including floaters) and they don't want anyone left out. If each teacher got $25 from their primary kid they would still get about $75-100 but since I gave $75 to divide among 8 teachers it came out to less than $10 each however I otherwise would not have given all the teachers a gift, just the primary.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Provider here, I never expect anything from the families in my care, sp when I recieve a gift it is nice to know that they are thinking of me. If money is an issue, just know that it's not about the gift itself, it is about the thought that goes with it. For the parents who used the logic that it's not a part of their contract to top, remember that you aren't tipping, you are giving a gift. And FYI, for the poster that inferred that the care their child gets shoyldn't have anything to do with the gift given to the teacher, that is not the case with most care givers. If that is your excuse to not want to give a gidt, then save it, because on behalf of care providers and parents, that is an insult. Don't make excuses, just don't give a gify and be done with it.

I am the PP here. I have no need to make excuses, because, as I stated I have given gift cards, letters, other things, and cash. I give gifts when and how I want to do so. I can totally respect someone not taking a job if the pay is too low. But once the job is accepted, to vary your performance based on extra benefits that are not in your contract? Please....No matter how shoddy your standards of professionalism are you will never convince me that there should be a link between the gifts I choose and the quality of care my child receives. I humbly beg your pardon for having mistakenly given you and your colleagues so much credit.

[Anonymous]

Who said that the provider would change the level of care provided? My point is that if you don't want to give a gift, simply don't do it, but don't use the contract as a way out of it. I'm not trying to attack you or anything, you did state that you have given gifts, letters, etc. and that's cool. I'm just saying that the most providers wouldn't ever treat a child whose family gave them a gift better than a child whose family didn't give them a gift. Sorry if I came across unclear, that's my bad. However, I did notice the way that that you drew attention to "your" in reference to my business standards. Please don't do that because you have no idea what kind of business I run. Also, your last statement was pretty sarcastic. I can admit that I misread your post before and I apologize for that, but the sarcasm isn't necessary.

[Anonymous]

As an expectant mom, I certainly hope I find myself surrounded by a group of parents who will not judge me based on how much I choose to tip. Do what you think is right and let others do what they think is right-sheesh! You people scare me!

[Anonymous]

No judgement here, I understand that sometimes money can be tight. There are ways to show appreciation without spending any money. Everyone is entitled to do as they wish, I was just giving my opinion.

[Anonymous]

I'm not questionning you but am just trying to understand this - how do you know the average amount contributed? Is it possible that some parents decided to give their own gift rather than contribute to the fund?

I'm just curious b/c my DD's center did the fund thing but we opted to get our own gift. My two children have eight teachers between them, and two floaters. They got $20 gift cards. Would I have liked to give more? Yes, absolutely. But $200 is an awful lot to me, especially when we already pay over $30,000 a year in daycare expenses. and I do realize that the $30,000 doesn't all go to the teachers but it is still an awful lot of money and I'm not one of the DCUMers making anywhere near $800,000 a year.

[Anonymous]

I don't even know how I would even spend an income of $800,000 a year! lol (it would probably involve me hiring a chef that makes only the food that I like and possible a enormous tv wit hthe best satellite or cable or whatever it is that is used now...oh, but I dream....) Anyhow, I get your point. I always got individual teacher gifts and daycare provider gifts because sometimes the pooling idea doesn't work out too well (not everyone contributes) and that sucks. My daycare families always choose to get individual gifts for me for the holidays. Also, it's a nice touch to have it be something that you can choose. I think that the sentiment that goes with choosing the gift on your own means alot to your providers. And it's not about how much you spend, it's that you thought of themm at the holidays. One of my daycare parents was beating herself up because she couldn't afford a gift, but she told me how much I meant to her and her daughter and how much they love me and are thankfult to have me in their lives (no dad in picture and mom works 3rd shift). That meant just as much to me as any of the other gifts that I recieved.

[Anonymous]

Honestly, this thread sounds like that episode of Curb Your Enthusiam where a bunch of rich guys spend the day giving holiday gifts to all the service people in their lives (waiters at the their club, pool boy, maid, etc.). I guess that's what yuppies and rich people do for the "help." If you consider your teacher the "help" and give them a gift accordingly, than feel free to do so.

If others want to treat their teachers as professionals, let them.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Sounds like you are at a center, but I know for my provider (family based) we are going to give her about $500 (one week's tuition).

$500 a week is really high for daycare, isn't it?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Sounds like you are at a center, but I know for my provider (family based) we are going to give her about $500 (one week's tuition).

$500 a week is really high for daycare, isn't it?

I assumed she had a couple of kids there.