What is an appropriate generous holiday gift for preschool teachers?

[Anonymous]

Wow. This thread obviously has some very “fortunate” parents. What’s interesting is that all of them collectively sound like anything less than what they give is an insult with no regard for others situations. I can afford some nice things but gifts close to tuition amounts or even half!? Ours is a private school but so sweet and down to earth, parents a mixed bag, but there’s no way these teachers there would except that in good faith. I’m came here looking for gift card suggestions but this thread has taken a turn. Merry Christmas to all the level headed parents on here and the pretentious as well.

[Anonymous]

PP at our child care center in a nice MoCo neighborhood (not the most expensive, but most families do pretty well) families have traditionally been asked (by the parent holiday gift organizers) to contribute $30 per child towards gift cards for all the teachers. With assistants and aftercare classrooms have 5 or 6 teachers per class plus there are floaters/subs, and the director and assistant director who are closely involved with the kids. It's a lot of people to get gift cards for. I don't know if anyone gives above this amount, but I really doubt any family is giving $100 per teacher.

[Anonymous]

I donated $1000 to our nonprofit preschool, one time only.
(2 kids, a few years)

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I tend to give less to teacher assistant. This year, I don't like teacher assistant because she rarely talks to me. All she does is to chit chat with other helpers and ignore me when I drop off or pick up my kid. She talks actively with a few moms and dads. My husband has picked up our kid a few times, she would actively give him updates.

Hey so they staff is there to care for your kids, not care for you.

[Anonymous]

I spent $600 total. Gave $200 gift cards to the 2 main teachers, and $50 gift cards to the 4 assistants. I assume this is a once a year thing and I think $600 a year is a reasonable amount to spend on gifts for the people who take care of my kids. I know not everyone is as fortunate to have the extra money to spend and honestly I think the teachers will appreciate a handwritten card and thoughtful small gift.

[Anonymous]

$50 is too low.
$100 is decent.
If you can afford more, kudos to you!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:$50 is too low.
$100 is decent.
If you can afford more, kudos to you!

LOL

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP here. Thanks! Sounds like $50-100 is nice and no one will be weirded out at $150-200. Again, seriously, our teachers do SO much and have the patience of saints and the school system just seems so tenuous and I’m all for a little redistribution of wealth.

+1
All of our kids have gone through a magical little preschool. We usually have $50 amazing gift cards at Xmas and then larger at the end of the year just because I didn’t want any perception of trying to buy favors or something weird mid year. We would write pretty specific thank you and have the kids draw something to stick in with the gift cards.

[Anonymous]

Gift the assistants too. They act like teachers too, they make crafts, changes your kids diapers, helps them dress, brings foods, goes table to table to help kids with their projects, crafts, teaching preschool is easy, writing down the lesson plans is hard but the activities are easy.
Any worker can teach activities to children, the assistants and any family daycare providers do it too

[Anonymous]

As a preschool teacher I can tell you what the best gift I can receive from the families is and that’s not any dollar amount or any tangible gift but rather making our jobs easier by teaching your child appropriate behaviors at home, following school policy, backing up and supporting the teachers when we tell you little Johnny has been doing x, y, and z because I can promise you we don’t have a personal vendetta against your child and believing that your child is not a perfect angel is the best gift you can get us.

Oh and actually keeping your kid home when they are sick bc we are teachers not doctors and then when we get sick and it spreads to all the teachers guess what? There will be no one to care for your child bc they will all be out sick.

[Anonymous]

I’m the PP up above and some people are
mentioning giving your child’s preschool teacher $1000. As a preschool teacher I eoikd feel all sorts of uncomfortable receiving $1000 from one parent considering I don’t even accept that kind of money from my own family. Yes I make very little but I don’t see it as the parent’s responsibility to compensate for that as a gift to me. That’s the problem of my employer.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I’m the PP up above and some people are
mentioning giving your child’s preschool teacher $1000. As a preschool teacher I would feel all sorts of uncomfortable receiving $1000 from one parent considering I don’t even accept that kind of money from my own family. Yes I make very little but I don’t see it as the parent’s responsibility to compensate for that as a gift to me. That’s the problem of my employer.

Would*

[Anonymous]

Teachers needs money, thier salaries aren't that great

[Anonymous]

And a photo of our kids

[Anonymous]

Even public schools teachers have low salaries. Imagine prek teachers. Gift them money!

Or they will have to find a second job or leave for a better job