Does anyone not do teacher's gifts?

[jjjo1112]

Between the new baby and an unexpected hospitalization, I have no teacher's gifts prepared. I am so overwhelmed right now and the baby is super fussy which eliminated any cooking or craft projects. I was out of work for 1/2 of my pregnancy and don't have a ton of extra money right now and between the 3 kids there are 7 teachers. I have always done end of the year gift cards and we always do christmas gift cards. Right now I just don't have the extra money to spend 25 per teacher on gift cards. I was thinking of just doing thank you cards- is this okay? Do teacher's expect a gift from each student? In case it matters we have 2 public kindy teachers, 2 public pre-k teachers and 3 private pre-k teachers. The 3 private preschool teachers my daughter will have again next year, so I don't want to offend them. Thanks

[crl]

IMO, nice thank you cards are very much appreciated and you should not feel obligated to do any more.

Catherine

[wellyes]

You're fine. The card with a handwritten note is plenty.

[Simon]

You're not alone. A heartfelt thank-you should more than suffice.

[hellokitty]

I am usually so overwhelmed by the end of the yr, that I don't get around to getting a gift. I do have my kids write a nice thank you note. Personally, I am in a de-cluttering phase and before I just start handing out gifts for every reason, I also think about the other person. Teachers probably get a ton of small gifts at xmas and the end of the yr/appreciation wk, I'm thinking to myself that after getting so many small things that they probably get sick of the clutter too.

[Dr C]

I think a nice handwritten heartfelt letter of thanks is more than enough. How many coffee mugs with "#1 teacher" does a teacher need?

[KpbS]

If I were in your shoes and I had time to swing by the grocery store I would pick up some flowers (sunflowers or gerbera daisies) to go with a simple hand written note and not give it another thought. :hug:

[american_mama]

I do selective teacher gifts. I don't give them to preschool teachers because I just don't feel the need, especially when I am paying tuition. I do give Christmas gifts (homemade candy) because I like to, in part because my mother did for my teachers, so it's traditional to me. I make the same recipe she did and give a note to teachers about the history of the candy, which many seem to really like.

It never occurred to me to give end-of-year gifts (again, copying what my mother did) until somehow it came up. I don't recall anyone in my elementary school as a child giving end of year gits. I have given two teachers gifts at the end of the year, each time something I was inspired to give and because they were teachers I particularly liked.

[kijip]

I tried to make things easier for the teachers by bringing extras of things they might otherwise end up paying for themselves- supplies, classroom snacks (from the approved list). At the end of the year in preschool and K, T made a card. Aside from occasionally bring in food items for holidays (Christmas and Valentines), I was not into other gifts much. I think I gave gifts one year in preschool but I can't remember what.

In 1st grade we gave nothing at the end of the year, but by that point I could not wait for summer to start so T would not have to be with that teacher or in that school. So no card even.

When I was a kid, I certainly don't recall giving my teachers anything in particular and certainly not every teacher, every year. I can't imagine any teachers expect them. And my sources (elementary and middle school teachers) say that not every kid gives something and that by later elementary or middle school people usually do not give them anything, individually or as a group unless it is a retirement or co-workers thing. I also don't know a teacher who is glad to get clutter. No matter how good a deal, a bunch of mugs or baskets or totes or whachamacallits is clutter.

[citymama]

Our class did a group gift organized by two of the parents so all I had to do was drop money in an envelope. DD wrote a card as well.

For the after care teachers, we bought small potted flowering plants for each teacher with a little note from DD. They loved it. I think something small like that would be perfect, or a hand made card.

[Tondi G]

I saw a really cute thing where the student gave their teacher a little houseplant and a card that said "thanks for helping me grow!". I thought that was so sweet. You can get little potted plants at the dollar store around here.