Holiday Gifts for Daycare Providers
Posted on October 25th, 2007 – 8:39 AMBy Kay Krhin
Today we have a reader who is planning ahead for the holidays. She has an inquiry for all of you about gifts for your daycare provider.
It’s that time of year again - well, it’s really NOT QUITE that time of
year again but visiting any local department store and you will THINK
it’s that time of year again since they have the Christmas lights out
next to the Halloween costumes.
Anyway - I wanted to ask you guys and fellow Cribsheeters - what DO you do for Christmas gifts and/or birthday presents for your daycare
provider? After researching this question on the internet last season I
discovered the “proper” thing to do seemed to be giving a gift that was
the equivalent of one week’s salary for your home daycare provider or
nanny. Seemed a little high to me but that’s what I kept finding over
and over and over again.
Since last Christmas I have added a child to my family and to daycare.
So now I not only wonder am I really supposed to be paying out a gift
that equals what I pay per week for childcare and now that I have two
children ~ What should I be doing? What does everyone else do??
- DG in Burnsville
23 Responses to "Holiday Gifts for Daycare Providers"
Our daycare providers are older and really don’t need any ’stuff’. Therefore, we have given gift certificates to restaurants and to Ticketmaster. Both were very warmly received!
We have varied the amount spent each year based on finances. The first year was a $35 dollar gift certificate to a good burger place. I had just returned to work and finances were tight. The second year was a $100 gift certificate to a very nice restaurant. Last year we scaled back a bit and did $75 for Ticketmaster. I think we will do the fancy restaurant again this year in a larger amount, and next year when they are watching two of our children I will probably up the ante to $150 or so. Not equivalent to a week’s pay, but a nice gift.
Last year we gave our home daycare a $50 restaurant gift certificate and a holiday decoration. This year we will probably do the same restaurant gift certificate but instead of a decoration (which she got from all the families) I think we will buy some children’s books to add to her collection. She loves to buy new books for the kids and we thought we would spend the $ instead of her. Although I haven’t decided if that is a good gift for her or my daughter…still being debated in my head!
Next year we will have an added child so I would say we will double the gift.
Our son goes to a daycare center, so we did things a little differently. We gave a $50 gift card to Starbucks to both of the teachers in his room (we had some of the staff do some snooping for us so we would know what they liked), and then we brought in goodies for the teachers and aides in his room to share. This way we felt we covered all the people who take care of him. The director and assistant directors got their own gift of chocolates.
My daughter goes to a center and all I did was bring in some cookies for the teachers. I think gifts are getting out of hand and I can’t afford to give much more than that.
I should say that I’m not sure I would give much if my daughter were at a daycare center. But, the people who watch her really are like family. They are a husband and wife team and love our daughter as much as we do. I believe they were put on this earth to help parents like us that have to work. I don’t know what I’d do without them. They deserve more then we are able to give.
My daycare “grandma” is remodeling the formal part of her home. And since my husband is a builder, he easily created a custom countertop for her kitchen island. While daring to pick someone’s interior, it turned out perfectly! Grandma cried and hugged it, then hugged us. And the next week she presented us with a big bag of lefsa that she and her sisters made on the new smooth island.
How we’ll top that this year, yikes. Still thinking on that one. She has more than enough decorative stuff, so I’m not sure. I’m considering a restaurant gift certificate and tickets to a play, or perhaps a weekend at a nice bed & breakfast, or maybe a gift certificate to Macy’s. We’ll probably spend about $200.
Our son is in a home where two moms work together to provide care, so we split the weeks pay between the two of them and give them each $75 Target gift cards. Next year we’ll have another baby also, but I hadn’t thought about if we would double the gift - that’s getting pretty expensive. I agree with Heather that I’m just so grateful they love my son and take wonderful care of him while I’m at work…I wish I could afford to give them more! If he was in a center, though, I might feel differently.
Heather,
Why wouldn’t you give to the teachers at a center if your daughter was there? Don’t they deserve a special “Thank You” as well?
Wow. Great ideas here. I really like the Ticketmaster idea.
I’ve read about those ‘1 week salary’ guidelines also and can only hope and imagine most of their research is done in and around New York City. Let’s all band together now and vow to not let the insanity spread here.
Having said that, it is important to us that we show the woman who has taken care of our daughters in her home how much we appreciate what she does for us and them to the best of our ability. In the past that’s meant a card telling her all the above and a gift certificate to a store we think she’d like. I think the amount has been $50-75. That is in keeping with the size of gift we give family members at Christmas.
My older daughter is now at a pre-school with a number of staff who are involved with her day to day. I think we’ll give her classroom teacher a personal gift plus maybe a group thing for everyone else. I don’t know.
I read a funny article once about the gifts–outrageous and modest–that people give to teachers. I guess some schools (again, on the coasts) have to put a cap on it because it gets so out of hand. The funniest one by far was a teacher who got a package of nude pantyhose. I can’t think of anything worse.
I’m with Erin and Anna. When my kids were in a daycare center (they are school aged now) I would get giftcards for their actual teachers and a box of treats (candy/cookies) for the whole room - since that included aides and volunteers. Always very graciously received. It was against policy to give cash (because we paid “tuition” not wages) so the gift cards were a really fun solution for the special teachers. We didn’t do anything about teachers’ birthdays, but the kids always brought in cupcakes for their own birthdays. And when it came time for goodbye (going to Kindergarten) each child made his teacher a card and we bought her a special gift (Patina/Bibelot are fabulous resources for this kind of thing.)
Our daycare providers are both the grandmas. We are going to spend $100 on each of them on top of their regular Christmas gifts as a thank you.
I asked my sister, who used to be a daycare privder, and she thought a $100 gift would be really generous for most situations. That seems reasonable to me. If you have more than one caregiver, I would split that amount amongst them.
My children are both at new daycare/preschool places this year, and so I am going to ask some of the other parents what has been done in the past and use that as a guide. Some places actually discourage gifts, or gifts over a certain amount.
Last year my daughter was at a wonderful daycare center, but because of scheduling there were two main teachers in her room, plus several others (I counted about 4-5) that spent significant amounts of time with the kids. That had the potential to get pretty expensive!
So I was very relieved when one of the other parents sent a note around asking if there were any parents who wanted to go in on buying some gift cards or other items for the staff, and doing other kinds of appreciation things. It was totally voluntary, but several of the other families pitched in about $25 each. In the end, all the teachers and staff got some good-sized gift cards, a couple of pizza lunches and a very prettily-decorated door. I could see that what the staff appreciated most was the thought, effort and coordination that went into it all.
We dont have a ton of money and my son goes to a center. Last year we did card with a heart felt message to each teacher, gift certificates in 20 dollar amounts to bath and body to his two main teachers and then hand soaps from bath and body to the other staff. They got to chose their smell. This year we will include the director because we are at a new center and she has been very helpful. I also have a question, this year my son recives speach and special education from two different people. What would you suggest for them?
Wow, I’ve never heard that one-week’s-salary guideline…outrageous! With two kids I’d be approaching a gift worth almost $300! I agree with whoever said, let’s hope it’s the coasts and let’s not spread the insanity!
I have in the past given spa giftcards and that has been very well-received. Restaurants are also good.
My son is in a center. Last year, when he was an infant, he had 2 main teachers but also spent time with the older infant teaches. I decided to do one large gift bag with alot of different treats (cookies, chocolates, hot chocolat). That way all of his teachers could pick what they liked and decide how to break it up. I think we ended up spending about $75.00. I think we will do something similar this year as well.
Wow, I have never heard of the weeks’ equivalent rule. Our two attend an in-home daycare and we adore the provider. We are going to give her a gift certificate to a restaurant and a $100 gift cert to Lakeshore Learning Store(i think that is the name). It is a store in St. Louis Park that caters to teachers/daycares. They have really neat stuff. The total will probably be close to $200, but that is far less than our weekly cost, and we haven’t gotten her a gift in the past due to finances.
I’ve tried to pay close attention to things our DCP likes. She has two pre-teenagers and I know they don’t spend money on “frivolous” family outings very often. The first year we gave them a $125 gift card to Benihana - they had never been there. Instead of going to dinner, they stretched it out to two lunches! Then last year we gave them a gift card to the Water Park of America. I think $150. Instead, they are using it to pay for a hotel room and admission to the Grand Rios to get even more for the money. The whole family is super-excited about the gifts from our family and our provider keeps talking about how thoughtful and *perfect* they are for their family. This year I have no idea what we’ll do, but it will likely be another “experience” for their family in the same dollar range.
I spend more on my provider than on my own mother or other family members, and that’s totally okay with me. She is the next most important person to my son than my husband and me. She is essentially raising him along with us. Truly there is no way I could ever show her how much I appreciate the wonderful care she provides him and how great she is to work with. We also give her birthday gifts, daycare appreciation day and “anniversary” gifts when our contract is renewed each year. And cards… homemade gifts… flowers…etc.
My daycare lady is wonderful, we love her! But I just can’t see spending all that money for Christmas. Isn’t it the thought that counts? We do pay her salary every week & we don’t get those outrageous gifts from our employer. I usually do a piece of jewelry (which she loves) & a box of candy.
Don’t forget that it’s the thought that counts. As a former pre-K teacher I can say that some of my parents gave large checks or gift cards (which was helpful b/c I was not paid very much!) Some gave less expensive but thoughtful gifts. As long as your child’s teacher feels appreciated for all of the love and care she gives your child, don’t feel that you have to spend more than you can afford. However, if you can afford to give a holiday “bonus” go for it! Your generosity will be appreciated greatly.
My take on the gift giving for child care providers is as follows: a person you personally employ such as a nanny, au pair, neighbor or family member a gift equal to a weeks pay is appropriate. Your family provider will appriciate any gift. They are not in the business to make a fortune, they love your children as much as you do.YOur generousity will be appreciated and don’t expect you to break the bank. Gifts that are of person nature or for self indulegents mean the most because these people never take enough time for themselves so gift certif. to spa or their hair salon is great or book stores, Target, or cub foods will be greatly appreciated. Center teachers as school teachers spend alot of their own money on things for the classroom so gifts cert. to school supply, arts and craft store, book stores, office supplies etc. will be appreciated. Everyone likes to eat; you’ll never go wrong with food establishments. Make sure its enough so they can take some one to lunch or dinner too. Holiday baked good are always welcomed, so if that is your talent please share with the person who cares for your children.
I am a home daycare provider and I very much appreciate a Christmas gift. I take care of the children at my home as I would my own children. I give out hugs and kisses and wipe away tears and I also take care of “boo boos” and vile diapers and vomit. I end disputes and teach how to share. We play learning games have nutritious meals and snacks and I do feel that a little something as a thank you is appropriate. Many companies have holiday parties for their employees, instead I give one for my families. I welcome people into my home every day - even people phoning at the last minute or for a weekend day or overnight stay. I have received gift cards to a book store and to restaurants and the most I have ever gotten is for $40 and they have 2 children here. It is the thought that counts but remember you ask your daycare provider to do everything that you the loving parent does while they can’t be there and you make how much an hour???? I get $3 per child and no benefits- much less than most people get an hour- and I still do this job because I love the kids.
In response to Erin: Oh yes, I would most definitely give holiday gifts to the employees of a daycare center! However, I just don’t know that I would spend as much money on said gifts.
As I stated earlier, our daycare providers/’grandparents’ truly are like family members to us and we love them dearly. I guess I just don’t see having the same type of relationship with the caregivers in a center. I see that as being more of a child/teacher relationship. Maybe I’m off base? I only have experience with in home daycare.
Great ideas everyone! My two children are at a center, which is pretty small right now, so there are about 3 main providers there (one is the center director who is doubling as a provider due to staffing constraints). Last year I gave the center directors (husband and wife team) two nice bottles of wine, totalling about $60-$70. I gave a gift of this nature to the Directors because they had just opened the center and were the primary providers of my two kids for several months. I gave a gift popcorn tin to the other 2 providers, who were both part time and only worked with my kids about a month before christmas.
This year will be quite different since there are more teachers and my kids have been with them for a year. I love the idea of going in on a gift with some of the other parents - thanks for the suggestion! If anyone else has a great idea for a “group gift” for daycare centers, please share.
