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I was wondering what,if anything, you get for the kids in your care? Most of the parents get me a little something and I usually make a bunch of different cookies and give them out. But i feel weird giving them something if they haven't gotten me anything.
I do the baking here to give. We make it in daycare or I make and they decorate so it is part of our activity program but then I send it home as compared to eating it all here. We use my portion for snacks. That way I don't feel bad and I got double duty as in it entertained the kids for a couple days.
I even stopped doing the special gift from child to parent because I got tired of trying to figure out how to deal with separated/remarried parents and did not want to give them something more to fight over nor did I feel it was my responsibility to let some of the kids make 2 or more. With the cookies we can even split what they make and hand out two small plates instead of one big plate.
Last year half of my group was already 3 and I used the Night Before Christmas set from the felt I sell and cut out one for each child which they played with at my house - mostly when babies were napping or I was making lunch, etc. Then on their last day I let them take the set home to keep. So again it was sort of a gift but I got double duty out of it. This year my two oldest are siblings of those kids so need to wait at least a year before I redo that one from a giving it out standpoint.
I usually set a budget of 25 dollars per child, and then I head to the Wal-Mart and choose something that fits well with where the child is developmentally and matches their interests. I avoid anything trendy, as well as any "hot button" toys (i.e. Barbie, water guns etc.) and I try to stick with toys that are fairly educational. For my one year old boys, I bought a Fisher Price mini fire hall (I'm sure the parents will love that ! LOL) I'm a big fan of the V-tech line - they have all kinds of things for different ages and stages. =) I also always include a book. I usually find them at Chapters or Indigo for about 5 dollars - I just think it's a nice traditional gift, and it's a way to encourage the parents to read to their child. =)
I budget out $10-$15 per child ($15 is fairly rare) and watch out for bargains all year. I pick them up over time when I'm out and see something cool and cheap. Winners and Homesense are phenomenal for cheap toys!!! I lean to puzzles, books and 'thinking' toys. You can get really good books at those stores for $5-$6....awesome!!! For parents, it changes from year to year depending on the ages of the kids. One year we did t-shirts with kids' hand prints on them in fabric paint. Another year, we painted cheap wooden frames for their Santa picture (a yearly event). We did felt stockings decorated with fabric paint (from previous year) and glitter, filled with shortbread. This year, the kids are making dollar store tree ornaments from a kit (basically just a foam cut out with glue and glitter) and they will be attached to dollar store cookie tins full of shortbread I made. I'm soooooo sick of making shortbread :( Plus, as always, they get their Santa picture. It's always a group shot (with me in it as someone's always terrified of Santa), but I think it will be nice to have in the future.
I like the idea of decorating the cookies here, i guess it will be abit of a challenge because most of the kids i care for are under 2. And homemade gifts are so much nicer to get, i think.
Books are always awesome gifts to give. I don't know why most people don;t think of it.
I go to the Miko toy warehouse every year. this year the kids are getting a book ($1.75), a blanket ($7.00) and a stuffed tiger from Giant Tiger ($5.00). For the parents i went to Costco and got 8 angel ornaments for $12.00 (so $1.62 per parent) and a $3.00 tin of cookies from Walmart. The kids decorated wooden photo frames ($1.00 each) and a porcelain ornament ($2.00). So all totalled I spent less than $25 per family.
Does anybody not give Christmas gifts? Currently I spend about 10 per child but am considering not doing gifts for next year as most of my families can barely get out a thank you - let alone a gift in return. Although, currently I do not have a very good batch of families. Last year everyone was thankful... but not this year, lol
I did some crayola stuff that's age appropriate. Cost about 10 a peice. That's all they need. I also have a ton of crafts going home to the parents. The kids open the gifts at home, not here. Probably won't even register who the gift is from so it's more the thought of it. I do a small 5 - 10 dollar gift for bdays too.
Last year I did salt dough ornaments we made here, plus 3 balls of unbaked dough each dyed a different colour for them to play with at home with a cookie cutter attached. I think it cost about $4 per child. So cheap.The kids also made a picture frame with their picture inside it standing in front of our xmas tree. But i dont think any of the kids used the dough, parents probably just tossed it.
This year I bought each child a gift for about $15/$20. I got my girls a jewellery box they can decorate (they both love little bracelets and necklaces) and a puzzel or book. For the boy I have I got him a play took box with tools and a book.
I am, however stumped on what to get for my parents, if anything. I did not get anything in particular for the parents but felt like crap since I got from one family a $50 giftcard, from another family, another 450 giftcard and she also got me gifts for my own two children.
I know there was a thread about gifts for parents, but cannot find it. Sorry to hijack this one lol
I purchase a gift for each child at a limit of about 15$-20$ each. I pick each child something special fitting their personality. :) Then for the parents I bake a lot of dif cookies and put together a container for them of baked goods with a card. Dress it up with Christmas tissue inside the clear container and a bow on top with a to: from: sticker. We also do something from the child to the parents, some sort of special craft, this year we are doing a new craft or ornament every day up to Christmas then the last special ornament (thanks to Reggios ornament idea from yesterday:)) we will be doing a beautiful blue glass bulb with the childs handprint and I will transform the fingers into snowmen. I thought it was so adorable, then each child will help finish them off by painting snowflakes throughout the bulb around the family of snowmen. Started one today and it's adorable. In the past I have put together baskets for the whole family as well, one year I put together a movie night basket, it had micro popcorn, hot cocoa and a gift card to the local movie store along with a copy of the Nativity, a wonderful Christmas movie. along with the usual mix of cookies and treats, they really enjoyed those. I don't usually do too much for the parents from me, I usually just have the kids do something for the Mom and Dad, then give a gift to each child.
I am doing mainly homemade gifts. The kids ahve been working on ornaments for their parents...handprint ornaments and next week we will make picture frames into which I will insert pictures of the kids. I found little decorate yourself cloth bags at the dollar store which the kids have coloured and done hand prints on and all the little handmade things will go into that for the paretns. The kids will be getting homemade playdough with a playdough tool or two plus a colouring book and crayons. I will also make cookies with the kids, but we will eat them at the little Christmas party (I may put some in the parents bags as well). I know I may not receive any thank-yous...but I do it anyway.
Sounds fantastic Kidlove. I know in previous posts you have said we are so similar and I agree...I wonder if I actually know you lol Hmmm??? :D
>>>back on subject.
This year I have bought a couple of sets of stickle bricks for my smallest ones and books for the rest. The children make numerous crafts so the parents can treasure their child's handmade Xmas ornaments for years to come.
BCchildcare: if I were you I would give to the kids and maybe a small plate of cookies for each family. I don't blame you, it really does stink to not even get one thank you, but don't forget, we give to give not to recieve a thanks, you may feel a little bad IF you decide to not give at all and later regret it. Just give what you feel is right from the heart and don't worry about it! :)
I have scaled back on gifts to the children to a 'book' to share my love of reading with them and I write a little note in it specific to them.
The money I used to budget to spend on gifts for children in my daycare we know go out and choose a boy and a girl off the Angel tree and get them a gift to help someone locally and than we choose to do something to help those in other countries who have no Christmas at all and just need help LIVING ... via the Project Hope website both last year and this year the children voted to send a little girl from Africa to school for the year because they love getting to go to 'school' aka daycare and they think everyone should be able to go and learn. This year we also collected canned goods and brought them to the food drive and our Elf on the Shelf has been leaving us random act of kindness challenges to spread Christmas cheer in the community and help kids remember this is a time for 'giving to those less fortunate' than it is about 'getting' things we do not really need but just want because we are so blessed to have a roof over our head, food in a bellies and the opportunity to go to school and learn and play with lots of toys and so forth!
For the parents ~ the children and I make ornaments one 'keepsake' glass handprint ornament that is more me than them and than some 'handmade' craft ornaments or decorations ... so cinnamon clay cookie cutter ones that they make that often do not look like much of anything but its the process and thought and than some paper decorations.
I also do a photo calendar for the upcoming year featuring memories from previous year that is more a 'family gift' ... the children help me pick out the photos they want for each month as their own keepsake memory.
On the last day before break we have a Christmas Tea party complete with fancy tea cups for the children and 'finger treats' on the tea tray that we bake together next week.
I agree ... everything I do this time of year is for the experience and joy of the children ~ if the parents give gratitude or thanks that is bonus for sure. I know from networking with other peers in the field that I have been fortunate to have clients who still value 'manners' and I still value them and role model them in my program .... however it is understandable that this value has gone by the wayside for many who no longer see the point of saying please or thank you to others ... but I do not want to let that affect my decision to spread kindness and joy at this time of year and one can only hope that if enough us role model 'manners' to the general public and within our programs the NEXT generations might be back on track with them ;)Quote:
Originally Posted by kidlove
BCchildcare - I didn't do any presents last year, previous years i just made cookies to give. And i think i am doing cookies again this year.Some families give me a gift and some don't. it just feels weird to give them something if they have nothing for me.
Hi Tray,
I spend about $20 on each child for a Christmas gift. I have the children package up all their Christmas crafts and take it home for their parents for a gift under the tree from them. I'm trying to teach the children that Christmas means GIVING, not just GETTING.
Dont you think it would feel more weird if they gave you something and you had nothing for them. Tis the season to give! :) who cares if they don't give back, that's not the meaning of gifts, we don't give because we recieve, right? We give because we care. :) give give give everyone, it feels so good!:wub:
From the standpoint of feeling weird if parents give to us and we don't give to them we have to look at the reality that we are providing a service. Just as you would buy a little something or give a nice card to your child's school teacher, or their bus driver, or your hairdresser, etc. we are often viewed as being in the service industry.
The school teacher or bus driver doesn't give a gift back. They might do a kind gesture and pass out candy canes but it is just that a kind gesture.
Parents give us a gift, special card, etc. as a thank you to show that they appreciate us. I would like to think that the children and parents appreciate what I do every day for the children and that I have shown all year by the little treats, special activities etc. that I have done that adds up to a gift.
Playfelt is right as always. The mailman doesn't give me anything, but I give him a holiday card and I see him quite often too when we are outside. He's providing a valuable service for us. We are providing a valuable service for our clients. It's nice when they show their appreciation, whether it's a holiday gift or a coffee brought in once in a while during the year. It's just nice to know we are truly appreciated once in a while. But a daily thank you is my favourite.
I managed to get a group photo of them all in front of my Christmas tree..all looking at the camera...and all smiling! It was a miracle! LOL! So together we're all going to decorate our own frames and I'll put that photo in them...and I'll also spend about $5-$10 on a book each. I love giving books as gifts. I'm also considering getting each family a $5 gift card to Timmies and writing "It takes a lot of hard work to raise such an amazing child like _______, have a coffee on me and Merry Christmas!"
I got somthing small for the two I have in care now....Winners deals and $10 each. a Chuck truck toy in a parking garage (for the 3yr old) and 24 pack mini nail polish kit w/ nail stickers & diamonds (for the 5yr old)...both things they'll each love.
The mom has made many comments over the last few weeks that money is super tight and it's obvious to see in their clothing etc. So I'm not expecting anything...but I wanted to do a little something for the kids either way.
My small gifts to the families are a "thanks" to them for allowing me to be a part of their child's life over the last year. I don't expect anything in return or gifts for my services but do very much enjoy recieving them when the families give them to show they value me and the quality service I provide. :)
Everyone who feels obliged to give a gift to the parent's in return for recieving one just proves how brainwashed we are by the media and society surrounding Xmas. I don't mean this personally to anyone as it's not really something most conciously choose, psychology folks. It takes time, experience and a strong mind not to get roped into the gimik of gift giving without real meaning. Its thanks to the way "stuff" is marketed to us through, movies, commercials, music playing in the store, and placement of product in stores and pictures in various types of media etc etc. While it means something different to everyone, religious or not, to give a gift for that reason, tells me that you shouldn't give a gift at all. I never give to recieve and nobody should expect things in return. If you make a gift or buy a gift for the parents and the only thing you are thinking about is making someone happy with a small token gesture to wish them a Merry Christmas, then perfect but anything else, you probably shouldn't bother. Most people on here constantly say they feel unappreciated by anything they do for the parents anyway, so I'm sure if thats the case It makes more sense to put that money into your Xmas crafts for the kids who in turn will be gifting these lifelong memories to their families....Just my 2 cents :)
I give each child a small gift (limit of $10) and the children make their parents a gift. Since I have a number of children who parents have separated, we make 2, one for mom and one for dad.
I don't always get gifts from the families, its nice when I do, but definitely not necessary.
I agree with Brightsparks and Playfelt. I provide a service to them, not the other way around. I shouldn't have to feel that because other providers give gifts to the children and the parents, that I have to as well
What I do every year, is help the children make a personalized craft, such as a photo ornament for their tree or a handprint craft. I find the parents love when the children give these as gifts to them at Christmas and I did as well when I was a daycare parent years ago. It gives them a keepsake of their children's time spend with me, that they can look back on years from now :)
I don't give gifts to my clients. Not for Christmas, not on the birthday's, not at any other time.
We tend to make keep-sake crafts for the big events - Christmas, Mother's Day, Father's Day, etc. Things with hand-prints or which show their development over the years.
I spend $5 per child on a gift for Christmas. I get the kids to make a handmade card and a handmade ornament for the tree for their parents.
This year each child is getting a piece of clothing and a toy. They are wooden puzzles, cars, monster inc toys and a frozen magnetic doll set.
Their gifts to the parents are homemade tree ornaments, pic frame and baking.
I always give a gift whether the parent gives me one or not. Mickyc and I were just talking about this, this week. Some people are gift givers and some aren't! :) I appreciate when the parent tells me how much they like it here and are glad they found me. I consider that better than most gifts!
I did a gift bag with colouring book, crayons, stickers, stuff animal, Christmas music cd, and a copy of mickey mouse's Christmas carol, pack of hot chocolate, and a mini bag of popcorn.