Christmas presents for daycare kids?

[kidlove]

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.

[sunnydays]

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.

[bright sparks]

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???

>>>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.

[kidlove]

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!

[Inspired by Reggio]

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.

[Inspired by Reggio]

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 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

[tray]

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.

[Momof4]

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.

[kidlove]

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!

[playfelt]

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.