Cheap parents

[Emma H]

Christmas is a time for giving ...If I had a child I don't need some advertisements to show me that I should buy my child's teacher or daycare provider a gift. Its something people do to show that person they appreciate them for the hard work they do. It doesn't have to be an item it can be a card which you stated yourself even though you didn't think to buy your childs teacher a gift you would still get a card...A card is a gift...a candy cane is a gift....it doesn't have to be anything be just a little something to say thank you

[bright sparks]

Christmas is a time for giving ...If I had a child I don't need some advertisements to show me that I should buy my child's teacher or daycare provider a gift. Its something people do to show that person they appreciate them for the hard work they do. It doesn't have to be an item it can be a card which you stated yourself even though you didn't think to buy your childs teacher a gift you would still get a card...A card is a gift...a candy cane is a gift....it doesn't have to be anything be just a little something to say thank you

But for those who have not grown up accustomed to that, then they would not automatically think to do it. I think you'll also find that a lot of people are not card people so they would not consider it as a gift. It is open to interpretation. I think of a gift as in "A card and a gift, two different things" that is an example of how different people view things differently. I also think that sending a card because it is the done thing is false too. I appreciate honesty and sincerity and if that is in the form of a thank you and have a great Xmas at the door which everyone seems to do, then that is good enough for me.

Some people don't celebrate Xmas, Christmas to religious folk may not buy into the whole commercial factor and those who do and have large families or limited cash flow for any reason may have set some boundaries which work for them and their current circumstances which include drawing a line somewhere.

Also as far as teachers go, my daughter has 7! She has rotary as do most kids so how do I justify who deserves a gift more than another? I have to set boundaries so I gift to the homeroom teacher in addition to any other teacher who has gone above and beyond in their position. Do I gift to a teacher who has been nothing but a burden and a massive obstacle to my child's learning that year? I have had one teacher who has really screwed my kids needs up, cost me a bunch of money in lost wages to keep having to attend meetings because they aren't doing their job adequately and I have had to pay thousands of dollars for a private assessment for one of my kids because the school system and the principal including homeroom teacher have failed to meet my child's needs. Should I still buy them a gift because it's the "right" thing to do. Everyone has different reasons for how they live. It doesn't make them bad people. Some are setting healthy boundaries and yes some just have poor judgement. Regardless, if those teachers expect a gift, that is a reflection of them not the families of the children in their class.

[Suzie_Homemaker]

Christmas is a time for giving ...If I had a child I don't need some advertisements to show me that I should buy my child's teacher or daycare provider a gift. Its something people do to show that person they appreciate them for the hard work they do. It doesn't have to be an item it can be a card which you stated yourself even though you didn't think to buy your childs teacher a gift you would still get a card...A card is a gift...a candy cane is a gift....it doesn't have to be anything be just a little something to say thank you

I disagree that a teacher or day care provider should be bought gift!

I never bought teacher gift. Did not occur to me that is expected. Teacher does job, teacher gets paid. Really, never bought a teacher gift. Like tipping in Tim Horton's drive through - I order coffee, I pay for coffee. Does person really need tip for pouring and passing through window? Can't think of job where so little done for a tip. Maybe 5 seconds of work which being paid to do. Very odd.

And yes, Christmas is a time for giving NOT for expecting to receive. Whole message lost if some is demanding that Christmas is time for giving, with their hand out to receive. LOL

Message double lost because giving not about materialistic items. It is about giving thought, appreciation, kindness, thinking of others. So, in true meaning, a heart felt thank you for all you do, is all that is required.

Your family tradition might be to give physical gift, others to give home-made gift to reflect time invested in though and preparation of gift. But just as you opted to give gift and felt almost obligated to do so, other families do not. And that's perfectly okay. In fact to me, make more sense. I bet any teacher is rare that every single child in class give gift which suggest that although most do, there are some different view.

If it just needs to be words, then why associated for Christmas?