I got an email from daycare saying next week is Teacher Appreciation Week" and outlining the activities. One day we are supposed to bring s potluck dish, one day we are supposed to bring a gift, etc.
Does your daycare do stuff like this? Do you participate? What kind of gifts do you give?
persimmon / 1043 posts
Yes, ours does and we do participate. I get the teachers small gifts (usually Starbucks or Target gift cards with a thank you note), and contribute to the potluck, dessert day, flowers, etc. We have a "PTA" type thing and it's organized with something for each day, like yours, and ends with a big raffle. It does get to be a bit much with 2 kids now (in addition to Christmas, Valentines, etc), but the kids love their teachers/staff so much, I work around our budget to make sure they feel extra appreciated. I know some parents do not participate though (ours is a big center) and it's no biggie 
coconut / 8430 posts
Ours is happening in 2 weeks. Personally, I don't have time to contribute to everything since they are asking for something every day of the week: Monday is a card, Tuesday is flowers, Wednesday is breakfast potluck and Thursday is sweets potluck. They are also doing a pooled gift card in the center.
We will definitely do the card and gift card but I don't know if I have time to bake anything and make a breakfast dish as well.
GOLD / wonderful pomegranate / 28905 posts
Ours doesn't do a whole week. But I do bring a gift on teacher appreciation day. Is that coming up?? It always sneaks up on me!
GOLD / wonderful coconut / 33402 posts
Our's isn't till May but no they don't do theme each day. Last year I gave the teachers something little each day and then a gift card on Friday.
apricot / 288 posts
Ours doesn't ask for something each day, but gives us a week during which to bring in our gift. I think I gave a gift card last year, or maybe that was when I gave each teaching a geranium in a small clay pot I painted... My daughter transitions between classrooms at the end of June, and I like to give a "thanks for teaching me" gift, so it's tough because I give two gifts within two months.
pear / 1737 posts
Chiming in as someone who has worked at a daycare and as a teacher in schools. We love and appreciate any gift particularly if it has some unique aspect or handmade component from your child. In the winter one family gave out handwarmers, chocolate (which I am not actually a fan of...) and an lcbo gift card, which was pretty generous. Teachers and daycare workers spend money out of pocket for supplies and lessons so when we get extra help in the form of random supplies, dollar store, or wal-mart giftcards then that is really thoughtful I think, much more so than foods or boxes of chocolates.
Anyway, even if your child just writes a note about what they like about their teacher with a picture of your child or something that they drew I think that would be nice. It would be nice to remember a child with a picture of them although many children you never forget.
@reyorra: the flower is a cute idea!
wonderful grape / 20453 posts
Oh shit I forgot!!! Thanks for the reminder. Last year, I brought a cake and a card for T. I might pick up a plant this year
apricot / 288 posts
@Mrs. Goose: I included a note that said "thanks for helping me grow!" And my daughter who was about 18 months old at the time helped me with the dirt (which she LOVED).
eggplant / 11824 posts
Ours does a pretty full week of stuff, some is financed through parent donations, some I think is financed through the center itself (I'm not really sure). They have Panera catered breakfast, mexican buffet type lunch and an ice cream bar for the teachers on different days. They asked parents to donate stuff to their week-end raffle, where each teacher gets 3 tickets and enters to win different gift baskets and gifts that we ("we" being the classroom parents) pull together. People donate all sorts of gift cards, spa certificates, etc and we put together full themed baskets.
Additionally, we'll give lo's teachers small gifts - probably like a $20 Starbucks card and some small items like homemade goodies, or nice lotions, etc. I'm not sure yet - lol, tonight I'm focused on pulling together the Administrative Professionals Day gifts for mine and my husband's admin's! 
pear / 1696 posts
Last year LO was going to daycare one day per week so I just did something small. A potted flower with a cute sign from pinterest that said "thanks for helping me bloom and grow"
blogger / eggplant / 11551 posts
Nope, they don't even mention it, but I usually do giftcards along with something else. I love their teachers and have formed really good relationships with some of them! I'm so thankful for all they do for/with them
GOLD / wonderful coconut / 33402 posts
So apparently they are doing a theme each day and I have to dress up LO!
Monday: Wear your favorite Sports team and tailgate snacks for the teachers
Tuesday: Fancy Nancy day, so supposed to wear their fancy clothes and walk the red carpet. Bring breakfast for the teachers
Wednesday: Wear pjs and bring popcorn and snacks for the teacher
Thurs: Beach day. School is providing lunch for the teachers, so they need a min. of 2 parents to cover nap time in each room. What?!?
Friday: 50's day and gift card day. The money for gift cards was collected at the beginning of the year and the room Moms get gift cards for bday, Christmas, and teacher appreciation.
nectarine / 2667 posts
@Smurfette: ugh that sounds ridiculous and like someone has too much time on their hands to dream up all that. And it strikes me as illegal to have parents be the supervisors in a classroom. They do not work there and should not be "covering" for teachers to eat lunch! My daycare would lose their license if they did that.
GOLD / wonderful coconut / 33402 posts
@JoyfulKiwi: @Applesandbananas: Yeah the parents go way over the top at this center. I learned that fast.
@JoyfulKiwi: That is a good question. I will have to ask about that.
nectarine / 2667 posts
@Applesandbananas: our daycare has a sign-up sheet for a week of activities, like breakfast one day and "spa day" the next. Parents can sign up to bring in juice or lotion for whichever day they want. It's not expected that every parent contribute to every day. On top of signing up for a donation or two, we give the lead & assistant teachers a gift (something personal or a gift card or sometimes cash). They spend so much time with my child and really love him and nurture him so I want them to know how much we appreciate them. They're part of our "village".
nectarine / 2667 posts
@Smurfette: at least in Colorado, childcare employees need a background check/fingerprinting, drug screen, and - if they're alone with children - a educational degree or certain number of hours worked & courses taken. A parent can volunteer without those (although public schools require background checks), but cannot be counted as a person to keep the supervision ratio.
cantaloupe / 6791 posts
@Smurfette: Wow, my response to your list (esp the nap time thing) was going to be pretty much what @JoyfulKiwi: said. That's crazy!!
I teach pre-k at an elementary school and honestly, a simple thank you and maybe a card from the parents and/or child would be so much more appreciated than a gift for the sake of getting one. I think about quitting way too often (and seriously may become a SAHM after this school year if a few things work out). I have almost zero support from administration and most of the parents aren't supportive either. 
GOLD / wonderful coconut / 33402 posts
@lilteacherbee: The good thing is it isn't like I have to bring something every day. I only have to bring food/snacks one day. I think the dressing up is cute and R will like it. But the nap time covering is bothering me. I guess it is legal since they do every year.
I think it is great that the school is doing so much (they are doing other stuff) and then the list for the parents. I know they are underpaid so I really don't mind doing more for them to know that I do appreciate it.
and that is really sad that you don't feel appreciated.
pomegranate / 3845 posts
@JoyfulKiwi: I like the idea of teacher appreciation week and plan to do something, I agree that they're part of our village. But I think the nap thing is over the top!
nectarine / 2667 posts
@Applesandbananas: sorry if I gave the impression that I thought you weren't into teacher appreciation week! I didn't mean that at all. I think most parents really appreciate their child's teachers when you get down to it. That nap thing blows my mind though.
@lilteacherbee: I feel you. I teach preschool at a private school and, on a day-to-day basis, I can get run down feeling like parents don't care about me beyond a warm body that keeps their child alive while they're away. It's hard to not be seen as a professional when there's so much effort & thought put into your work. So, a heartfelt card is more meaningful/uplifting to me than a Starbucks card (although I definitely appreciate any type of gift a parent gives me!) I hope things work out for you the way you want them to. 
pear / 1737 posts
@Smurfette: Definitely seems overkill. I have never heard of parents covering naps and am surprised that is allowed.
But it is nice to have fun stuff that everyone gets in on, "spirit days". Support from management and appreciation is always nice.
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