S/O Holiday Tips

MrsN052408 · November 2014

It's my first year paying for childcare. What is the customary amount/percentage holiday tip?

NLewis1 · November 2014

I'm going to buy my nanny a nice massage at a local spa for Christmas. I'm not sure if that helps you or not?

skibunny59 · November 2014

I'm a teacher. ANYTHING is appreciated. My favorite holiday gifts usually are: Dunkin Donuts gift cards, starbucks gift card, a plate of homemade christmas cookies, one year a parent made homemade fudge (YUM!), movie passes, etc. You really don't have to spend a lot of money. I'm always shocked at how much people give their daycare providers during the holidays and it's really not necessary. One year I got a $10 gift card for target and a very touching note from a parent. I don't know if some people would think that's cheap but it was so nice and I really appreciated it.

eyenigh · November 2014

I give the price of a week's child care split up between all the teachers, probably in gift cards this year. It works out to around $60/pp for 5 people. I'm happy to give it. They spend more time with my child during the day than I do and are wonderful with him-- they're like family to him. There's pretty much no more important job than taking care of my kid. They deserve it.

potbellypig · November 2014

I gave mine a $50 GC to the hair salon in town and a $15 bottle of wine, but we also happen to be friends and she had kept DD for a few overnights when DH's dad was in the hospital. This year I'll probably do $30 GC and wine.

2chatter · November 2014

We did one week's care in cash form in a card at our old center and the teacher was so embarrassed she didn't talk to us for a few days. Not kidding - she actually had someone else cover for drop-off and pick-up. She thought we had lost our minds. But she was one on one with DS for months, and he love love loved her and it seemed right. At our new school we did GCs but it was awkward because DS moved up a room and his infant teacher left at the same time, so it was kind of token feeling. So we did much less.

Will be reading to see what others do in a normal DC situation! DS has two teachers and I am trying not to let the fact that I adore one...but the lead teacher and I really butt heads, affect my giving.

vvvvvfee · November 2014

DS is at an in-home, but the woman who runs it has 4 staff members. last year we got everyone $25 amazon gift cards, plus we got the main DCP a $25 gift card to petsmart in addition to the amazon GC (she has a super-sweet dog that is at the DC every day). so $50 for the main person at $25 for everyone else.

we live in a HCOL area, but i think giving an entire week's payment as a bonus is a LOT of money.

i think a homemade gift, wine, or small gift baskets are wonderful ideas as well, but last year we were so strapped for time that it was just easier to give everyone gift cards.

i'm not sure what we will do this year, since i think now there are 5 staff members plus the DCP herself. we may go with a smaller GC amount combined with a homemade gift.

Leap08 · November 2014

I usually do gift cards to Target ($25 or so) and some homemade goodies.

emberlee3 · November 2014

I'm not sure there's anything customary. For DS's infant teachers, I gave Starbucks cards. Then he switched schools, and the new school's PTO collected donations and pooled the money for gifts for all teachers. That worked well because it was a tiny school without separate classes.

We did a nanny share one year, and each family gave her $100. She was thrilled. We have our own nanny this year. I will have the kids make a craft and probably give her $100, plus maybe some nice slippers to keep at our house this winter.

mlee116 · November 2014

I usually do a gift card for around $25 and then some donuts or other treat. I am also planning to get something a little smaller for the other teachers/helpers because they all work with DS at some point during the day and they deserve to be thanked.

74dragonfly · November 2014

Team gift card. I usually do Target $50. Like PP said they are around my kids so much. I want to be generous to them

traveltheworld · November 2014

DS goes to DC. Last year we gave his 2 main teachers $50 gift cards, then his two old main teachers (he switched rooms) $35 gift cards, then the floaters and the director $15 Starbucks cards. We live in a HCOL area.

BabyHope2013 · November 2014

We go to an in-home. Last year we did a $50 gift card to her favorite restaurant for our daycare provider and $25 to other area restaurants for each of the two assistants I also wrote a super heart felt note to our daycare provider too---I know she appreciated that more than anything in the world.

MickeyM04 · November 2014

I was wondering about this too. DS and DD each have 3 teachers. If I spend just $15 a person, which to me doesn't feel like enough given all that they do, it's still $90. I feel like for all they do, I'd like to spend closer to $50 per person but that's $300. Am wondering if maybe I can make them each something which may cost less but be more thoughtful.

mae0111 · November 2014

We have a nanny, and she's fantastic. One year, we sent her to see her DH, who was stuck in another country due to immigration issues. This year, she mentioned that she'd like her son to visit her for the holidays (he lives across the country), so we have offered to fly him here. DH travels a ton, so we use points. Not a big deal for us, but a huge deal for her.

DD1 is also in preschool 3 days a week for 1/2 days. So we do a $25-$30 GC for each of the 2 teachers.

MommyAtty · November 2014

I'm thanking my lucky stars for Amex points right now. DD has 3 teachers. The cash starts adding up quickly!

junebugrbig · November 2014

We use an in-home daycare and we usually give her a $50 gift card or cash. We have also given her a handwritten note letting her know how much we appreciate her.

MamaMD · November 2014

K3am said:

I always wonder about this.. last year we gave $25 to DD's primary teachers and $10 to the floaters, and they seemed unsuspecting of the fact that we'd give them anything.

This year DH drops DD off with one teacher, I pick up with another, so I consider them her primary teachers, but I'm not 100% sure if that's the case or not. I just have no idea. Plus I still want to give something to DD's teacher in her old room, since she was (and is) my favorite teacher.

This is my issue too. LO is in the younger toddler room which is separated from the older toddler room by a half wall. In the morning I drop her off with the older toddler teacher but during the day I think the kids are mostly split up and she is with the younger toddler teacher (who is almost always gone by the time I pick LO up so I rarely see her). There is an afternoon toddler teacher who is there most afternoons when I pick LO up (different from the one who is there in the morning) and then there are a number of floaters, some of whom were also floaters in her infant room so we know them pretty well. So either we give gifts to just her 2 main teachers or we have to give gifts to a large number of people. And I didn't even think about the director and assistant director until just now. Whew!

MrsN052408 · November 2014

In-home. She's a SAHM neighbor. We adore her. Love the target gift card but we don't have one near us. I might do $50 in cash and a homemade card from the kids. Everyone's ideas are great. As an aside, I usually do movie passes for teachers and homemade cards.

Samiantha101 · November 2014

After seeing a lot of ladies post on here last year about buying giving gift cards, presents and cash, I gave teachers gift cards. This year I am not doing anything.

Kewii · November 2014

I'll be doing a cash gift of about 35 dollars for each nanny.

But don't underestimate how far a letter or note can go. Stuff is great and all, but as a teacher it is really rewarding to get a personalized letter letting me know I'm appreciated and important to you/your child. I've gotten tons of chocolate over the years, but the letters I get have always been more valued.

[Deleted User] · November 2014

Gift cards. I gave more the year his teachers basically did ALL the potty training.

It ads up quick. Pick what you can/want to budget and divide by the number of teachers. I think they will appreciate whatever they receive.

I don't do trinkets, ornaments or homemade food. I prefer gifts they can use like a bottle of Mary Skin Satin Hands (they are always handwashing and it's an amazing lotion)

skibunny59 · November 2014

2chatter said:

We did one week's care in cash form in a card at our old center and the teacher was so embarrassed she didn't talk to us for a few days. Not kidding - she actually had someone else cover for drop-off and pick-up. She thought we had lost our minds. But she was one on one with DS for months, and he love love loved her and it seemed right. At our new school we did GCs but it was awkward because DS moved up a room and his infant teacher left at the same time, so it was kind of token feeling. So we did much less.
Will be reading to see what others do in a normal DC situation! DS has two teachers and I am trying not to let the fact that I adore one...but the lead teacher and I really butt heads, affect my giving.

See this is kind of how I would feel if one of my students gave me more than $20. I don't think I'd not talk to the parent but I would definitely feel bad that they spent so much money. It seems like I am in the minority though in terms of what is the appropriate amount of money to spend for a gift.

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S/O Holiday Tips

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Mrs. H

Crohn's Dx: August 2008

Endometriosis Dx: May 2010

Married: 05/19/2012

TTC #1: June 2013

BFP: December 2013

DS: Born 08/29/2014

TTC #2: July 2015

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