Is JUST a homemade card really okay?

I had a similar experience. I bought a card for my daughter’s teachers. That’s enough, they’re being paid to teach. I feel that there’s no need to get more than a card and a handmade one is even more thoughtful. A card is a nice acknowledgment, a gift is lovely but it’s unnecessary in my opinion.

At our school we do a collection and everyone chips in what they want. That way it all gets split and everyone gets something, the teachers, the TA’s, head teacher and reception. Lots of them give up their family time and fundraise for the school and it means everyone is included makes them feel appreciated. They get private handmade cards too.

Same 😬

My primary school teacher mum retired from teaching after 40 years but still keeps her box of cards and letters. They mean a lot to her! Much more than any gift.

My husband is a secondary school teacher and does the same. They prefer sweets (not mugs!) for the staff room tbh but won't of course say it to parents and children.

My daughter and her friend wanted to gift their ballet teacher. Fine. She had a little tea box with a ballet dancer on it from a local posh tea house shop and a card written by the girls.
The girls said afterwards "Our teacher loved the card! - she looked so happy reading it".
I am sure she enjoyed the pretty tea box but really the card was her highlight.

DS is a primary school teacher and he loves the home made cards and notes from parents. He doesn’t drink so we get the wine and he found a pile of out of date store vouchers in his kitchen drawer.

I love to receive a hand made card from the children. I also enjoy receiving wine and chocolates. Last year a parent bought me some earrings which I won't wear as they are not to my taste. I appreciate every card and gift though.

My sons are grown ups & this did not happen when they were primary age .

I work with a lovely lady with two small boys, 5 & 7, she buys £10 Costa gift cards for the boys teachers each year because everyone else does it.

when did this gifting culture start?

Our school stopped the teacher gifts and directed everyone to the local food bank they supported.

Handmade cards are literally the best. Especially if they have a nice/funny sentence written, like 'Kindness, I like you because your face is nice and wrinkly' (lol).

I find it really weird how in the private sector there are so many anti corruption and anti bribery rules and regulations, and the same in the public sector for medical/police/government staff, but this somehow doesnt apply to teachers.

I also dont understand why teachers deserve extra gifts and money - they aren't volunteers?

DS’s Y1 teacher (the mist wonderful woman in the world) showed me a ring binder of all the cards she’d ever received from pupils, split up by school and year. Several ring binders over 30 years of teaching. She said she valued them all. You can’t do that with a bottle of wine!

I agree. I've just moved house temporarily and have had to get rid of so much stuff I thought at the time I'd never get rid of. Loads of random drawings my kids had done, photos that are blurry or just of random trees or the sea ect. It feels horrible to bin stuff but I know they're not even going to remember so I'm being ruthless. My youngest is 8 now and my eldest nearly 14, do I need to keep the red books still?!

I just remembered my ex sister in law works at a private school and she told me about the presents she got.

Loads of Gin, which she loved for the summer holidays, and a few vouchers for clothes shops, expensive candles etc. She got a gift of using one families holiday home in France for a week that she didn't take up. A

And she got a gift voucher for a massage at a spa, booked for a certain day, and on the day the families housekeeper turned up in the back of a taxi a t her house and told her she was not to drive because they were taking her to help the relaxation😂 she said it was really uncomfortable because the housekeeper didn't speak much English and was just sat outside the treatment room then went in the taxi back with her 😅

Honestly I would bin a card. Who has room to store cards from children every year. A box of chocolates is nice and something to be enjoyed but not taking up space in a house.

About two years ago my kids were in primary school and gave their science teacher a really intact sheep skull my mil found and gave to them 😂 they were adamant she'd love it, and she did 😂 I saw her in the local shop and she said she put it in her garden on her rockery and looked at it whenever she did her washing up.

There are so many kind teachers and teaching assistants and dinner ladies and receptionists , we're thankful to them all, but we tell them throughout the year how much we appreciate it. I can't afford to buy even a box of chocolates for all of them

I once went to a local little crystal/ antique shop and got about 15 crystals that were less than a pound each but we're really well recieved.

If she’s brilliant with your son, then I don’t understand why you wouldn’t buy her a small gift. I understand however that this isn’t a popular view on Mumsnet.

you dont want to know what oxbridge teachers get @Chatot

As a mum of a sen child I always bought gifts for all the teachers that “meant something to my child and always did the extra mile which my child picked out (equally I knew the good ones 🤪) ”. My child knew which teachers / LSA / dinner ladies made a difference hence they got a present from my child / me. Especially as a sen child they have a hard job and paid pretty poorly. Usually a box of chocolates plus a John Lewis gift card so it’s not OTT and discrete no one wants an extra your the best teacher mug 🤣

My other children they picked the teachers they wanted to gift and a card equally a couple of handmade gifts which was an add on token (one very talented child like sells the items in the local gift shops) - I was not deciding they know who are the nice teachers and who are the wicked ones I leave it up to them.

However, personally I always give extra to “school staff” as they work so hard and they make it special / horrible for your child especially with a sen - they are worth the weight in gold.

When did giving gifts to teachers become a thing?
It was certainly not a thing when I was a kid (80s baby).

In my 30s, I did an Access course, and we did get things for our tutors as it seemed it was something that people did, because the course was something that launched us into a new career. I remember going to their staff room with some gifts for one of our tutors (and we had several... I spent about £50 between them!) and it looked like a branch of Majestic Wine in there.

I have a friend who is a teacher (secondary) and she absolutely treasures hand made cards.... she posts them on FB. I assume gifts in secondary school is not really something that is done because the kids have many teachers.

Whereas I, as a teacher (and obviously knowing lots of other teachers) hate the fact that parents have felt pressured into handing over their money to give the class teacher and TA a gift card. It is embarrassing and unnecessary. It also completely forgets the contribution made by the SENCo, the PPA cover, and all the other staff in school that contribute to the whole school experience.

Honestly, we (well, at least the vast majority of teachers) do not want a gift card from the class.

It has gone over the top now. I used to only get something if the teacher had been particularly helpful to my child. IN most jobs you don't get presents just for doing the job you are paid for. It is also yet another thing to for parents when we are already snowed under

I was shocked at the end of DS’s first year at primary (he’s just left school so a while ago), at the large gift bags etc. that were being taken into school (DS had made a card). I felt like I’d missed a memo. It definitely creates a bit of peer pressure for people to do it, and likely a stretch for people on lower incomes or a few kids in school (especially when you throw in classes with 2 teachers and a TA) - I wish primary schools would ask parents not to tbh. In the later years in high school DS would take chocolates in for the teachers he really liked/who’d been particularly supportive. Completely off his own back, using his own money. I always thought that was quite sweet, and hope the teachers appreciated it. I don’t think the teachers get presents in quite the same way in secondary schools.

I hate the gifts. I find it really awkward and embarrassing receiving them. I honestly wish parents wouldn’t.
All I honestly want is for parents to love their children, play with them, hear them read, and name their bloody jumpers!

I never bothered until last year of primary and got teacher a some beers and a card.