To think teacher's 'presents' are just a dick measuring competition now

[eyycarumba]

Last day of school, did the school run this morning and more than half the parents are walking carrying bags upon bags of gifts for teachers. Not talking small gifts or the odd box of chocolate, parents each carrying several massive gift bags (A2/A1 size), with the kids carrying smaller things. This is just hugely OTT right?
I understand getting the teacher something to say thank you, but some of these parents just seem to be showing off and have some unspoken competition to out do each other. If a teacher has gone above and beyond for your child wouldn't you want to gift them privately after school or via reception? - our school doesn't usually allow parents past the main doors at drop off so it's not like they're able to take these presents directly to the classroom, the parents were just standing around like lemons balancing these bags and boxes.
I had DS make a card saying thank you (he's had 4 teachers this year, the current one only for the past month so it's not like I could've got her something more personal anyway), but now I'm slightly embarrassed that we didn't get her something else. It's not a case we couldn't afford it (which some people might not, so that could be embarrassing for them too), I just didn't see the point in getting potential tat that they would have 10 of, food or drink they may not like or something that's not appreciated as much in comparison to the extravagant gifts. I was in school in the 90's/00's and I can't remember ever once getting a teacher a gift.

I usually just send a card with a personal note written by my children. My daughter has thanked her class teacher for helping her get through her SATS this year and thanked the TA for showing motherly love and looking after her. She's the one she goes to if she feels unwell or falls over or something.

One mother always buys expensive gifts and then posts them on Facebook with several pictures showing the gifts from different angles. I think she could be classed as dick waving.

Who said tins of biscuits last ages in a staffroom? They last about twenty minutes!

Ours are getting handmade cards with nice notes inside and then a book (a teaching resource) to share for use in the classroom, not even a fancy one, one I owned already in ebook that I just printed out for them. We don't do dick measuring in our house.

I do it on the cheap, a little something like chocolates & bubble bath.

With two DCS I've had to buy for 7 TA's & teachers.

We've also bought for a supply teacher who was fantastic.

I don't mind a small gift once a year but the parents being huge Christmas gifts as well for the teachers is mad!

We dont dick measure either...
I popped into reception mid-morning today with boxes of cakes to go in the staffroom, flowers for the head who has been fab, and handwritten cards for the teachers /ta's of my kiddies.
No-one saw me and now i wont have to wander around the playground looking like a dick with the offerings in my arms

Reading this thread has made me realise i never thought the presents and cards were meant to be from the kids. We always send them from me and DH and thank them for specific help they've given us regarding the kids development and the peace of mind knowing our dc are well looked after.

Maybe that's because mine are still young. But i think the sentiments will always be from us rather than the dc.

This year DS wrote an acrostic poem for his teacher and I sent in loads of cheese with grapes and flatbreads.

@HollowTalk they last ages as in they dont go out of date quickly so even if every teacher gets several they could be used up.

I sent in a pot plant. Dd wrote a card, ds didn't. I told the teacher and he laughed, he knows my boy well.

I never buy anything 'Best Teacher' as you see so many in the charity shop.

Presents are nice - I still remember the GCSE English group who clubbed together to buy me a voucher so that I could get a pair of Converse (I'd mentioned I wanted a pair back in October) - but it really is the cards and little notes that I appreciate most. I still have a card from a really difficult student that says 'Never give up teaching - your (sic) briliant (sic) at it!!!!!' given to me years ago that sits on my desk at home

@DioneTheDiabolist I'm not a teacher but if you could also send me cheese.....

Chipped in to the class optional whiprpound which was split between the teachers (2 part time) and the TAs (one class 2 additional). We gave home made cards to the teachers thanking them for sterling work. Also grabbed a couple of cheap small posies yesterday which went to the lovely lady who runs the breakfast/after school club and to the TA who works a lot with my DS. Watching my very dyspraxic boy attempt to bow and offer the flowers with a flourish was worth far more than the flowers cost bless him.
We did give end of year gifts when I was in primary waaaaaay back in the late 70's early 80's but never at senior level and just something cheap'n'cheerful.

I think it’s your problem if you don’t like what other people chose to buy their teachers. Teachers are one of the most important people in a child’s life, I’ve seen people on here say spending £15 is embarrassingly extravagent

As a teacher, the BEST gifts are a handwritten, thoughtful card.

A Yr11 class once got me some erasable highlighters and desk bits, cos I am a typical stationery obsessed teacher. It was so lovely of them. I still have much of the things they got me, and they make me smile.

i cant think of a gift that could adequately express my gratitude to my childrens primary school right now. It seems crap to get a box of chocolates. I thought about wine. I dont bloody know. I dont know them as people do I.
Ive written a card to my sons teacher, and to his two LSAs and my son has written in them too. Ive also written a long message to the headmaster ad all of my children who have been through the school and signed it.
I cant afford a big gift and then would that mean the office staff or the SENCO would miss out. It just feels a bit much. I hope they like the cards. I am pretty sure the headmaster knows how much I love the school and everything theyve done for my babies over the years.
God I hate buying presents

A handwritten card isn’t a gift though is it? It’s just a card

MissMarples, I lived with some primary teachers when I was flatsharing and they used to keep the thank-you cards and re-read them when they were going through a particularly tough patch at school or with a difficult child/parent!
Doesn't cost anything to say thanks does it. And I notice my children always appreciate their teachers for very different things to me - e.g. this morning my older son wrote in the TA's card "thanks for always reminding me to take my water bottle to PE" and the younger one had written that he thought his teacher did "the best silly voices when reading stories to the class".

Teachers deserve every massive (or small) gift they get. Why worry about it?!

We're a bit tight and get something like a chocolate orange; teachers are paid for what they do after all.

We do gift people like the school secretary though, who always goes out of her way to be helpful.

But can I be THAT person and point out that my lovely DH who volunteers running Scouts, goes over and above and is totally unpaid, received one measley bottle of beer from all his boys. Spare some thoughts for the volunteers people.

And even if we do receive gifts in multiples or things we might not use, they always go to a good cause.

Often when I moved schools I've re-gifted presents given by parents, to the PTA, for the school tombola to raise a useful amount for my poorly funded school.

Warning The above needs to be carefully tracked so that parents aren't faced with winning their own carefully thought out present at the school fair!!

I make somthing every year

This years gift and small pot of homemade hand cream
Total cost 7 early years staff £6

I am more than happy to give a small gift when my child leaves the class of a teacher who has gone out of their way to help my child. DS has had three amazing teachers in a row. (DD not so much, sadly.)

I always send in some shop bought cakes for the staff room generally and when both of mine left primary school I sent in money for a round of drinks (small school) at the teachers end of year night out. No one needs to know or see but I know it is appreciated and teachers have told me the same.