Not to buy presents for all children's club leaders?

[theconstantinoplegardener]

I always get something for my DDs' Brownie leader, as she is a volunteer giving up many hours of her own time to provide fun activities for my DDs. However I have never bothered with presents for the leaders of their "paid for" clubs, such as swimming and gymnastics, as I presume these leaders are salaried employees of the leisure centre/gym club.

One of the other mums has shared a photo of the lovely poinsettia she'll be giving to the gymnastics teacher at the last session of term, today. Now I am worried that I have been seeming rude or ungrateful by not giving gifts up to now.

What does everybody else do? It is a nice gesture of appreciation, to give gifts. However, I have several children and buying presents for all their club leaders would be quite expensive. I don't know them well enough to know what they'd really like, and it seems a waste of resources to get something that they may well not want. Even vouchers and gift cards are apparently never used, in many cases! But, I don't want to seem rude or ungrateful!

I think gift giving has got completely out of hand.

I give a card and tin of biscuits to the brownie leader because she doesn’t get paid and she does a great job.

Volunteer leaders: nice to give a card with thanks/small present
Other leaders: maybe a card if they've gone above and beyond only imo.

I suspect for leaders, a card saying they've made a difference to your child's confidence/they look forward to the class/have learnt a lot etc is more meaningful than 30 poinsettias....

Why would someone post a picture of a gift before they give it? That feels quite childish behaviour. Do not let social media affect your choices.

Most people in these circumstances don't expect any sort of thank you at Christmas.
A card with a note saying how much they have helped from your daughter would be much more appreciated that a present from the parent that the child had no part in!

I've only ever gotten my youngests coaches presents and that's only because she is pre-professional and with them several hours a day and they travel internationally with her etc so I feel like they've earned it throughout the year.

The rest my children's coaches and leaders it's never even occurred to me to get them gifts unless I had built a personal friendship with them. Hell, I barely even do teacher presents because it just wasn't a thing when my oldest was in school.

I get for teachers but it hasn't ever occurred to me to buy for swimming teachers etc. And I simply couldn't afford to buy for everyone. I'm friends with a nursery practitioner and she said most of the parents buy chocolates or biscuits for the staff and (although grateful) they simply don't want so much so I'd rather save my money than give them something they are only going to pass on...

You don’t need to give a present, don’t worry. If you want to do something I think a card would be lovely.
Having said that, I did get my DS’s dance teacher a card and some biscuits because she puts in far more effort than the £4.50 (!) a week it costs!

YANBU

I’m a Brownie leader and while we appreciate gifts, it’s certainly not expected or the norm. Out of twenty girls we usually get two or three Christmas gifts, so no child would feel left out if they didn’t give us anything.

Thanks everyone! Good to know I'm not the only one. That saves me a last minute dash to the shops!

I’m a Brownie Leader and didn’t get any Christmas gifts this year. I got a card and a voucher from a girl that’s leaving, and the card was the most touching thing I’ve ever had. It genuinely made me cry. The voucher that was with it was a nice extra but I would’ve been happy with just the card! I’ve also had some lovely emails from parents thanking me for my hard work. I’d rather receive them than a bottle of wine (that I won’t drink) or some chocolates. I’ve had a tough time with my mental health over the last 6 months, so hearing that I’m appreciated and that their daughter is having a good time has really helped!

I agree with fissionchips

We bought small gifts for DD2's Brown Owl and 2 assistant guiders and DD2 wrote a lovely card to each of them saying what she'd enjoyed doing at Brownies this term. We also give them small gifts every year in July and I make a donation to the pack for the year ahead. They are volunteers who do a great job. They gave little chocolates to the girls at the last meeting of the term last week, and even included DD1 who is 12 and left Brownies 18 months ago!

DD2's swimming coach is also a volunteer - she gives up 5 nights a week and also weekends for competitions, all without being paid. We will buy a small gift for her and again DD2 will write her a nice card.

I don’t give presents to club leaders.

Re the Brownie leader, are there any other helpers? We had our last rainbows meeting of the term yesterday and the leader was given quite a few gifts, no one bought anything for us assistant leaders. There are three of us that volunteer and run the group every week, not just the leader, and we put in just as much effort (often more) than the leader. I actually planned and led the main activity this term, and the party we had yesterday. It was actually a bit insulting to have been completely missed like that on the assumption that the leader does everything. Either give them all something, or none.

isleepinahedgefund that’s a shame! If we get gifts it’s usually matching gifts for all three leaders. And if someone gave a gift only to the leader in charge she’d be more likely to insist (once the children had gone home) that one of the other leaders took it.

At most, a handwritten card from your DC thanking them for helping them learn or saying how much they enjoy the class would be nice but I really don’t think it’s needed.

I'm a voluntary leader in a local club and definitely hadn't expected and to get gifts. As much as I would appreciate the gesture I wouldn't really want people spending their money on me. A hand written card would be lovely.