To not get teachers presents?

[Lemonnhoney]

My son is leaving his nursery/pre school and I just wondered is it fine not to get the teachers anything?

I’m more thinking going forward too into school…

I appreciated them all lot but he was only there September-July and I just think I’d rather get no present than a bad one…. And I think other parents will be getting them things anyway?

I had an aunty who was a teacher and recall her showing me all the terrible tat she got..

Or am i BU and get them a box of chocolates or something?

YANBU.
I want to know who was the committee who decided for us all that we have to give teachers presents.

One of my relatives is a teacher and she gets given some awful junk.
Almost all of it goes to the charity shop.

Tbh what you've said "I appreciated them all a lot" would go nicely in a card with a thank you theme.

I have teachers in the family, none of them expect anything. However they treasure cards or letters from parents and anything drawn or made for them by pupils.

Obviously your choice and the teachers really aren’t fussed. My cousins teach primary age and my Gran did for years too. They always appreciated a hand written letter/card or drawing above all else.

As a teacher I didn’t like getting presents it made me feel weird, and it’s stuff I didn’t really want. A card would be really appreciated but parents a kind word goes a long way.

I have had some lovely presents in my time, and they were appreciated greatly, but it was never an expectation. The thing I loved was the messages of appreciation, especially the handmade cards from children mentioning something they enjoyed or realised the usefulness of. Another thing I still keep is the cards signed with a brief message from all the parents of my pupils.

I didn't buy presents for the teachers but I always got them a card with a thank you message for the teacher (apart from the year my daughter was bullied for 7 months and the teacher was useless).

YANBU. I never bought any teachers a present. They were just doing their jobs, like the rest of us.

It seems odd to me that a few professions attract gifts and tips (eg teachers, nursery assistants, waiters, hairdressers, taxi drivers) and all the others don't.

I wish schools would have policies on this.
I would like to see a no present rule and encourage the children to send cards instead with the option to make an anonymous donation to the teacher Christmas party or meal out fund if parents really wanted to give something.
I end up buying about 6 presents as there is after school club and TAs usually a trainee teacher too. When the children see other children going in with gifts it puts pressure on them to want to do the same. It must be horrible for parents on a tight budget. It must cause lots of waste too.

My son started nursery at his primary school a month ago and today’s his last day before summer holidays so we just dropped off a tin of choc biscuits and a card. It’s the thought that counts surely?

That said we were the last ones to arrive this morning and only saw one other child in his class give anything (also a box of chocolates) and another mum commented on how pathetic it was for people to give chocolates that will probably be thrown away. Ungrateful...

I'm not getting my son's teacher anything because she's a knob.

And I don't think she's gone above and beyond to deserve anything extra. She's literally just done the job she's paid to do.

Maybe I'm a miserable prick, though.

A friend who is a teacher proudly showed me the handwritten cards and drawings she'd received.

My aunt was a teacher and used to get a ton of crap she just passed on as Christmas presents.

Some like a bottle of wine but others are tee total. It's a minefield so I think you're sensible to opt out. I'm sure teachers don't keep a running tally of who gives what anyway.

I’ve had lovely presents over the years all of which have been very appreciated, I’ve even appreciated the ‘tat’ and taken it as the kind gesture it is - I can usually find some home or purpose for it. And I’d never throw chocolate away 🤷‍♀️

It is absolutely not expected though and I’d hate anyone to give me something out of a sense of obligation or to worry how they are going to afford it. I absolutely love the cards especially if they have a personal message in, or a drawing from the child.

I never gave teachers presents.

I don’t do teacher presents. They are recompensed by way of their salary… If your child wants to give them something, I’m sure a hand written card would be more appreciated than a crappy ‘best teacher’ mug or similar, which will no doubt be in the charity shop by the end of August.

I used to get everyone. Teachers... tas and the extra teachers for different subjects etc. It cost me a fortune and obv I have no idea if they liked it or not.
Now I only buy for the ones I like and who have as @Wrotten says, gone our of their way or particularly helped my child.
This year it was one present and frankly a relief not waste time and money on the whole issue

For pre school, when my child left, I sent in a box of cupcakes for all the staff, they were very happy, when I picked my child up later that day, they thanked me again and said they very much enjoyed it with their cup of tea

It was fancy cupcakes tho, not supermarket stuff lol 😆

I have never bought a teacher a gift. I don’t see the need to do so.

YANBU - but if you do get them a gift, get something consumable (chocolate, wine, gift voucher) and not mass produced tat that says "world's best teacher"

I thought I would be torn apart for that comment, not agreed with @Chachachawoo

🤣

We always get nursery workers presents, usually a voucher for the local bakery. Especially as they worked throughout covid with no protection and Barry any recognition.

Most NHS staff couldn’t have worked without our nursery workers.

And no I’m not a nursery worker!

Took in a 12 tray of cupcakes yesterday (supermarket ones that'll still be nice after 48 hours quarantine!) , Got teachers some chocolate and we've made an effort for his 121 who frankly is God sent and has had to clean him up twice last week from explosive poo

Yeah I don't love that this is a thing. Most teachers say they don't expect presents but it looks like most people do give them! DD is nursery age and we've not done it yet hut perhaps we will when she leaves (although probably something similar to chocolate and she seen there since under 1!)

Got dc's 3 teachers something small and personal each and biscuits for the team with thank you card. I didn't cost the earth but wanted to show my appreciation for their hard work this year especially through covid.

Ideally I wouldn't get anything because I really can't afford it but the problem is the children want to be seen to be giving the teacher something and not feel left out when all the other children are leaving gift bags on the teachers desk. I get around this by getting the children to make thank you cards themselves and just putting a £1 Terrys chocolate orange or something similar in a gift bag from B&M. The children don't feel left out and the teacher has something they can eat or give away and I've only spent a few pounds.