to give teachers a 'snack pack' for trips?

[WhatGoesHere]

so - my son is due to go on a school residential for 3 nights.
Do you think it would be weird to send him with a box/bag of treats for the teachers - to help them "get through" the ordeal long days? I'm just thinking some biscuits, hot chocolate sachets, box of celebrations - that kind of thing.

I think it might be better than a thank you of the same thing after the event? I will ask DS to write a thank you card too - as teachers are giving up time and i gather it's actually really hard work taking kids away on these things?

do you think the admin staff should get a few treats too for their office? As they presumably did lots of prep work too??

This particular aspect of their job relies on good will and volunteering. The teachers won’t get paid overtime, some will feel bullied into attending because of the culture of the management, many will have to make alternate arrangements for their own children.
It’s not just a fucking ‘job’.

I would do at the end, unless you give it a few days before the trip not just as they are leaving.

I think the miseries on this thread are imagining how they would feel seeing another parent doing this, and they’d probably feel “well, that’s OTT” as a way to avoid feeling jealous for not having thought of it themselves.

I’m imagining how I would feel to receive this as a teacher, and I think it would be lovely to be thought of. There will be a number of teachers, so one package of treats isn’t going to be hard to carry.

Morning Competitive Mom.

No. I'm sure the teachers can manage their own treats.

I think that's a lovely idea. Give it before the camp and then they can decide whether to take it or leave it in the staff room depending on luggage etc etc.

I’ve never met anyone who would struggle to “manage” a pack of hobnobs and some quality street. Honestly!

But if every parent sends something it quickly goes from a nice treat to a problem. You have children upset that their teacher didn't take the packet of biscuits they gave them. Not to mention parents competing to send the best snack pack, with multiple items. A packet of biscuits can easily turn into several gift bags of snacks, drinks and other items.

It's best to say thank you and leave it at that.

well it was just going o be one thing - like a few packs of nice biscuits OR a box of choccies to share , sorry it wasn't clear.

Because people don't need snacks to 'get through' anything.

Schools generally discourage parents from sending their kids with a load of snacks in their cases, they'd look pretty hypocritical if they found out the teachers were binging on biscuits and chocolates.

A simple thank you or a card will be enough.

I think some sweets is plenty I wouldn't worry too much about biscuits.

YANBU if you can easily afford it.

well, aren't you charming...

Hot chocolate sachets are not a treat and neither are boxes of cheap chocolate.
You are just adding to teachers’ mental load by giving them extra stuff to sort out when they are trying to get children and luggage on a coach without leaving anyone or anything behind.

Well, it's more of a nice treat really. I was being a bit tongue in cheek about having to get through it... I gather its's such hard work, managing all the kids, late nights, early wake up, checking kids are in bed, dealing with homesickness, sorting out all parent enquiries, counting in and out and probably loads of other stuff I haven't thought of.

oh ,s o what is a treat if not chocolates and stuff?

ok, maybe a box of chocs for the staff on the trip and one for the office staff too?

💩 👅

A nice bottle of wine after the trip would be appreciated, but otherwise it seems very childish to expect grown adults to be excited by cheap, sugary crap.

Just a box of chocolates or a bottle of wine when they get back would be appreciated more.

You’re not a teacher are you!

If you were, you’d know that as you’re about to climb aboard a bus crammed with over-excited children, with a stuffed-to-bursting backpack on your back and hands full clutching a clip-board with register and contact details, sick bucket and first aid kit, trying to catch Parent A to get their child’s Epipen while Parent B is trying to hand over un-labelled travel-sickness tablets, mentally keeping track of which kids have made last minute dashes to the loo and trying to get them back in time to set off… the last thing you want thrust in your face are rolls of biscuits and tubs of Quality Street.

Yeah I think that's maybe better if you want to show your appreciation.

I don't know who these people are that are saying teachers would think it's 'OTT' and 'adding to mental load'!

As a teacher, I think it's a lovely idea,. We don't run trips and expect anything in return, but it's always nice to know that we've been appreciated/seen for our hard work (that we don't get paid extra for, as a lot of parents seem to think!)

@WhatGoesHere it's a lovely idea, but don't feel like you have to. Worst case scenario, they'll be untouched during the trip, but will be greatly appreciated afterwards!

Stop trying so hard. The teachers are doing the job they are paid to do. Let them get on with it.

oh ,s o what is a treat if not chocolates and stuff?

Lots of people don't consider food to be a treat - I work a job where I get given loads of treat boxes and honestly while I appreciate the thought, I'd rather get a nice handwritten card instead.

Please don’t do this:

They don’t need it.

Many parents can’t afford it.
Many parents are juggling about 100 different things and don’t need this sort of unnecessary shite taking up space in their head.

My kids would expire of embarrassment if I made them give their teachers a thank you gift as they got on the coach for a trip...