Xmas present to help my Dd be one of the teachers favourites

[Justlookatthatrain]

😂Joking-sort of

But seriously, what do you buy your child’s teacher at Christmas?
I worked in a school and there were 100% the mums/kids who bought the flashiest presents-good perfume, champagne, huge bouquets and it did have an effect and everyone knew who those mums were
I’m sure teachers will deny this 😅
A good, thoughtful present does make a difference

Aibu?

My goodness just show the teacher that you are an approachable, easy going and reasonable parent. That is how to get your child liked by being liked yourself.

A home made card meant far more to me than any gift when I was a teacher.

Honestly don’t be a Wally. Those mums that walk in with massive bouquets and selfridges bags get bloody side eyed by the parents and I’m sure the teachers are mortified.

If your child is polite and you are supportive your child will be just fine.

Stick £3 in the collection like everybody else.

Just get them a £50 voucher for somewhere nice.

I have kept cards form pupils and still enjoy looking at them and wondering what they're doing now.

Please no wine or Best Teacher mugs. I hate wine and always felt guilty about regifting any I got and I could have started a shop with the mugs I got.

An expensive gift would not make me like that child more. I'd probably think the parent was being a bit too "try hard"

I do agree that a lovely card with some well thought out, genuine words by child and/or parents did mean the most.

What?? £50?? Jesus

IME it was always noticed who bought the expensive presents, but it made no actual difference to anything. If a kid is a pain in the arse the stay a pain in the are regardless of what their parents choose to give teachers.

I always go on these threads and say the same thing

A card with a really nice message and an email to the head about me is honestly the nicest thing!

Not showy but I promise you it's what teachers like the best

At schools I’ve been associated with (as a parent, governor or member of staff) they’ve always had policies about the value of a gift that can be accepted.

I always liked that my kids’ primary would send a message to parents in December saying ‘no presents please. We don’t want you to spend your money on us please out of towards having a lovely Xmas with your family’ or words to that effect.

"Perhaps Miss Pitman had learnt a lesson, for in future she accepted no presents at all from her pupils, not even flowers, and showed special favour to nobody. The Form liked her much better now that she was more impartial."

• Angela Brazil, 1912

You'd think attitudes would have progressed, not regressed, over 100 or more years.

As Catholics at a Catholic school, we bought a cute Nativity (not expensive) for a few teachers and they were thrilled. Walking into the classrooms a few years later, there they were, in use.

It was different, small and practical.

I have baked for teachers before, too.

I never thought of emailing the head 🤔 what to say?

When did all these Christmas presents for teachers start? Not something we ever did in the 70s/80s. They also get gifts at the end of the school year apparently - it's all bonkers.

Well, southern hemisphere here. So end of year and Christmas are the same thing.

When I have had nice emails- it's just been how well their child is thriving, how they enjoy my lessons/ form group

Doesn't have to be gushing - and should be true of course- it's just a nice thing to have and teachers get very little praise day to day so it's always nice

I think presents for the teachers is lovely, kids love doing it and I loved receiving them 💓

£50 ??? That’s wild

No, I was at school in the 70s/80s and it wasn't a thing at all (state schools).

I’m getting this https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0FGYC48ZJ/?coliid=I1EU0B4MYMKEBV&colid=NI1X8OXS60JJ&psc=1&ref_=cm_sw_r_apann_lstpd_JQGAJM77GD2ZWWCN79MK&language=en-US and then a gift voucher

I always get a small gift of something they have mentioned they like in class, a book, a scarf with a certain design on it, one really excellent teacher got a small lego set, their favourite sweets etc, plus I write a thank you card thanking them for what they have done for my kids.

It doesn't have to be a fancy gift, just thoughtful.

If it's a local authority / state school then teachers can't accept gifts above a certain nominal value and they need to declare all gifts on a special form.

"it is the full responsibility of each
employee to report and record all offers of gifts and hospitality made to them.
The Bribery Act 2010 makes it a criminal offence to give, promise, or offer a bribe, and
to request, agree to receive, or accept a bribe.
Gifts and/or hospitality that could be seen as an incentive to place business with the giver or
could conflict with the Council's duty to its customers should not be accepted. Whilst not all
offers of gifts and/or hospitality will constitute a 'bribe', employees should be mindful that a
gift given now may lead to the expectation of a 'favour' in return at some point in the future."

I'm not sure if it is the same everywhere but we have a policy of having to "declare" any gifts worth over £30. Being secondary school we get less of this, but you still get the occasional keener!
Honestly the pp who said an email to the head is spot on "My child has settled well and speaks so highly or Ms/Mr X. I just wanted to let you know how happy we are with her progress, in particular she's loved the harvest festival and learning about the great fire of London. All the best for Christmas, we so value all your work and dedication "

Teachers don’t want 20-30 presents from pupils.

best thing you can do is create a WhatsApp group and invite parents to contribute a fiver each, then get a voucher for somewhere generic (John Lewis / Waitrose etc).

Let them choose something themselves rather than committing 20-30 presents to landfill

My cousin and my sister in law were both primary school teachers (both recently retired).
They both said that anything made by the kids, either a card or a small gift, meant more than anything more ostentatious.
And one said that a small soft toy made from one of the mum's daughter's school dresses was incredibly moving and thoughtful. She'd helped them through losing the little girl's dad very young during Covid.
Last time l visited she had it on the armchair in her sitting room and she actually pointed it out to me and told me about it.
Not everyone can afford champagne or huge bouquets. It's about the thought, not the money.