To not put a pupil's name on this gift.

[chaostrulyreigns]

Gah. Deep breath.

I am cross.

I've volunteered to organise Y6 thank you gifts for teacher and headteacher. (I know, I know)

I am buying a fantastic platter that each child pops their thumbprint on, then an artist prints each pupil's name on, adds an inscription then glazes and fires the plate.

One mom has refused to pay the 2x£1.50 fee saying that the teachers are paid to do a job and don't need separate gifts.

Therefore I am now out of pocket as it is £45 for upto 30 thumbs. As well as having to drive 3 lots of 20 mile round trips to collect, return and fetch the finished plate along with spending my freetime in school furtively getting all the pupils to put their prints on the plates.

So AIBU not to put her child's thumb print on plate?

Actually I think writing this down has dissipated my fit of pique, and I couldn't punish the child and exclude her.

What are your thoughts?

I teach - in a way it sounds like a lovely present, most of us are sentimental so and sos who do hang onto knicknacks the kids give us for a good long time, but it does also seem a bit of a tricky thing to accommodate, being a plate and all.

Sounds cliched but most teachers I know of appreciate things like mugs - because they go AWOL in school so flipping often (generally found in the Y6 classroom - they even slummed it to swiping a colleague's Wolves mug at one point - we thought that was safe from a die-hard Forest fan), and you DO remember the child when you use them. I've had a massive collection of cat mugs over the years (the kids know I'm a cat nutter), and they've all been well-used... my last "teacher mug" broke recently and I was well-upset about it!

Cards and things I keep for a few years, eventually they get caught in a clearout whenever I move house next - but I do look back over them and smile. I did keep one drawing of me that some kids did - because I liked the fact they'd made me 6 foot tall and about a size 8! That one got laminated and stuck to my work diary for the following year for when I needed an ego boost!

Chocolates and wine... get "accommodated" (hic)! I do like to look back and think about the kids who gave me things though - I've got a cat windchime hanging from my desk at the moment, and I can really remember the little girl who gave me it, with the cautionary note of, "be careful because this doesn't bounce, Miss" - and that was from about 4-5 years ago now!

One male colleague got given an incredibly large Super Soaker water gun from his class one year - it was soundly used in the end of term year 6 water fight - you've never seen a teacher with a bigger grin on his face!

Heard the story once from a colleague who'd been proudly presented with a gift from one kid - a vibrator. Said kid then had chirped up with, "My mum said you could have this because she doesn't need it anymore since she got her new boyfriend." Don't have a class collection for one of THOSE!

Sorry OP but why would anyone want a plate with thumb-prints of other people's children on it?

Make the best of a bad job and include the child. Suck up the extra cost and resolve to buy a sensible small present or none at all next time.

at the poster saying that teachers don't like getting cheap bottles of wine! I never got enough of them when I taught, always good for offering to drunk mates cooking with.

YABU - You sound like a bit of a playgroud nightmare - who I would avoid at all costs tbh.

What is this class rep shit?

Have a avoided this because dd is 14 now and there were no such things years ago?

Thanks Ladyanonymous. Why would offering to help out make me a playground nightmare?

I think you are massively lucky that everyone else decided to go along with this plan. Only having one parent who refused to pay is pretty good going really.

The teacher probably would have preferred a card with a little note from all of them to a platter. I am an avid hater of clutter and stuff like that though. I have kept all the cards from children I have taught, I know I wouldn't want to keep a platter.

I would have paid you (and thanked you) in appreciation of the effort you have afforded the project but, really, you have no right to go around spending other people's money without their prior permission. I wouldn't assume that all the parents who paid and thanked you really were that pleased.

Oh no don't start slagging off the OP - she was very gracious andl aughed at self when we all started saying frisbee the vile plate etc.

Well depending on how it was organised, others could surely have said that they didn´t like the idea of a platter?

Sounds like I've put myself in a bad position - setting myself up to be disliked and the playground nightmare, all because I decided to offer to help.

Fanfarkingtastic.

Probably why no-one else volunteered and why everyone was so happy for me to take on thid onerous task (remember I was not the suggestor or decider). So that they weren't viewed as the pushy bossy nightmare that I am potentially in danger of being perceived.

Complex?

And farking karma has been up to its retributive tricks.

Got flashed by a speed camera on way back to school from plate shop.

You see, I thought it was a good gift, because it was useful. I'd use it to dish things up on. Why not? When people come round, you might put a cake on it. But then I have lots of mismatching crockery. And it wouldn't last for ever.

Ladyanonymous - class reps are the poor mugs who get to do the bidding of the other class mums. "Yes, let's do a collection. chaostrulyreigns, you'll do it, won't you?" It's a thankless task, because everyone has their own ideas, and even if the rep canvasses everyone before the decision is made and suggest it is optional, people still disagree with the final result - but only after everything's been decided, and it's too late to influence the outcome.

"What, you got John Lewis vouchers? Surely Argos would have been better?" Does it really matter? You can tell that I'm bitter, can't you?

Oh no, bummer! I feel I should organise a whip-round for you

Oh you poor sod.

Bet you feel like frisbeeing that farking plate now, don't you.

Yes bet present organising is a thankless task. At least you botehr though. Alternative is miserable old cows like me who do nowt.

Touchè.

That was to cret of course!

Get thanks for your humour on this thread - I have re-read my OP and I don't think it came off as light-hearted in a sort of tongue-in-cheek aaaargh way as I had hoped.

Oh well off to the comfort of Chat.

Well I think my first post was harsh, then felt terrible when I said 'frisbee the plate' and seemed to unleash everyone coming on saying 'it's shite'.

Plus I have been torn to shreds re very trivial shite on AIBU and it does feel a bit grim sometimes - so all credit to you for actually not taking it too seriously.

Thanks.

You can never please everyone with things like this - there are always certain people who complain (usually those not willing to organise anything themselves) and just don't seem to appreciate all the effort you're putting in.

DD1's teacher retired this year and the present was all planned (a mirror surrounded by tiles designed/created by the pupils) until we suddenly found out that she'd prefer the money to go to charity instead. I did initially think it was a bit of a shame that she wouldn't have anything personal to remember the children by, but she was so moved when she was presented with the cheque that it was definitely the right decision in the end. (And she was also presented with drawings that the children had done for her, so didn't miss out on the "personal" element either.)

Would a bunch of flowers not have done it?

Ooh mugs. Am going to get a mug for every single teacher from here on in

Only if you're mug enough to get them a present

She did get a big bouquet of flowers as well.

The Austrians are very, um... creative and into their arts and crafts. I must admit I was secretly relieved that we didn't have to make a special trip to the craft shop in the end. I'm sure she appreciated the donation to charity much more - it was good that we found out just in time.

I can see this from both points of view. I personally wouldnt like to be advised this is what we are doing and its x amount each as I love to pick individual presents for all the staff. On the other hand it does solve some of the not so good items and may help those who dont want to spend a lot.

I wonder if teachers prefer one present or like lots of little gifts.