Active discussions

Are your children’s vaccines up to date?

Set a reminder

Please or to access all these features

Talk
Paid childcare

Discuss everything related to paid childcare here, including childminders, nannies, nurseries and au pairs.

Original poster

Advice for Christmas

22 replies

MUM2BLESS · 12/12/2011 11:19

Is anyone buying Chistmas presents for their cm kids? if so what are you spending on each?

The kids break up on Friday at 13 30 at the Junior school (two mine and the cm kids too) . Thinking of doing a little party for them. Is thier a limited to how much you can spend?

OP posts:
Are your children’s vaccines up to date?
Set a reminder
Octaviapink · 12/12/2011 11:42

Nope! Their parents get a Christmas card with their January invoice.

gardenpixies32 · 12/12/2011 11:58

I don't give them any presents either.

Mine are little ones so I bought a reindeer costume for 1.99 and I dressed each one in the outfit and took a photo to make a Christmas card for their parents. I also give them a Christmas card.

dmo · 12/12/2011 12:08

i get all 17 of my children a present normally spend about £5

HSMM · 12/12/2011 12:20

I give presents between £5-£10 each and have a Christmas party. Normally 1 big party with parents too, but 2 small ones just for the children this year.

Octaviapink · 12/12/2011 12:55

Shock at dmo - you spend £85 on presents for your mindees? Wow!

PaulaMummyKnowsBest · 12/12/2011 13:26

do any of you buy for the parents too or just the little ones?

I have brought gifts for the children but don't want the parents to think I am mean if I don't give them something too (I used to be a nanny and would buy for the children and parents)

Do you only buy for your mindees or for their siblings too (even though they don't come to your setting)?

looneytune · 12/12/2011 13:41

I buy all of mine presents and spend between £5-10 on each of them (usually nearer £7). I also have 2 who have birthdays a few days before Christmas and they get a seperate birthday present, just like the others get a present on their birthdays. I'm absolutely broke this year but I don't feel I can suddenly stop doing it plus tbh, we're totally and utterly spoilt by most of these families anyway so would feel really bad not getting them anything (plus most have been with me 4-5 years!!)

HSMM · 12/12/2011 14:01

I just buy for mindees. Not parents or siblings.

bigdonna · 12/12/2011 14:30

i currently only have two term time little ones i have spent £12 each on and aholiday only who i have had since 6 months old i have spent £2o on.i normally try to stay under £10 for little ones.And my mindee whom had for 9 yrs buys for my two children (gives them £20.00 each) and buys for me and my husband.oh i also bought a present for mindees older brother just spent afiver.i suppose it depends on how much i can afford!!

Lily311 · 12/12/2011 14:38

My cm friend buys to all of her mindees. She got books from Bookpeople, Julia Donaldson bundle for £10 (10 books for £10) and gives that with a card to the parents. It's a nice gesture and she only spends a pound on her mindees.

glenthebattleostrich · 12/12/2011 17:33

I get them all a little book. Like Lily311's friend I just get the multipacks and split them so it's quite cheap and any left over get put away for birthdays.

We also have a litte party which we time for parents to be able to come too with mince pies and a drink (wine or hot chocolate) for the parents if they want one and hot chocolate / juice and biscuits for the children. (The juice is quite a treat as normally it's water or milk all the way here!)

mamamaisie · 12/12/2011 21:15

I buy my mindees presents but not their parents or siblings. I have one little girl who has been with me for a while and I am extremely fond of her. I have spent £18 on her gift this year. I also have two babies who have not been with me as long and I spent £11 on each of them. Smile

KatyMac · 12/12/2011 21:21

Mindees get about £5
Parents get a present (with photo) made by mindee
Staff get bonus & present plus presents for their children & wine for their other half

Original poster
MUM2BLESS · 13/12/2011 19:06

Wow very interesting!!!!!

Those who have a Christmas party how much do you spend?

I will have to think about what I want to buy etc.

OP posts:
tigersmum · 13/12/2011 19:25

I usually buy for the mindees but this year put the money I would have spent towards adopting a Koala from Australia in our settings name. We now have a lovely display of our adoption certificate and photo of our Koala. The parents thought it was a brilliant idea.

HavePatience · 13/12/2011 21:00

I'm a parent. Our cm usually gives a gift to her mindees. The children make something - a craft of some sort and wrap it up to put under the tree for parents. We buy cm a gift. I would not want her to spend hard earned money buying us a gift, or siblings she doesn't look after. I would feel awful about that, knowing that money is tight. I think it's nice that she buys for mindees, but don't expect it and wouldn't even blink if she decided not to this year. Her genuine love for and patience with our child is truly the best gift she can give us.

HSMM · 13/12/2011 22:28

We had our first Christmas party yesterday. Turkey dinner, Christmas crafts, group games. Had great fun.

Thursday's party coincides with toddlers party, with soft play, Santa and a huge lunch with lots of children.

Not too costly.

surfandturf · 14/12/2011 19:16

I've bought presents for all my 16 mindees too (approx £5 each). I don't really do presents for parents or siblings but we have been busy making Christmas crafts over the past few weeks and have made a bag (out of empty cereal boxes wrapped in Christmas wrapping paper, with curling ribbon for handles) to put them all in and the children can take them home. I've also taken photographs of all the children wearing a santa hat and made a card using this for parents from their child. And for my littlies, I bought some cheap blank canvasses and they have each done a painting which I will wrap as a gift to parents.

confusedpixie · 14/12/2011 19:25

I'm a nanny and have had a dilemma with this! I am half way through knitting a toy snowman for my little 1yo charge but couldn't do anything similar for the three children in my second job so bought them a book with different types of paper for writing/drawing, some cars for the 5yo, a Disney/Pixar Cars poster set for the 3yo and a couple of nature books for the 7yo (all from pound land!)

I'm not sure if that's enough, I've only spent a couple of quid on each child though! The parents are getting homemade sugar scrub, hot choc mix each and a jar of homemade chutney.

Original poster
MUM2BLESS · 16/12/2011 23:15

Great replies everyone, thanks

Kids had a chance to draw pics on a 2012 calendar and decorate gift bags.

I purchased pressies for all seven mindees, but not their siblings or parents. The parents got a card.

Today the children present, decorated biscuits with different toppings. We had some party type food and watched a dvd.

What activities did you do for Christmas, with the kids?

OP posts:
lisa1968 · 18/12/2011 20:51

Oh I couldnt look after my mindees and not buy them anything!!
I love them all to bits and try to find things for them that I know theyre interested in.We do lots of christmssy crafts-we love glitter!!!!-but i don't do a party because we go to 3 different toddler groups and they have parties there.(fsmile)

Original poster
MUM2BLESS · 19/12/2011 23:40

Everyone have a lovely christmas, and may 2012 be a peaceful and joyful one.

I am not cm againing until the New Year. Spending time with my two kids (two of them away at present). Also doing paper work.

OP posts:
New posts on this thread. Refresh page