Do teachers throw away home made gifts??

[Mammyofonlyone]

My daughter and I have started making gifts for her Reception. teacher and teaching assistants ready to go in a hamper to say thank you. We have always made them gifts since she started nursery aged two. However, I have read a few threads saying that teachers throw things away that are homemade??? Is this true???? I feel a bit sad if it is!
We have spent a long time growing and cooking things in some cases! Most importantly, should I keep the sloe gin to myself if it isn’t appreciated??

I think it depends on the teacher/TA. I've seen people really cherish and show off their homemade gifts and others who don't.

Homemade gifts are always gratefully received here. It's really touching when you see how much effort a child and their parent or carer have put in to make something nice for you. I don't expect anything but always enjoy getting a card with a nice message or drawing in it.

Its easier to just not give gifts!

I have only done it once for DD's lovely teacher who was leaving school at the end of the year, getting married the next day and then leaving for a (v v strict) Middle Eastern country with her new husband for his job and she almost broke my arm snatching the Prosecco off me :o

Don't take it personally MrsC. Just stick to heartfelt thanks in person or in a note, which will undoubtedly be appreciated.

Glad I've decided not to bother this year. How frigging ungrateful.

Lots of opinions and guidance on here from teachers about what kind of gifts are or are not appropriate. I’m grateful for that.

But I’m amazed at the number of people who bluntly won’t eat homemade baked goods or cakes from someone else’s home - In fact from ANYONE else’s home.

(1) Do you really think the food industry is that clean ?

(2) Do you really think your the children you teach are so “other”, so disgusting and dirty that you could not safely eat stuff made in their home ?

Really surprised by this. Some homemade food gifts will be poorly made or unappetizing because some Mums cannot bake. But the tone is very much that it’s all so unhygienic.......

Really surprised. Do you lot wear gas masks to teach in, so as not to catch germs? Cos it sounds like you do.

Auntie I thought same. Can you imagine eating factory condition chicken? Teachers clearly don't.

It depends on the child, for example in my reception class there is a child who picks at his bottom, picks his nose, wiggles his finger in his ear, pokes every disgusting thing he sees etc. Homemade gifts from him would go straight in the bin. Most of the other children I would be quite happy with homemade gifts from.

I think the hampers sound lovely, I would love one. A child bought in a slice of their birthday cake for me once, and explained they had saved it from their party because mum wouldn't let them invite me it made my day.

I teach in FE so tend to get gifts at the end of the academic year from graduating students - as they’re adults the students are giving the gifts, not parents, and often classes club together rather than students give individual things. This year my two classes got me amazing gifts - from one I got flowers, gin, and ASOS vouchers, and the other vouchers for a local restaurant, champagne, chocolates and flowers. I used the ASOS vouchers to buy a necklace and think of the class whenever I wear it. I have all my cards pinned on the wall by my desk, and if I am having a crap day it’s lovely to read the kind messages in them.

"A child bought in a slice of their birthday cake for me once, and explained they had saved it from their party because mum wouldn't let them invite me it made my day."

Aw now see...I think that's really nice. It was spontaneous and therefore had meaning. Very sweet.
It's not creating a consumer custom that piles the guilt and stress on other parents to join in.

Teachers are no different from any other profession. Some will appreciate homemade gifts, others simply will not.

I really wouldn't take any of the comments here as anything other than an individual's opinion of homemade foodstuffs. It makes no difference if they are a teacher or a lawyer, or a care assistant. They no more speak for their profession, than I speak for mine.

Homemade gifts welcomed here, I'll eat anything! Pretty much got a cast iron stomach after working with children for 13 years!

will never understand giving a gift to a teacher for doing their job why they get paid enough
Things I've done this week which are 'not my job':
Handed out tissues, cough sweets, plasters, wet wipes, breakfast bars. All bought by me. Trying to make their days a little easier when they are under the weather/uncomfortable/hungry.
Stayed late to support some children competing in an event whose parents couldn't make it.
Helped 6th formers with CVs/references at lunchtime.
Mopped up many, many tears and comforted children who were upset, hurt, depressed, worried, anxiety off the scale, alone, unhappy, neglected, pressurised, and just sad for lots of reasons.

None of that is 'my job'. Teaching is my paid job. I don't want or need gifts at all, but the odd £1 box of Maltesers over the years has absolutely made my day.

Sorry to derail a bit, op. The hamper sounds lovely.

leccybill You are a lovely lovely person

SparklyUnicornPoo I have a son like that, utterly filthy. I can assure you though that anything made in my home would not be covered in detritus from him, nor his orifices

Op you sound utterly lovely.

I send my kids with the big chocolate boxes that are on offer in marks it’s usually 2 for 1. After reading this thread I’m firmly sticking to this tradition!

I normally make millionaires shortbread for the staff room but i may not bother this year now... the teachers each get a christmas scratchcard and a few roses in a cellaphane bag tied up with ribbon and hand designed by dd tag - who doesn't love a scratchcard and chocs! 😂

I echo a PP comment; absolutely nothing is expected, everything is appreciated.

That everything for me includes homemade biscuits, cakes, drinks... yum! The exception for me being pickles/chutney etc because I’m a fussy git but DH is always thrilled with them

It also includes a card or a thank you at the door. Just a smile is fine!

TheFormidableMrsC I should possibly have added it would depend on the parents too, if it was a parent I was fairly certain had better hygiene standards than their child maybe but not all parents do.

It isn't about vitriol. Its about imagining eat you are giving, multiplying it by class size, then doubling for end of year and then multiplying by X number of years. Now imagine if that starting unit was a hamper of even half a dozen things.
The thought is nice but it isn't practical to keep ( 6 x 30 ) x 2 = 360 items each year of teaching practice

Maybe I'm materialistic, but I'd love 360 presents! Bloody love presents! I've been a room leader in a nursery, and worked in many different (stressful) roles in the NHS. Where's my 360 presents?! Send em over if they're going to waste

I was a secondary school teacher and ANY presents I got I was delighted with! A Year 7 girl once made me a little felt keyring and sewed ''Best Teacher"'onto it. I still have it.

Poor primary teachers and their avalanches of chocolate

Teachers - I was planning on giving DD's teacher and the class TA a bottle of prosecco each plus a tree decoration made by DD. Does that seem OK - too impersonal? I don't know if the TA drinks (the teacher does I think), but I guess they can always regift some fizz with no problems.

Thanks for all the nice messages! I might still give the thing a we have already made and just add to it with non consumables such as a tree decoration and some bulbs in a pot.

For those keen on sims, whilst potentially the teacher could up with hundreds of items if every child made a hamper, I know from speaking to the other parents that this defo won’t be the case so there are no worries there.

I did a hamper recently which was very well received, to an embarrassing degree tbh.

It contained:
Board markers
Hair bobbles and clips
Drawing pins
Rubbers
Handwriting pens
Marking pens
Sharpies
Blutack

I think home baking is better suited to the staff room usually. Then everyone gets the benefit of the thought and the nice note, and those who avoid home-made can discreetly do so without feeling guilty about waste.

I tend to send a box of biscuits for the staffroom (not homemade) I figure that those who like them will eat them and there is nothing to store afterwards. Dd is in secondary now and has bought a box of malteasers once for one teacher and a babygro for another teacher going on maternity leave. I trust that if she feels they deserve a gift she will spend her own money tbh.

Way that sounds lovely - very thoughtful.

Hope my earlier post was considered one of the ruder ones, just trying to be honest and save you time and money. As I said we always appreciate your kind words and cards, some biscuits for the staffroom would be gratefully received as all staff involved with your child would be able to share.
But it is honestly not expected.

To those who say don't bother is it not nice for the children to learn about giving as well as receiving and encourage them to appreciate their teacher? Not that I'm going to bother now after reading this.