When did this trend of giving parents of new reception starters tea bags and biscuits with a poem start?

[Thisisa]

I’ve seen it around for a good few years - when and how did it start? Any reception teachers around?

@ClumpingBambooIsALie love the phrase 'uwanted gluten vehicle', that's exactly how I would feel about a complimentary biscuit I couldn't eat.

Never heard of this trend, seems cringey.

This has just happened to me! I didn’t realise what it was because my kid just said, look, I’ve got biscuits! I gave her them and then the teacher said that the packet was for me. Wondered why there was a tissue in there and a tea bag.

Christ, it's a frigging biscuit. Unless they held op's nose and forced it in, dial down the drama 🙄

That poem is shocking, I find stuff like this twee anyway but that poem would give me no confidence whatsoever in anyone teaching English to a child.

I imagine any number of parents seeing one off for first day at school will be far from alone, because toddler/baby sibling. I suppose they could grab a moments peace by feeding them the biscuit, if old enough.

It's awful. Seems to assume that all parents are having a leisurely stroll home to put the kettle on and their feet up.

They've been doing it here for years complete with poem. Doesn't seem the best use of funds 🤷🏼‍♀️ we are asked to contribute money and tissues at the start of year.

Chill, it was just a jokey way of giving a nod to the fact that unsolicited biscuits might cause problems depending how they're offered — I wanted to mention that I hoped it was sealed because I'd be irritated to be given an unexpected, unsealed biscuit. Offered on a plate, or given in a little sealed packet, fine. If loose, though, I'd chuck the biscuit and anything it deposited crumbs on, and wash my hands as soon as possible.

I got one of these! Can report that the biscuit was a wrapped blue ribband so no hygiene issues. I went home and ate it but I am on mat leave so didn't need to rush off.

Didn't know this was a thing in schools. My now 21 year old DD brought home a Mother's day card with a teabag and a kit kat in it, when she was at pre-school though.

Bloody horrendous. Twee and patronising.

I hardly think they're giving out single custard creams from an open packet or do you object to hands touching your wrapped biscuits too

Some people can find a complaint about literally anything

Omg how cringe is that.

Dont be stupid, they said teabag. If thats an individual wrapped one then those are expensive. Where are they magically finding all this money?

Never heard of it. Patronising and twee and a waste of money.

All the stuff about the exact status of the biscuits and the teabags is just idle side-musing, not really anything worth getting into a great amount of discussion over 😬 I mean, I could argue that giving out tea is insensitive to Mormons but I'm not going to My main issue is I'm allergic to that poem.

I received one yesterday and yes; they were given to dads, too.
Ours were made by the class teacher and given to us all after we had taken our child in. I thought it was nice.

God there are some right miserable reception mums on this thread! It's just meant to be a nice gesture from teachers who realise the massive responsibility they have in looking after your tiny children and want to reassure you and welcome you to school.

(that particular poem is terrible, however - you can get better ones than that one.)

Well, given ours was a single teabag stapled to the card I doubt we were meant to take it literally and rush home to brew up 😂
It was just a little something to acknowledge that you were handing your child over to other carers for the day.
Very twee (although our poem was nothing like as bad as that one!) but ultimately harmless.
We didn't get a biscuit...

Well I loved it. We both took the day off when he started school and the tissues did come in handy when I started blubbing on the way home. I must be a sentimental twat but I thought it was a lovely gesture from the teachers.

Is it a Ryan Giggs poem?

You was robbed, someone upthread got a Blue Riband!

Maybe there needs to be a Reception Gift League Table.

Top-tier schools you get an individually wrapped Pukka teabag and a nākd bar with a tasteful poem.

Middle-of-the-road gets you PG Tips and a 2-finger Tesco KitKat knock-off with some cheesy sentimental doggerel.

Must do better to those that chuck a value range teabag and a chocolate digestive in a food bag with a note saying "he's ours now".

Never heard of it. I'd rather the school spend their time and money on something else personally...

😂😂😂

I think it's kind of sweet of a teacher to take the time to do it, but totally unnecessary. I hope they don't feel pressure to do it - I thought teachers had enough on their plate without stuff like this?! And I don't drink tea, and can provide my own tissues, so really a waste of money. I'd rather the money was spent elsewhere.

The poem is soooo cringey. I hate the ones at weddings too.