do you think teachers presents have gotten out of hand?

wow Thank you again cher913!

It depends on my budget. Last year I made all the teachers fudge and put it in pretty containers. If finances are better I like to get them movie gift cards enough for two people to get in to a movie as I think teachers need to enjoy the time off during Christmas break. I have also gotten them nice frames that were not too expensive, and I have given them a mug and a box of hot chocolate to go along with it. I don't spend a lot of money usually $15.00 or less. My two older kids are in Junior High so I won't be getting teachers gifts for them because they have several teachers each. So my youngest son's Kindergarden teacher will probably get the movie gift cards.

Yes, I do think it's gotten way out of hand over the years. Too much gift and it looks like a bribe or something lol. We usually do something on the order of homemade cookies and candies in a dollar store basket or plate. Another one we did was those 'gift in a jar' type things (homemade soup mix, friendship tea, stuff like that.) I think it says more to the child, as well as the teacher, to give a gift from the heart and not from the wallet: expensive. It shows they put some thought and heart into it and says nothing about $$$. That to me is the lesson kids learn from doing something homemade. Other things we've given over the years are supplies that a teacher usually spends their own money on (and can be purchased at the dollar store too): pencils, markers, stickers, stampers and stuff like that.

Hey Cher, I can't be too sure about this. It never crossed my mind. But now that it has been mentioned, it's really something worth pondering. What I think about it is, I don't think it would be idea...

Wow, I remember giving my teachers presents but they were never that expensive or extravagant. When I was younger it was just a box of chocolate or maybe some poinsettias or something like that. I don't think we were in competition with other parents or anything. We also weren't trying to suck up to the teacher. The gifts were to show our appreciation for all the efforts the teacher has put in teaching us. From reading some of the responses that doesn't really seem to be the case these days. It's just strange.

I don't believe in getting the teacher a gift. So my daughter doesn't give anything for Christmas.

Yes they are getting out of hand and parents need to stop it. In my school days parents never used to give teachers present for Christmas. To me it is as if parents are competing among themselves for teachers to give their children to receive preferential treatment.

personally I think its madness why some parents give teachers gifts etc etc, fair enough a card but a gift no way. The way I see it, basically a teacher teaches as a job some love it and some hate it just like any job, I think its total madness to give a teacher a present as all they are doing is a job at the end of the day.

I have learnt here about teachers presents, in my country they are not allowed and even considered unpolite if done by each family directly. In some cases, whole classes put up some money to buy a single thing, but that's really only on special occasions, I think I've seen that done twice in all the years I've been in school. Otherwise, single gifts are seen like you're buying good marks, the schools don't allow that and most people also see that as unpolite.

I'm all for giving a gift to someone that gives as much to my child as a teacher does. I also totally agree that at times it does seem like it is getting out of hand. Taking time to make something is a true gesture of what a gift is supposed to be. I have made things for some teachers and because I sell avon I often will make up a little gift basket filled with lotions and such. The best gift I think I ever gave was a huge bundle of kleenex I had gotten on sale at a warehouse store. We got a note from school asking us to please send in a box or 2, I wrapped the bundle and gave them to the teacher. He actually called me to thank me, he was thrilled, it was something he really needed and not a dust collector he had to haul home. This year I am giving the teacher a little basket filled with dry erase markers for her white board, if I can keep them hidden from the budding artists running around here.