What Christmas gift for Creche staff?

December2012

Hi,
This is my first year with children in Creche at Christmas. One does after school and full time holiday, another child is full time.

Because of the hours they each have more than one "main teacher". There are maybe four or five staff who are special to my kids.

The Creche and the manager have been really great this year, with some extra personal attention for certain situations this year.

What is the normal thing to do in this situation? Within reason I don't mind about cost - these ladies take wonderful care of my children and I appreciate the extra effort they make, as well as their professionalism.

Are a bunch of €10 vouchers okay?

Help!

Mac0783

Hi,

I'd be interested to hear what people do as well. It's my first Christmas in the crèche, there are two girls who do the most minding of my daughter (she's in full time) so I got them a €25 voucher each for the local shopping centre. Then for everyone else I bought a fancy box of truffles from m&s (half price which helped), thought they'd be nice for the canteen and a change from the usual tins.

I wanted to get something for them to say thanks cause they're great and my daughter loves them, makes it so much easier to leave her but I didn't want to make it award or be showy and go to big. Oh these things are always difficult, it's harder for you cause you have 5 people to get for.

purpleisafruit

We have three main people who look after our son at creche. We're giving them a box of chocolates and some cinema tickets each. Get the cinema tickets discounted at my job so it's cheap enough

Mac0783

Cinema tickets, good idea! I like it, must keep that for next year.

lazygal

Whatever you do, don't give anything homemade. Most people will chuck it as they've no idea whether its safe to eat or has been prepared properly.

db

You already pay them (quite a lot I assume given all the complaints there are about creche fees) and you are going to give them a Christmas present!!! Do you also give presents to every other service provider you use - binman, postman, teachers, the guy in the corner shop where you buy your newspaper?

foodaholic

The last thing I'd want is a box of chocs at Christmas. So I got the two girls that teach my girl a bottle of proseco each.

Mac0783

db wrote: »

You already pay them (quite a lot I assume given all the complaints there are about creche fees) and you are going to give them a Christmas present!!! Do you also give presents to every other service provider you use - binman, postman, teachers, the guy in the corner shop where you buy your newspaper?

I used to think exactly the same, but the crèche my daughter goes to is brilliant, even though it's expensive it's worth every penny. She is really happy there, and for what I think must be a very tough job on not great wages the girls are really good with the kids, seem to genuinely care and notice them as individuals and are always kinds and helpful. I just want to give them a small token to say we appreciate what they do.

I wouldn't work with kids for all the tea in china, so I'm impressed they do it every day with a smile on their faces.

sbEdge

db wrote: »

You already pay them (quite a lot I assume given all the complaints there are about creche fees) and you are going to give them a Christmas present!!! Do you also give presents to every other service provider you use - binman, postman, teachers, the guy in the corner shop where you buy your newspaper?

You may pay the creche quite a lot but in general, creche workers pay is very low considering the work they do.

December2012

db wrote: »

You already pay them (quite a lot I assume given all the complaints there are about creche fees) and you are going to give them a Christmas present!!! Do you also give presents to every other service provider you use - binman, postman, teachers, the guy in the corner shop where you buy your newspaper?

I do pay their employer the going rate. I have something picked for my child's teacher in school and resource teacher, who have also been excellent.

Yes I am happy to acknowledge the extra personal effort that these ladies bring to their job. They nurture and educate and teach my children.

If the binman, postman or corner shop guy went above and beyond I would show my appreciation too.

Millem

I am making homemade gifts. They are chocolate biscuit cake in the shape of XMAS pudding with fondant icing wrapped in cellophane. I am making them for my minder, relations's and friends primary school teachers and neighbours

Not using this recipe but will look like this but on a cake board and red fondant icing not cherry for berry.http://www.ilovecooking.ie/recipe/chocolate-biscuit-cake-christmas-puddings/
You can make them in different sizes.

I am going to pay my minder for usual week although she will close 2 days early and will get her kids selection boxes.

dori_dormer

I'm making all the staff at my sons nursery a mini Christmas wreath decoration. I'm making 12 of them because the nursery have been amazing, letting us be very flexible with pick up times etc when I was in hospital, and he really loves them. Th teachers have moved around a fair bit since my boy has been there, due to illnesses and unexpected leaving of one or two staff. They have been great organising parties and outings and music classes at no extra cost. The office staff are great too. So I'm giving one to each of them and the chef as they all work hard for the kids.

tickingclock

I agree with lots of posters. I would hate to mind children. I am very happy with the creche I picked and love that my daughter runs in there when she's there.
So I got shopping centre vouchers for the two main girls that mind her and sweets for the canteen. The people who look after my daughter are valuable to me and I appreciate their help and care.

Sligo1

Gosh I feel totally cheap now! My little girl goes to crèche 2 days per week. I was just going to give a big container of celebrations and a nice bottle of wine. They raffel out Al the presents anyway so the girls who mind my girl prob won't even get it. Am I being cheap after hearing what everyone else is getting? We pay 550 for 2 days per week so tbh... I don't want to have to go spending a heap more money? They are nice girls but I would've thought chocs and wine would've been ok?

etoughguy

Sligo1 wrote: »

Gosh I feel totally cheap now! My little girl goes to crèche 2 days per week. I was just going to give a big container of celebrations and a nice bottle of wine. They raffel out Al the presents anyway so the girls who mind my girl prob won't even get it. Am I being cheap after hearing what everyone else is getting? We pay 550 for 2 days per week so tbh... I don't want to have to go spending a heap more money? They are nice girls but I would've thought chocs and wine would've been ok?

Nope you're not being cheap at all, when I read the OP I thought chocs and some plonk too

Millem

lazygal wrote: »

Whatever you do, don't give anything homemade. Most people will chuck it as they've no idea whether its safe to eat or has been prepared properly.

Lazygal I am a home ec teacher my choc biscuit safe will be safe! Lol
I eat things that my students make the whole time and would never hesitate. One of my lovely students made me a cookie cutter in metalwork...such a thoughtful present

Sligo1 you are not bring cheap. If I was finished school on a Thursday I wouldn't give minder extra, it's only the fact we finish on a Tuesday!

pwurple

Sligo1 wrote: »

Gosh I feel totally cheap now! My little girl goes to crèche 2 days per week. I was just going to give a big container of celebrations and a nice bottle of wine. They raffel out Al the presents anyway so the girls who mind my girl prob won't even get it. Am I being cheap after hearing what everyone else is getting? We pay 550 for 2 days per week so tbh... I don't want to have to go spending a heap more money? They are nice girls but I would've thought chocs and wine would've been ok?

i hope it's not cheap.. My lady is in two mornings a week, we pay 450 for that, i just got them a big posh box of biscuits. No booze even!

December is when I feel the most broke as well, just paid my taxes in november and invoices are overdue.

Sligo1

Thanks guys... Feel a bit better now. Lol.

dori_dormer

Your not allowed give alcohol at my son's place, and I'd feel bad just giving a tin of biscuits that only cost a fiver. But if he was only in 2 days id only give something small also!

Millem

I usually get bubble bath and candles. Platters of Cheese and crackers goes down a serious treat in our staff room! We have had a treat from parents pretty much all week. One present was one of those coffee machines tassimo or dolce gusto??

December2012

Sligo1 wrote: »

Gosh I feel totally cheap now! My little girl goes to crèche 2 days per week. I was just going to give a big container of celebrations and a nice bottle of wine. They raffel out Al the presents anyway so the girls who mind my girl prob won't even get it. Am I being cheap after hearing what everyone else is getting? We pay 550 for 2 days per week so tbh... I don't want to have to go spending a heap more money? They are nice girls but I would've thought chocs and wine would've been ok?

You're not cheap at all, i just want to give individuals special appreciation for what they have done. A €10 voucher isn't much more expensive than chocolates or wine.

cyning

I'm getting my childminder a Christmas decoration and paying her for an extra week She's getting a Christmas decoration as she has decorations from practically every child she's minded over the last 20 years and really likes it. She's an utter gem and literally has helped so much over the last year when we've been in hosp she's gotten up, taken our toddler, changed days at 5 minutes notice. Even when I broke my wrist and was off for a month wouldn't let me pay her if they weren't there.

etoughguy

cyning wrote: »

I'm getting my childminder a Christmas decoration and paying her for an extra week She's getting a Christmas decoration as she has decorations from practically every child she's minded over the last 20 years and really likes it. She's an utter gem and literally has helped so much over the last year when we've been in hosp she's gotten up, taken our toddler, changed days at 5 minutes notice. Even when I broke my wrist and was off for a month wouldn't let me pay her if they weren't there.

Wow fair play to her that's brilliant

December2012

cyning wrote: »

I'm getting my childminder a Christmas decoration and paying her for an extra week She's getting a Christmas decoration as she has decorations from practically every child she's minded over the last 20 years and really likes it.

That is ADORABLE

loalae

I used to work in a creche and I never expected to get a gift at Xmas - when the children/parents gave me a card I was delighted that they had considered me important enough to their children to give me one! I remember one family gave me a a bath set from boots and I was dead chuffed with myself!

cyning

December2012 wrote: »

That is ADORABLE

Her house is FULL of decorations though!!

byhookorbycrook

lazygal wrote: »

Whatever you do, don't give anything homemade. Most people will chuck it as they've no idea whether its safe to eat or has been prepared properly.

As a primary teacher, I can assure you this is NOT true if your child looks well cared for and clean!

Pawwed Rig

byhookorbycrook wrote: »

As a primary teacher, I can assure you this is NOT true if your child looks well cared for and clean!

Agreed. I have never heard of anyone doing this. In my work there is home made items all the time and everyone tucks in.
Never crossed my mind to give them anything but now I have something else to worry about. Thanks OP.

lazygal

Pawwed Rig wrote: »

Agreed. I have never heard of anyone doing this. In my work there is home made items all the time and everyone tucks in.
Never crossed my mind to give them anything but now I have something else to worry about. Thanks OP.

My mum runs a preschool service. Kids "helping" to make things means she's never sure whose hands have been in the mixing bowl at home. I've primary school teacher mates who never eat homemade food gifts.

Millem

In my school there wouldn't be a crumb left. Plus the kids would so offended if they thought teachers were throwing out their food. I would say my first years would cry

mohawk

The Crèche that look after my son after school ask that parents that want to give a gift hand it to the office so that the presents can be divided amongst all the staff including the chef etc. The girls that work there seem to like this as no one gets left out. Also means us parents can buy one nice present instead of several small token gifts.