Christmas Gifts for DCKs?

[Unregistered]

Do you give your DCK Christmas/Holiday gifts?

I have always gotten a gift for each of my DCK for Christmas and for their birthdays. I also spend a great deal of time and energy each year making/helping the kids make ornaments and various keepsakes at Christmas.

However, last Christmas 3 out of 5 families didn't so much as say thank you for any of this!?! Not one word of acknowledgement!

I have been doing this for 10 years and not one family in ten years has not gotten me something for the holidays until this past year. I can not imagine not getting something for the person that loves and cares for my child 45 hours a week!! I am in no way expecting big gifts or cash here (though it is very much appreciated of course!) but just a thoughtful card or something made by the kids would be nice! Especially, when I go all out for these parents and kids and not one word of appreciation for what I do!

My kiddos are all under 2 at this time so it's not like they will notice whether or not I get them anything for Christmas but I still feel bad not. I still plan to do the usual crafts and such with the kids as it is fun for them and for me but is it wrong to skip buying them gifts this year? Is it even more wrong to get gifts for some but not others (no one would know who got something and who didn't)? Again, the kids will not notice as they are too little. Should I be the bigger person and still get them all a little something even though it will irritate me to no end if it goes unacknowledged and unappreciated? Do you all buy gifts for your DCKs? Would you continue to do so if it went unacknowledged and unreciprocated?

[KSDC]

I have had to remind myself that I don't do special things at Christmas because of the response of the parents. I do them for the joy it gives my munchkins. If it brings joy to the child's heart and a smile to their face, then that needs to be my reward.

I do do gifts for the children. This year I am giving crafts kits racecars to paint.

We will open them and decorate them at the daycare Christmas party. Then, they will take them home to keep.

[Josiegirl]

I probably wouldn't go the route of buying for some and not others. That just doesn't set right with me.
I don't get gifts for the kids to get thank-yous from them or the parents. Sure, it'd be great if they did. I guess I have enough dcps who I know do appreciate it. Not sure how I'd handle it if nobody seemed to care. I'd probably still buy them a little something because Christmas is, to me anyways, for the little ones. Now if I couldn't afford it I'd probably skip it.

[midaycare]

I love to give presents, which is why I give. Last year some parents gave me something and some didn't.

I think Christmas is expensive and stressful. Let me rephrase that. Some people make Christmas expensive and stressful. They have to buy for huge families and tip everyone. It is excessive.

Dck's don't need presents, but if you give them, cool. We don't need gifts, but if we get them, cool. My take on it, anyway.

[DaveA]

Don't give "gifts" but on the 23rd we make a bunch of homemade breads, candies, and cookies and everyone takes a box home for Christmas.

[Hunni Bee]

I'm doing a version of the Christmas Eve Gift thing that's going around facebook and pintrest. It's a box that has special pajamas, a movie and snacks.

I couldn't possibly afford to by each of my ten kids a pair of pjs and a dvd, so it's going to have a pair of comfy socks, snacks and maybe a book if I can swing it.

I don't even care whether the kids say thank you. I know they love me and I could give them a paper heart and they'd love it to pieces. I totally don't care what the parents say or do.

[Ariana]

Most people are extremely selfish and they think that because they pay you they don't need to give you a gift too. I give my daughters teachers gifts every year and I can't imagine not giving her caregiver one (if she had one!). The way I look at it is that if they can't find it in their hearts to give one of the most important people in their childs' life a "thank you" then they are the ones who are miserable good for nothings. I'm not going to base what I do on their lack of values and morals.

This year I bought some books from Scholastics to give to each of the kids. It ends up being a pretty cheap option at something like $2 a book!

[Unregistered]

To me it's not the gift so much as showing appreciation. It's the one time of year that most people let you know they appreciate you. Maybe I've been spoiled all these years with generous, thoughtful parents (generous in showing appreciation, not just in giving gifts) and that's why I was so shocked last year...

My issue this year is that my DCKs are all so young. They won't know if I give them a gift or not nor do they need anything. So, if the parents aren't going to care either why bother? But it is the spirit of giving that really matters and that is where I am struggling.

I think this year I will just stick with the homemade gifts I'll make with the kids and maybe I'll buy some new things for the daycare with each child in mind instead of sending them home with a gift...We can always use new stuff around here

[Jack Sprat]

In the past I have given the dck's books. This year the girls are getting baby dolls that I have crocheted and the boys are getting bears I have crocheted. They play with them during the day and have all asked me to make them one they can bring home. Cost wise, it isn't that much. I enjoy making them as well. We are going to bake breads etc for the parents. I'm not sure if we will do a craft as a gift this year or not.

[NoMoreJuice!]

For the last 4 Black Fridays (ok, now it's actually ON Thanksgiving), I have waited in line at Toys R Us for the Disney Treasury books, and that's what each child gets from me for Christmas. I write a nice note in the cover along with the date. So the kiddos who have been with me for four years are getting a complete collection of nicely bound hardback books.

https://www.blackfriday.fm/adscan/toys-r-us/page/6

[Controlled Chaos]

I make presents/crafts for the kids to give their parents. I am going to buy a book for each daycare child. I bought a mini travel sized box of tide and I am going to wrap it with a funny/sweet note about how I appreciate them sending their kids to me and knowing when I send them home super dirty its because they are loved and learning Nothing big. I have amazing parents though. I anticipate getting at least a card from most of them. One mom give me a thank you card with her check every month lovethis I am presently spoiled, but even if my dcps weren't golden I would do something small. It demonstrated giving and love to the kiddos

[KidGrind]

Some years I buy gifts, other years I do not. It all depends on what is in my heart.

If I want to, I do.
If I don’t, I won’t.

I never regret my choices because I base it on how I am feeling during the season. I do not feel guilty either.

[LysesKids]

For the last 4 Black Fridays (ok, now it's actually ON Thanksgiving), I have waited in line at Toys R Us for the Disney Treasury books, and that's what each child gets from me for Christmas. I write a nice note in the cover along with the date. So the kiddos who have been with me for four years are getting a complete collection of nicely bound hardback books.



https://www.blackfriday.fm/adscan/toys-r-us/page/6

Since I only have my babies usually for one Christmas their gift is a mini set of books by this wonderful Japanese author... it's a mini compilation of her full size books

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1402785666?psc=1&redirect=true&ref_=od_aui_detailpages00

[Blackcat31]

We collect something for a specific charity each year and GIVE verses focusing on getting.

We've collected items for the food shelf, the homeless, veterans, animal shelters, elderly etc.

The kids and I choose a charity and begin collecting items right after Thanksgiving. Then we take a photo of all the stuff we've collected and submit it to the local newspaper.

It's good advertising too

As for gifts for the DCK's....I don't give them anything but memories through experiences and honestly I don't feel one bit guilty because a 100 years from now, they are going to remember those memories long after they've outgrown the cute holiday pj's and since I do it for the kids, I don't have to worry about being appreciated or not.

[mommiebookworm]

I give gifts to the children. This is my 2nd Christmas as a provider. I got gifts from two of my families last year.
I really like the idea of their gift from me being a craft kit that we can do at daycare. I also line the idea of buying something for the daycare with that child in mind. I think I will do a craft to take home, and buy the magnatiles I've been eyeballing.