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Daycare Center and Family Home Forum>Last Day Gift From DCK
Unregistered 09:03 PM 10-02-2012
I am starting my daycare next week, so this Friday is going to be my own 2 boys last day at their daycare. Their provider has been wonderful and I want to give her a gift on their last day. I don't want to be too generic and give a giftcard or cash. I want something she will remember us by....but not too cheesy. Tell me about some great gifts you've gotten. I need ideas!!
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Michael 12:01 AM 10-03-2012
I once gave our son's 1st grade teacher a small crystal clock for her desk with an engraving of her and my son's name and date.
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canadiancare 05:26 AM 10-03-2012
I guess it depends if she will value that type of gift or not. I have countless Christmas ornaments from daycare children from the past 21 years. They are in a box, to be honest and are not on my tree as I have a specific decorating theme and they don't fit into it. My tree only goes up when the daycare closes over the holidays and I try to get my house back for a week. (I have no small children of my own anymore).

I am one who loves the gift card route (usually a visit to my massage therapist or favourite restaurant).

I did have a long term family graduate their last child this summer and they bought me a lovely bracelet that they know I will wear because they know my style.
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Loveyoustinkyface 06:42 AM 10-03-2012
Personally, I would rather receive and/or give $$ or a gift card!!
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MyAngels 07:31 AM 10-03-2012
One of my families this year brought me in a huge gift basket with all of the craft type things we use on a regular basis - construction paper, glue, markers, crayons, etc., plus a few things that were new to us. I thought it was great and very useful .
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crazydaycarelady 07:36 AM 10-03-2012
I always think a gift card to a restaurant is nice, enclosed in a card with a meaningfull message about how great I am. LOL

I once got a jewelry box that was engraved and had a picture of the 2 dcboys on it. It was sweet but I have my own three boys and have plenty of things to display from them already.
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spud912 07:39 AM 10-03-2012
I guess I'm more sentimental......

A gift card gets used and forgotten, but a photo album of the child will forever remain in my memories. Gift cards/cash are always nice as an additional gift though
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sahm2three 07:54 AM 10-03-2012
Originally Posted by Unregistered:
I am starting my daycare next week, so this Friday is going to be my own 2 boys last day at their daycare. Their provider has been wonderful and I want to give her a gift on their last day. I don't want to be too generic and give a giftcard or cash. I want something she will remember us by....but not too cheesy. Tell me about some great gifts you've gotten. I need ideas!!
One of my daycare kids gave me a Willow Tree "Thank You" angel. I love it and think of her each time I look at it!
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AnneCordelia 08:27 AM 10-03-2012
I also appreciate a gc over a trinket. I have a photo album with my fav pics of daycare kids and,like a pp said, 4 kids of my own who's artwork/trinkets/photos make it onto my limited wall/shelf space. Its tricky and I guess depends on the relationship you have. I have five dcks at any time and turn over 3 spots a year...that's a lot of trinkets over the years. :-)
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NiNi.R. 08:34 AM 10-03-2012
I recently received a card with a heart felt letter inside. I also received a potted house plant. The pot was finger painted on my dcg along with her hand prints. I absolutely love it and the dcks have named the plant after the dcg we all miss. I also framed the letter and it sits on my desk for those rough days when I feel unappreciated.
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Lilbutterflie 08:56 AM 10-03-2012
Pinterest has TONS of great teacher/daycare provider gift ideas. Search for "teacher gift", and tons will come up.

Does your daycare provider like to garden? Perhaps you could have your sons paint a flower pot all by themselves, plant her favorite flower, and put a wooden stick in it with a sign that says something like "Thank you for helping us grow!" I know I would love to receive something like that, and it's so inexpensive that you could also choose to give a small gift card, too. Best of both worlds!!
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itlw8 09:18 AM 10-03-2012
a rose bush a gift certificate to my favorite garden center ( I planted an apple tree)
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Scout 11:11 AM 10-03-2012
How did u find your first clients? I am trying this as well but havent found any yet
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JennyBear 11:46 AM 10-03-2012
Some great gift ideas that I have received:

Recently had a DCB to off to kindergarten. On his last day he brought a John Deere Book with his name signed in the front for all the DCK to remember him, a big bouquet of flowers for me, and a beautiful picture frame with a poem about daycare providers that mom typed and printed out...and DCB signed the back of the frame and put date on it. I cried when I read this poem and it is up in the daycare.

Another gift I really liked was a gift basket idea with kitchen accessories (mom knows I love to bake/cook). So this was a casserole dish filled with really nice towels/dish clothes, a cook book, oven mitts, an apron, and a gift card to a grocery store. Everything matched my kitchen perfectly and I love the quality of the cloths mom picked out.

I also received a really nice "spa" gift basket- filled with really nice antibacterial hand soaps for the bathroom, bath soaks, foot lotions, etc

I agree with the others and enjoy the gift card idea, but maybe you could make a little "spa gift basket" or something along those lines and add a gift card for her favorite restaurant or a movie theater that she can enjoy.

I've gotten several gift cards and have never forgotten one. It's hard to forget when a family takes the time to write a beautiful card and put a generous gift card for me to enjoy in it. Even once I've spent it, I still remember how thoughtful that was.
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Crazy8 11:56 AM 10-03-2012
I prefer the gift cards as well. I am not a knick-knack person AT ALL so all the little crystal vases, candy dishes, etc. end up getting given away. I'm allergic to all those fancy soaps and body washes but I hate to tell dc familes that so I feel guilty that they spend so much on those baskets and I don't use them. I also have enough pictures of their children to last me a lifetime so a photo album of their child would be pointless to me too. I think the only "typical" teacher gift I do like is jar candles, I am always trying to get the dirty diaper smell out of my house, LOL!!!

I love gift cards to restaurants, my favorite stores, to where I get my nails done, etc. - things that will be used on ME. Even though I'm not a massage person I found you can use many of those for haircuts so love those too. I think a gift card with a nice heartfelt note is a perfect & personal gift.
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Crazy8 11:59 AM 10-03-2012
Originally Posted by JennyBear:
Some great gift ideas that I have received:

Recently had a DCB to off to kindergarten. On his last day he brought a John Deere Book with his name signed in the front for all the DCK to remember him, a big bouquet of flowers for me, and a beautiful picture frame with a poem about daycare providers that mom typed and printed out...and DCB signed the back of the frame and put date on it. I cried when I read this poem and it is up in the daycare.

Another gift I really liked was a gift basket idea with kitchen accessories (mom knows I love to bake/cook). So this was a casserole dish filled with really nice towels/dish clothes, a cook book, oven mitts, an apron, and a gift card to a grocery store. Everything matched my kitchen perfectly and I love the quality of the cloths mom picked out.

I also received a really nice "spa" gift basket- filled with really nice antibacterial hand soaps for the bathroom, bath soaks, foot lotions, etc

I agree with the others and enjoy the gift card idea, but maybe you could make a little "spa gift basket" or something along those lines and add a gift card for her favorite restaurant or a movie theater that she can enjoy.

I've gotten several gift cards and have never forgotten one. It's hard to forget when a family takes the time to write a beautiful card and put a generous gift card for me to enjoy in it. Even once I've spent it, I still remember how thoughtful that was.
the book is a cute idea!!! Another favorite was a family gave me a photo frame with my daycare name engraved on it. I hung it on the wall in my playroom with a pic of a few kids playing together (her child in the pic of course!).
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canadiancare 12:07 PM 10-03-2012
I have a family who brings me "just because" presents. A bottle of wine on a Friday or a flower arrangement that was at the office and wouldn't survive the weekend so I could enjoy it. I know receiving a gift shouldn't matter so much but just the fact that someone takes the time to think about me and what would make me happy is so special.
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Tags:goodbye - gift ideas, last day
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