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Unregistered 10:06 AM 11-18-2018
I was talking to another provider. They asked if I was giving Xmas gifts. I explained I was not because I didn't feel a connection with families that would make me want to give gifts. This is feeling isn't new. The last time I had a whole group of students and parents I felt fondly enough about to give gifts to was 2011.Once that group aged out, I've gotten some really disrespectful families. Just really hit me when I thought about it.
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e.j. 10:40 AM 11-18-2018
I'm sorry you're feeling this way and especially sorry that you've had such disrespectful families for so long. (Can you get tougher on enforcing policies and maybe start to replace some of those families who are most disrespectful to you?)As far as Christmas gifts are concerned, do what you feel comfortable doing. If you're not feeling it again this year, go with your plan not to give gifts and then appreciate the calm that comes with having less stress and expense of having to shop for presents.
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Unregistered 12:15 PM 11-18-2018
It's really more one family (the child is nice, but I'm sick of family) and one child I don't want to give to. I know if I do that, it will get around. I'm looking to replace both. I don't have high hopes, because I live in a unique area. Half of the time, I'm talking to grandparents for face to face contact, but parents do the "disciplining" and complaining about various fees. If they don't like it, there's a ton of legal and illegal daycares that will take their kids for low prices and don't care about behavior because they'll just replace the caregivers.
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Meeko 02:32 PM 11-18-2018
I got tired of the "this year needs to be better than last year" race and stopped giving a bunch of gifts. I make apple bread or some kind of baked loaf (the kids help) and every child takes one home to share with family. I got tired of having the kids make a gift for their parents only to be faced with whining about needing more than one for step parents etc.

Now they take home the one thing and sharing it out is their problem.

I may sound like the Grinch, but I actually LOVE the holidays...just not the drama that comes with it. So I made it as drama proof as possible and refuse to get sucked in.
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Unregistered 03:05 PM 11-18-2018
Its sad the parents do not appreciate all the lil things we do. I always do gifts and one year a parent gave me a bag of toys and in it was the gift I gave her child and it was still in the packaging so apparently never even used. I understand that Christmas is busy and expensive but its easy to say thank you.
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amberrose3dg 03:41 AM 11-19-2018
Originally Posted by Meeko:
I got tired of the "this year needs to be better than last year" race and stopped giving a bunch of gifts. I make apple bread or some kind of baked loaf (the kids help) and every child takes one home to share with family. I got tired of having the kids make a gift for their parents only to be faced with whining about needing more than one for step parents etc.

Now they take home the one thing and sharing it out is their problem.

I may sound like the Grinch, but I actually LOVE the holidays...just not the drama that comes with it. So I made it as drama proof as possible and refuse to get sucked in.
This!
I love love the holidays but am over trying to do. I also have only a handful of families that I even want to give anything to.
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Unregistered 07:29 AM 11-19-2018
Originally Posted by Meeko:
I got tired of the "this year needs to be better than last year" race and stopped giving a bunch of gifts. I make apple bread or some kind of baked loaf (the kids help) and every child takes one home to share with family. I got tired of having the kids make a gift for their parents only to be faced with whining about needing more than one for step parents etc.

Now they take home the one thing and sharing it out is their problem.
I love this idea. I think I will borrow it. Thanks!
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Blackcat31 08:31 AM 11-19-2018
Originally Posted by Unregistered:
Its sad the parents do not appreciate all the lil things we do. I always do gifts and one year a parent gave me a bag of toys and in it was the gift I gave her child and it was still in the packaging so apparently never even used. I understand that Christmas is busy and expensive but its easy to say thank you.
Because you see those little things as "extra"
Parents simply see everything we do (even "special" things) as just part of the services they pay for.

It's not personal. It's just that providers have an invested interest in the families we serve. We spend all day with these 'littles'.

I am sure most parents don't always realize or mean to come across as ungrateful or unappreciative...they just don't have those same feelings or the emotional investments. They only see us for a few minutes per day upon drop off/pick up.

Don't take it personally. Instead do something fun with the kids you have in care. They are the ones that appreciate it
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