If you get invited to a DCB/G's birthday party, do you bring a gift? If so, how much do you usually spend? Let's say you work at a center so you have 18 students and get invited to a lot of parties.

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I don't go to parties and tell parents that on interview and/or when invited.

I DO a birthday party celebration for them on their birthday, and I get them a small gift bag (usually play doh and tools or a homemade busy bag)

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My daughter is 4 years old, so my daycare kids are her friends. We do go to parties, if invited, and take a $20 or less gift. If we are not invitied, we do a celebration here (cookies, popsicles, whatever) and give a less expensive gift. All of our daycare kids ( I only have 5-6, depending on enrollment) are invitied to her parties.
If I worked at a center, or had more DCK's, or my daughter was older and not excited to go to her friends' parties, I would feel differently. When I taught kindergarten, I did not go to parties. I gave my students a birthday card with a small gift (sheet of stickers, bottle of bubbles, dollar store goodies).

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First I would see if your center has a policy about it. I've never heard of one that says no, but I know some centers frown upon outside babysitting and such.

Personally, I go to the parties I am invited to (if I am not busy that day). It doesn't happen all that often. As far as a gift, I just give what my budget permits at the time.

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I go when I can. I also throw a party at daycare during snack, where parents can send a treat. At the party at daycare, we give them a book (a few years ago we decided that a book was a good, easy, universal gift. So I don't bring a present to the actual party - because then I would feel like some of the kids got more gifts than others.

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I currently only have 3 daycare kids and are my daughters only friends at the age of 3 so I have gone to the ones we're invited to. I give a small gift or something I have made within $5-6 range. Just went to one this past weekend and was nice to visit with the parents and grandparents. I also will do cupcakes or something within the week of their birthdays. Gifts are also a business deduction. I figure a cake mix and frosting that might cost me a couple of dollars is worth the excitement it gives the kids. Plus I have a couple that have never had parties outside of thier parents and grandparents so gives them a little something special.
Also would recommend at back to school time you can pick up boxes of crayons or markers for less than a $1, notebook paper for pennies, and coloring books can be found on clearance racks, Dollar Tree store, etc for little money. I have found no matter what their age this makes great gifts. Even my teenage daughter gives these as gifts sometimes.

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I don't do the parties. Usually I have a running event or have my g'son most weekends & it's a built in excuse for me. I share my pics with the kids so they know it's "for real."

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I do, I have a party here for the kids, we do a treat, and I give the present at my party, so when I do to their party I don't bring another, I usually spend $15-$20

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I run an in-home.

I don't attend their birthday parties. We do a small celebration here during snack and I give them an inexpensive book or an inexpensive coloring book. I tend to get them from Dollar Tree so they cost me $1.00.

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I say if you attend, then bring a present. If you don't want to purchase a present, then I would decline the invitation .

I purchase presents for my dc kiddos but I run a small daycare and only have 4 children in my care. Plus, it's kind of my thing. If the parents aren't planning a birthday party or didn't invite me (which I don't care either way), then I send the present home with the child on his/her birthday or just prior (in addition to doing a little party). If I get invited to a party, then I just wait to give it to the child until the party.

Most of my parents bring in a special treat and goody bags for the other kids on their birthday celebration day

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If I worked in a center, I would check to see if the center has a policy regarding invitations to parties. If it's okay to go and you want to, I would bring a gift. It doesn't have to be expensive. I think I'd try to spend $10 or less, especially if you are likely to be invited to 18 parties.

I don't generally accept invitations. I have a small celebration here with the kids. The birthday child gets to pick from the "Birthday Box" which contains toys, books, art supplies - all under $10 - that I buy on sale.

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I normally give them a crocheted blanket that I make for them, but I give those out when they are getting ready to move up to the other rooms. So in August. I also made them each a hat during the winter. Can you tell that I get bored easily and crochet a lot?

BF and I were disagreeing on to gift or not to gift. He thought I should bring another gift to the party, so I wanted to get unbiased opinions first. I think next year maybe I will just have the blankets made soon enough to give them out on the actual birthdays. Thanks everyone!

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Also, yes, I am allowed to go to their parties and to babysit, that is okay in our center rules. I checked to make sure.

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I just went to a birthday party this past weekend and got a little carried away at the store and bought her 3 dresses..

Oh well, Love these kids and love shopping... I was set up!

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