Teachers do an incredible job of looking after, guiding, and supporting our children. Though they’re paid for their work, most educators go above and beyond the call of duty, offering an extra standard of care that deserves an extra reward. That’s why many parents and children love finding opportunities to give teachers little gifts from time to time.
Unfortunately, it can be difficult to figure out where you start with gifts for teachers. Is there a limit on how much you should spend? Do you have to wait for a special occasion, or can you hand over a gift just because? Today we’re going to answer some common questions about giving gifts to the educators in your life.
How to Choose the Right Occasion
Though it is sometimes appropriate to give your child’s teacher a gift just because this can lead to problems for your youngster if she or he is seen as “sucking up”. It needs to be obvious that there’s a special reason for the present, not just a birthday, or the end of the school year.
The most common time to give gifts to teachers is when the end of the school year is approaching. These presents often act as a thank you for all the extra effort that the educator has put in over the course of the year, from extra support with homework to guidance with difficult topics. Some parents like to get small gifts at the end of every term, but most stick with one slightly larger present before the child moves on to the next stage of education.
It is possible that you might decide to give a gift to a teacher at Christmas, or during the festive holiday period. However, if you’re thinking of doing this, it might be a good idea to check if any other parents are taking the same approach first.
How to Choose the Right Gift
Once you’ve decided when an appropriate time might be to give a gift, the next step is choosing the right present. This can be difficult, particularly when you and your child don’t know the teacher very well. Usually, the best gift to give a teacher is something simple, like a personalized coffee mug that they can use in the school kitchen or a box of chocolates.
No matter how much you appreciate the teacher for everything they’ve done recently, avoid going too over the top with your presents. Spending a fortune on something fancy can make it look like you’re trying to buy the teacher’s preference for your child, and it can rub some other parents the wrong way. Even if you don’t annoy other parents and students, you may make the teacher feel uncomfortable.
Stick with gifts that are appropriate and meaningful. Funny and gag gifts really aren’t a good idea here, nor is anything that might be deemed too personal. If you’re not sure what to get, you could consider working together with other parents from the class to get a shared present from all of you, like some gift cards or vouchers.
How to Present the Gift
Finally, once you’ve picked the day for your gift-giving, and you’ve chosen an appropriate present, you can start looking for the ideal moment to present the gift to the teacher. How you should do this will depend on a number of factors, including whether you’ve decided to go in on a larger gift with other parents from the same classroom. If you’re going in on a gift with a grip, then you’ll need to decide among yourself which child or children will be responsible for taking it to the teacher.
A cute thank-you card with a handwritten message from you and your child included in the gift will make a simple present more thoughtful and heartfelt.
If you’re just getting something special for the teacher from your child, then it’s usually best to ask the youngster to present the gift themselves. The present will be much more meaningful coming from your child than it is coming from you. However, don’t force them to hand over the gift if they feel too uncomfortable. You could always consider waiting until a moment when there aren’t any other children in the classroom for your child to go and present the gift if they feel nervous.
If you’re concerned that the teacher might have a hard time getting the present home, or your child really doesn’t like the idea of delivering it themselves, then you could always consider sending the present to them via a courier instead. Usually, this means delivering the gift to the school, as it’s unlikely you’ll have the teacher’s address.
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