Do you buy a birthday gift for your child's teacher?

[Mrs.Toad]

In my area, most of the kids give their teachers a gift around Christmas time. Sometimes a good-bye/thank you gift at the end of the year. We'll also do something if she's getting married or having a baby. But I've never heard of getting a teacher a birthday gift until today. My kindergartener's room mom has asked us to contribute towards a gift card for the teacher's birthday.

Is this normal in your area?


(poll coming)

 

[java]

No we don't and I wouldn't be pressure to by an type A room mom.

 

[daisyduck123]

No, that's not done around here.
We're never informed of teachers birthdays.

They do get awesome gift cards from us at Xmas & the end of the year.

I teach 1st grade & don't expect b-day gifts (although one year, two room moms threw me a surprise party w/ my entire class)!

 

[mjkacmom]

We do class gifts for christmas and the end of school ($5 each), plus most give their own gifts, but I've never heard of a birthday gift.

 

[mjkacmom]

In my area, most of the kids give their teachers a gift around Christmas time. Sometimes a good-bye/thank you gift at the end of the year. We'll also do something if she's getting married or having a baby. But I've never heard of getting a teacher a birthday gift until today. My kindergartener's room mom has asked us to contribute towards a gift card for the teacher's birthday.

Is this normal in your area?


(poll coming)

Maybe the room mom's oldest is in kindergarten? I've run into some first time room moms in kindergarten with some wacky ideas.

 

[JimmyPicker]

I think it's kind of odd, but depending on the relationship with the teacher, I would consider it.

 

[PatsMom]

DD is now a senior in high school. I've sent money in elementary school for Christmas gifts and end of year gifts. And I can remember sending money for a shower gift for a teacher who had a baby a couple of years ago. But I have never contributed to a birthday gift and I don't think I would if asked. Seems a bit over the top to me.

 

[Mkrop]

I voted other bc ours is all coordinated through the H&S. Part of our money goes towards a gift card for the teacher. Our school makes a big deal about birthdays, kids go up on stage during announcements, it is posted on the school website, and teachers are also included in all of this. So I dont actually buy the teacher a bday gift, she does get one from the class, and in the younger grades the homeroom moms will bring in a birthday treat for her.

DS5's K teacher just turned 50 and they made a huge deal about it at school. In Art class, they had all her kids make cards for her, but the other kids made signs that they held up during assembly and such.

 

[Minnie_me]

I've been teaching for over 20 years, and have RARELY received gifts from my kids on my birthday. One year, I had the son of one of my best friends, and she brought in a cake and flowers on my birthday. If the kids know about it beforehand, sometimes I'll get cards or flowers. But not usually.

Because my daughters attend the school where I teach, I'm friends with most of their teachers, so I usually do give their teachers gifts on their birthdays.

 

[Mrs.Toad]

This mom has a fourth grader, and has always been that child's room mom, too, so I guess she always does this.

Now, if it were a milestone birthday, like her 50th, I would understand, but there was no mention of anything like that.

Thanks everyone, for confirming that I wasn't the oddball in thinking it was odd!

 

[Mr. & Mrs. Smith]

I'm not a parent so I might get flamed for responding but:

I don't think it's wrong either way. I do think it's odd that this mom would request money from all the other parents to buy this gift. I think if a parent wants to give a gift, they should on their own.

I'm not sure how you would ever really know the teacher's birthday though.

 

[goofinoff]

I voted No, never gave it a thought. We do a small gift (mug, Dunkin Donuts gift card, etc) at Christmas, a card for Valentine's day and then a thank you card with a picture at the end of school. The only exception was last year my kid's kindergarten teacher (both of my girls had her) retired and all of the parents from that class chipped in for a retirement gift. But that's it. It gets out of hand, especially if you have more than one teacher to buy gifts for.

 

[Freyja]

Nope, never.