For Those Of You That Don’t Do Presents And Parties......

[JenNJ]

I don't do holiday celebrations other than Thanksgiving. For that I just make a traditional Thanksgiving dinner and serve it the day before.

Each child gets homemade pizza for lunch on their birthday and we sing happy birthday at afternoon snack. Not very exciting. I used to do birthdays, but some parents would send in cupcakes, Munchkins, cake, etc. and some wouldn't. It was really obvious to some kids and it led to hurt feelings. Plus, I don't feel comfortable serving food that I haven't prepared myself. I don't know how clean their kitchens are or their level of cleanliness is for food prep.

I don't do crafts. At all. I personally feel that they are a waste of time and effort. The children gain very little from them and I end up doing most of the work. I give the kids time each day to use whatever craft and art supplies are on the table. Kids choose to color, cut, glue, and paint most of the time. They never make much of anything that they want to take home. It is about the process, not the final product.

[itlw8]

I do not do parties because the kids get so hyper I like to keep it calm ad the they have that excitement at home. I do ot have them exchange gifts but I do give each child a book for for Christmas and Birthdays. I get a great deal because dh works at Scholastic.

Now I do a Gingerbread house party in Dec that is a big deal but it is a Saturday so all the parents come help with their child. I have premade the houses so all I do that day is make sure they all have frosting.

I have done a bbq in the summer before for families.

[jenn]

I do some and skip some.

If invited to a bday party, I go. Otherwise, I do a small gift that they open here or take home to open. If they are here on their bday, we sing to them during our normal snack time.

As for holidays, I don't really do much. It is stressful for me, stressful for some kids, and the parents don't seem to care one way or the other. We never do a holiday party and rarely do a holiday craft (sometimes we do a parent present for Christmas, like a handprint).

I always have misc art supplies available. Around holidays, I will sometimes add holiday materials. For example, around Christmas I put a bag on sticky bows in the craft box. At easter I put some egg shaped paper in the box. For the 4th of July, I will put in some red, white, and blue paper & stickers. If they make something with those supplies, great. If not, that's fine.

[tuszak]

After 27 years I have found that most parents could care less and with all my planning and trying to get everything done in time is just not worth the stress. At first I did it all, Birthdays, Holidays, Goodbye's ...but parents were pretty ungreatfull. :confused: Even at Christmas most parents don't even give me anything, but I always send them home with a box of See's candy for the whole family with a card. I only care for infants and toddlers and its just too hard to get things made and still focus on the kids. I figure they can do that stuff at home if they want to and its not my job to do that stuff with them.

[Dardy]

parties, holidays, and so much more

After 23yrs I have made adjustments in my program to what really is effective and makes me feel good when all is done. Homemade cards for V-Day for friends, green food for St. Pat's, egg hunt w/150 eggs in my yard, flower day in April with trip to local green house(they pick-I purchase) and they plant at their home, shop for mom at $ store with $2-$3( it is all about learning to give), shop for dad(ditto), and then my weekly summer field trips kick in. thanksgiving dinner on wed. prior and finally Christmas party with $5 gift exchange. I spend on average of $50 each for their gift. I have infants through age 8 yrs. and summer trips include mini-golf, pet store, fire station, library, visit a farm, etc. I also do school year round every morning for 2 hours starting at age 1 1/2. I'm in my sixties and have no plans for retirement anytime soon. Love it!:hug:

[Laurel]

After 23yrs I have made adjustments in my program to what really is effective and makes me feel good when all is done. Homemade cards for V-Day for friends, green food for St. Pat's, egg hunt w/150 eggs in my yard, flower day in April with trip to local green house(they pick-I purchase) and they plant at their home, shop for mom at $ store with $2-$3( it is all about learning to give), shop for dad(ditto), and then my weekly summer field trips kick in. thanksgiving dinner on wed. prior and finally Christmas party with $5 gift exchange. I spend on average of $50 each for their gift. I have infants through age 8 yrs. and summer trips include mini-golf, pet store, fire station, library, visit a farm, etc. I also do school year round every morning for 2 hours starting at age 1 1/2. I'm in my sixties and have no plans for retirement anytime soon. Love it!:hug:

I like how you say that you do what makes you feel good. I do also and am also in my 60's. What makes me feel good though is NOT doing much and keeping things very, very simple. ::

I am also entertaining doing some not so popular holidays like May Day. I didn't plan well enough this year but I think it would be neat for the children to put little cones of flowers on my neighbor's doorknobs....things like that.

I also like to do things like make cookies with the older children but not at Christmas. I prefer the 'do what you feel when you feel like it' approach. Paintbrush cookies are fun anytime. We like to watch Christmas videos in the summertime too. My two friends who are also providers and also in their 60's go all out like you do for occasions. Been there, done that. Not for me but it is cool that you 3 like to do that. ::::

Laurel