Sadly...I Should Have Known Better...

[ihop]

After tons of searching for the perfect gifts for dcks I decided I would get my four dcks personalized Christmas books. They are made with the Childs name written in the story and are sooooo cute. I spent 30/each plus shipping(totally my choice). I though they'd love them. Of course my group are infants and toddlers so they were only sorta excited about them. But I am completely disheartened, because not one single parent said anything about them. No "thank you" or "cool".

I have only been open since August but no one ever thanks me. Ever.

It would be nice to hear some sort of appreciation, I am very accommodating and appreciative of them and its sad to see no one pays the same respect.

I feel like I am being overly sensitive but I work my butt off and it is starting to wear on me.

Thanks for reading, I guess I just needed to be heard today.

[Blackcat31]

I'm sorry that no one showed appreciation for your wonderful and thoughtful gift.

I am really sad to say though, that child care IS a thankless job and being shown appreciation and/or gratitude from a parent is few and far between.

There ARE still great parents out there but they are rare.

If I were you, I would always go into the gift giving mode and any other thing you provide as an extra....and do it for the kids or for yourself.

Don't do it expecting any type of appreciation because you will find that you rarely get it.

Nice gift idea though!! I think it was an awesome gift!

[Scout]

I don't understand how you don't say "Thank You so much!"...this is why each of my girls is getting a $10 barbie and my litttle guy is getting a $10 boy gift. But, I suspect this yr they will be appreciated. Last year, not one thank you. One I am sure just forgot because the kids took them home Christmas eve still wrapped.

[thetoddlerwhisper]

i understand completely. the parents never think of what we do. ive tend to take the smiles from my kids and their enjoyment as appreciation. i dont do it for the parent anyway! hugs dear!:hug:

[ihop]

I'm sorry that no one showed appreciation for your wonderful and thoughtful gift.

I am really sad to say though, that child care IS a thankless job and being shown appreciation and/or gratitude from a parent is few and far between.

There ARE still great parents out there but they are rare.

If I were you, I would always go into the gift giving mode and any other thing you provide as an extra....and do it for the kids or for yourself.

Don't do it expecting any type of appreciation because you will find that you rarely get it.

Nice gift idea though!! I think it was an awesome gift!

I did it for the kids but didn't realize they were too young to care... I did not think the parents response mattered to me but I guess it does. Next year they are getting crayons they were very excited about those. I guess I will just cling to that small victory.

[melilley]

:hug: I'm so sorry no one could say a simple "thank you". I can't believe how rude people can be. Your gift sounds so nice and thoughtful!

I agree with bc that we should think of it as doing it for the kids, but it's still tough when the parents don't appreciate our efforts.

I'm pretty lucky that all of my parents appreciate what I do.

[DaycareMom]

That is an awesome gift and if I was a DCP, I would be going out of my way to thank you. That is so thoughtful and sweet and not something they would ever get from a center!

Unfortunately you learn to do it for yourself and the kids - never for the parents.

And who knows, if they stay with you for awhile they might appreciate it later on down the road!

[littlemissmuffet]

I no longer do gifts for the kids because parents never appreciate it... and the kids just sort of EXPECT a gift. No more.

[countrymom]

wow, I have parents who always thank me. I would buy the kids a toy, because its not their fault their parents have no manners.

[Josiegirl]

Manners are sadly becoming a lost art. And daycare parents aren't any different. I'm extremely lucky in that all of mine are so grateful but I've had some in the past, you could tell didn't give one iota what I did for their child. I know some providers here said they made handprint calenders for their kids' parents. I absolutely thought that was the coolest thing so I made one a few years back. It took a lot of time and effort and not one dcp said oh cool or how cute or thank you. Maybe they were too busy. I don't know. But I swore it'd be a cold day in he!! before I did it again. But maybe I've got the right group now. Just maybe for next Christmas.

Anyhow, I'm really very sorry you're feeling unappreciated right now. It's maddening and frustrating putting that much money and thought into gifts and no one even said thanks.

[MyAngels]

That's really awful . Those books sound wonderful. I guess I'm lucky, I spent around $10 each for a toy (book & related toy) for each child and we made a very inexpensive handprint tile for their parents. I sent them home yesterday and the parents were all wowing over them this morning. I wish I could bottle up my awesome daycare families for the other providers here some days.

[tntsmom]

Welcome to childcare. I have every year gone out of my way (I have been doing this for 12 years) and have cooked fudge, peanut clusters, cookies, banana bread and given a meaningful christmas ornament to each and every parent and this year my husband finally said NO! My parents do not appreciate any of what I do and they do not show appreciation for anything and he refuses to see me be disappointed again. I had cancer in August and had to have 2 lymph nodes removed and they took my salivary gland and not one of them came to see me after my surgery or even called.
So needless to say, I agreed with my husband and just told them all, have a merry christmas, no goodie platter this year.

[ihop]

One parent actually tagged me on Facebook and posted a picture of the book. So that's nice and free publicity

[GoodKarma]

:hug: so sorry your families are unappreciative! Nothing is worse than not being appreciated

[coolconfidentme]

lovethislovethis((hugs))lovethislovethis