Childrens' Birthdays

[momofboys]

we would have a "party" at afternoon snack. No it wasn't anything fancy with decorations etc. unless the parents provided it.

As the preschool teacher, I would decorate my "good news board" with the child's birthday and have them make a birthday crown. If the child wasn't having a chore that day, such as leader, helper, calendar etc. Then he/she got to be one with the child already doing it.

Years ago I would buy the birthday child a present. I would get one of those books that came with a cassette tape (thats how long ago this was!) Over the years I stopped doing it. Not because I couldn't afford it. It was because it was never appreciated. Never got a thank you (either verbally or hand written.) It was like oh ok thats nice. So eventually I stopped. I started to give out little b day cards from the whole class. Again I eventually stopped that when again it was appreciated or I would see it still in the child's cubby 2 weeks later.

I had a family last year & I went above & beyond with them but in hindsight I am not sure if I would do the same thing. I made treats for their b-day (homemade, the child would "help" me), had an inexpensive gift ($10). I even bought the kids Easter gifts (small devotional kids' book, we went to the same church so I knew the parents would not mind), they had 3 kids & I even bought them all Christmas presents. Now nothing pricey, about $10 each but I would guess over the 10-11 months I watched their kids I made treats for them 5-6 x & likely spent $80-90 in gifts on them. Now I never did it because I wanted thanks. . . I thought I was doing thoughtful things for them. I loved the kids. However, they never said thank you. In fact when I gave them two of the kids' b-day gifts (they had birthdays in the same month) mom said something like, "Oh, what is this?" But no thank you. I felt very unappreciated & $90 is a lot of $$ for us. So frankly I don't do those sort of things anymore. We will do a party around a child's b-day, make homemade cards, etc but I don't get paid enough to spend $10-15 on a child.

[tenderhearts]

I do mini parties, I buy a gift for $10 & under, usually it's like a book, or coloring poster, for the babies on their first birthdays I buy the "first" baby. then I will have cupcakes or buy special popsicles if it's in summer, sing happy birthday and done. I give them like a birthday card too

[momma2girls]

I make a cake or cupcakes for everyone's birthdays here. We also make cards for them, and they can wear a birthday hat, and we sing Happy Birthday to them as well. I used to buy presents for them, not anymore!!

[momma2girls]

I had a family last year & I went above & beyond with them but in hindsight I am not sure if I would do the same thing. I made treats for their b-day (homemade, the child would "help" me), had an inexpensive gift ($10). I even bought the kids Easter gifts (small devotional kids' book, we went to the same church so I knew the parents would not mind), they had 3 kids & I even bought them all Christmas presents. Now nothing pricey, about $10 each but I would guess over the 10-11 months I watched their kids I made treats for them 5-6 x & likely spent $80-90 in gifts on them. Now I never did it because I wanted thanks. . . I thought I was doing thoughtful things for them. I loved the kids. However, they never said thank you. In fact when I gave them two of the kids' b-day gifts (they had birthdays in the same month) mom said something like, "Oh, what is this?" But no thank you. I felt very unappreciated & $90 is a lot of $$ for us. So frankly I don't do those sort of things anymore. We will do a party around a child's b-day, make homemade cards, etc but I don't get paid enough to spend $10-15 on a child.

This is what I used to do for their birthday s as well- no thanks!! Even Xmas I had one out of 5 children's parents say thank you!!!!

[MommyMuffin]

I am hoping to have a connection with each child in my daycare and also hoping that I have a good relationship with each parent..we shall see. I would like to celebrate the childrens birthday with a home-made cake and some party hats and a small present too. If the parents dont appreciate it I wouldnt mind because it is for the kid and I know they really appreciate feeling special on their day.

[VTMom]

I give each child a balloon and card for their birthday. They also get to plan that day's menu ending with cupcakes for afternoon snack.

[Sunshine]

During afternoon snack (which is also after my kids come home from school) we will have a small party. I usually have balloons for the kids, a few party supplies, and we would have made the cake as an activity during the day.

[Unregistered]

Whenever one of my daycare children have a birthday. I make it their special day at daycare. I do buy each child a gift. We sing happy birthday and let them open it. Of course, a few others want to help! The birthday child gets to be first at everything (lunch, bathroom break, etc). Most parents provide a snack, but if not, I have cookies on hand. I always remind the child to say thank you for their gift!

[momma2girls]

About a week ago, we all went to the pumpkin patch(the older children) while my husband watched the baby for 1/2 hr. I purchased pumpkins for all the children- they had so much fun!! Not a single parent said Thank you or anything for it- sometimes you feel you are doing all this extra stuff, activities, buying extra things, xmas gifts, birthdays, etc. etc. and just feel like you should get a thank you once in a while for it. Maybe I am dreaming, but I always said thank you for everything, I would even say thank you when leaving for the day, when my children were in daycare. I think times have really changed over the yrs.!!!