Teacher Appreciation Week- Is This Normal?

[Sarah]

Hi!
I work at a daycare and as you all know this week was TAW
Anyways, I've been working here for 6 months and all the parents know me. I work with three other teachers who have been working a little longer than me. I work part time, they work full time. Anyways, I noticed alot of parents got all the teachers gifts etc except for me. I took it very personally. And I felt like it was a little slap in the face, as though I am not appreciated as much as the others (maybe because I work like two hours less??!!) even though I put just as much as sweat blood and tears into taking care of their kids as anyone else!
Anyways, is this normal because I am not as old as the other teachers and only work part time? I can't help but feeling very hurt....

[QualiTcare]

Hi!
I work at a daycare and as you all know this week was TAW
Anyways, I've been working here for 6 months and all the parents know me. I work with three other teachers who have been working a little longer than me. I work part time, they work full time. Anyways, I noticed alot of parents got all the teachers gifts etc except for me. I took it very personally. And I felt like it was a little slap in the face, as though I am not appreciated as much as the others (maybe because I work like two hours less??!!) even though I put just as much as sweat blood and tears into taking care of their kids as anyone else!
Anyways, is this normal because I am not as old as the other teachers and only work part time? I can't help but feeling very hurt....

parents tend to get gifts for the person "in charge." i was student teaching when christmas rolled around. i had been in the classroom for 5 months doing everything with/for the kids and the parents knew it. i got one gift, but the "real teacher" aka the teacher who was "in charge" got a bunch. she was the one that put their grades on their report cards. she was the one who would or would not send a child home or write a note. she was the one they had to face at a conference. it's not about who takes care of their children. it's about who's in charge. btw, the kids loved me and my mentor teacher was an old witch. the kids expressed it, the parents knew it, but she was "in charge." that's all it is.

when i was in charge i got the gifts. when you're in charge so will you. trust me.

[Sarah]

Well there is one lead teacher and three assisant teachers, the other two and me are assistant teachers who have the same amount of say/work, and they all recieved things...

I wasn't looking at recieving things as much as I just wanted maybe a "thank you"...

[Sarah]

I dunno,

There is one lead who is in charge of everything, and there are three assisant teachers, all three of us assistant teachers have to same amount of say and work, except they also recieved cards etc...I dunno...

[childcarebytori]

I used to be an Assistant Teacher at a daycare center and I was the only part-time teacher in the room. I worked a 2-6pm shift because of school and everyone else in the room either worked a 7-4 shift or 9-6 shift. I was also the youngest of the bunch (by a good few years). I had worked at the daycare for 4 months before coming up to a large holiday, Christmas, and I received just as much goodies as the other teachers. I was present during every pick-up in the afternoons and parents knew me very well by then.

I definitely think you deserve more than a simple thank you for your work. Daycare centers are so much more difficult as you are in charge of a much larger group of children and the pay is real crappy, too. I worked in a two-year-old room and THAT was difficult, so I'm glad parents appreciated how hard I worked. It ****s that you didn't get anything from the parents, but I'm sure you know how much you are appreciated by the children and (hopefully) your co-workers

[wdmmom]

Don't feel bad, I got no acknowledgment whatsoever from any of my daycare parents.

They tell me, "Thank you" every day but the only gifts I receive are at Christmas time.

Good thing I don't hang in there for the Christmas bonus either because that isn't much to talk about.

Take it for what it is...this generation of parents are rude and pretty ignorant. I wouldn't take it personally!

[QualiTcare]

I dunno,

There is one lead who is in charge of everything, and there are three assisant teachers, all three of us assistant teachers have to same amount of say and work, except they also recieved cards etc...I dunno...

maybe it's the amount of time you've worked there. have they worked there for a long time? maybe you aren't the one who interacts with the PARENTS when they drop off/pick up so they don't really feel like they know you well enough to give you a gift?

[PitterPatter]

Hi!
I work at a daycare and as you all know this week was TAW
Anyways, I've been working here for 6 months and all the parents know me. I work with three other teachers who have been working a little longer than me. I work part time, they work full time. Anyways, I noticed alot of parents got all the teachers gifts etc except for me. I took it very personally. And I felt like it was a little slap in the face, as though I am not appreciated as much as the others (maybe because I work like two hours less??!!) even though I put just as much as sweat blood and tears into taking care of their kids as anyone else!
Anyways, is this normal because I am not as old as the other teachers and only work part time? I can't help but feeling very hurt....

I'm sorry u were made to feel that way. Some people just don't think when it comes to giving gifts. I worked in a pre-school before opening my daycare but only as an aide. I didn't expect anything as I was just a parent helping out however I did see all of the teachers but 1 get a gift or 2 at Christmas that year. The teacher who did not would smile as she stood there beside the other teachers who were receiveing gifts. Later she was looking at the gifts and just seemed sad so I know it bothered her. We had already planned to get every teacher a gift but when we went shopping that evening for teacher gifts I made sure to get her an extra gift. We put her name on it and sat it on the cubbies with a note saying "Thank u for being such a great teacher for my child, Merry Christmas" We didn't put a name on it so she wouldn't know it was from us. We then handed her and all of the other teachers their gifts. She was happy with just our gift but when she saw the 1 on the cubby she covered her mouth and almost cried! I felt so good to make her that happy after the previous days sadness. She never did find out who gave it to her.

Now when holidays come around I take my son to buy for his current teacher as usual and if there is an assistant teacher or aide etc in the class we buy for them too. My son has a few favorite teachers over the years and we still take little gifts to them even though he's out of those grades now. I think the smallest effort really means a lot.

I hope the parents come around and notice what they are doing. I hope u get bunches of gifts next time! Have a great weekend!

[Kaddidle Care]

I work as a PreK Assistant and there are many times during the year that I need to take over as Teacher. Sometimes I recieve gifts from parents, sometimes I don't.

You may be happily surprised at the end of the school year, one never knows.

My motto is: "Never expect and you'll never be disappointed."