Tipping Daycare Teachers

[johnsubira]

Its that awkward time of the year again when American's struggle with how much to tip because we can't rely on employers to pay a livable wage. I'm stuck on what to tip our daycare teachers.

For context, we LOVE our daycare. They take incredible care of our two children [2.5 yrs & 11 months] M/W/F each week. They have an app that is updated every day with photos and activtites from the day, plus when they slept, ate and had diaper changes. I feel like they have been a blessing and our kids are happy there.

On the other had its very expensive. I hope that the teachers are being payed well but I honestly don't know.

So I'm trying to figure out how much to tip for a holiday gift. There are 4 teachers in each classroom, 3 primary and 1 floater, so 8 people total. Here are my thoughts and questions:

1. Do I tip them all the same? I want to tip the floaters a little less, because they are "part time" but in case the info is shared I don't want anyone to feel like they aren't doing a good job, or hold it against my child.
2. What is the appropriate number? My gut is $50/person. I feel like $50 is a nice gift, but I honestly don't know.

Our Daycare did send out a "favorites" list for each teacher. So of course individual gifts are an option, but we moved houses this week, so I've got enough on plate and still need to shop for family, so cash it is.

Curious your thoughts and what you are tipping, if you are. Thanks!

EDIT: Thanks for all the comments, certainly didn't expect this post to get this much engagement, but I think its an interesting conversation. It's been especially nice to hear from teachers and caretakers, so thank you for taking the time to engage.

I just said this on a comment, but I think its worth posting here too; words matter and I didn't give the use of the word tip versus gift any thought. Now that I've reflected on it, I guess the idea of a gift versus a tip is at the heart of my reason for even posting. We have some teachers we deeply love, and care so much about our kids and I want to give them a gift that shows we value them. At the same time I feel this obligation to gift everyone, and worry about it needing to be the same amount, which makes it feel more like a tip because I'm doing it because I feel like I should, not as an expression of gratitude. Again thanks for the comments, making a polarizing post is a new expereince for me on Reddit.

 

[iferexo]

@johnsubira I had 6 teachers to gift for this year. Life is expensive. I made cookies and got everyone a $20 Visa gift card. My kids all made Christmas crafts for each of the teachers.

 

[65james]

@iferexo We also have 6 teachers to purchase for so $50/teacher was way over budget. I didn't feel like I could give them a reasonable monetary gift so I went with a nice holiday scented candle and some chocolates.

 

[brokenjohninchrist]

@iferexo This seems much more reasonable.

 

[katrina2017]

@johnsubira 8 × 50 = $400. Thats my whole Christmas budget, plus some.

If you have the money, go for it! But I cannot afford those type of gifts for teachers. Not because I don't appreciate them, but because I still cannot afford to get everyone a present in my own family, let alone friends and teachers and other people.

And yes, daycare teachers deserve to be paid more. I pay more for daycare than on my mortgage with financial assistance, so they need to get a chunk of that change.

 

[folkie]

@katrina2017 We have 10 teachers between all 3 kids, they each get $10. Feeling a little bad about it now, but something is better than nothing.

 

[roadtrippin69]

@folkie As a daycare teacher, we appreciate literally anything, and it’s not necessary at all! We love your kids, they’re a blessing, I literally ugly cried when I moved rooms (both times, from infants to 1 year olds moving with a bulk of my babies that aged up but leaving some behind, and then moving back down seeing some again that had been small before but leaving my big kiddos and the ones I had since they were wee little behind.)

I go in on my days off to visit my kiddles. Truly, my biggest gift is being trusted with all these kids and my time with them and watching them grow. And those random days a parent brings us donuts or cocoa or coffee or cookies are pretty rad. Small gift cards? Super cool too. A handprint or tree your kid colored? Treasured forever.

We do this because we love kids, not because we expect gifts. And while we’re a very underpaid field (even at expensive centers, costs of operating are high!), that’s not your fault, nor your job to fix, a gift for that is writing local legislators to subsidize more (literally covid led to groundbreaking subsidies but they expired).

 

[alyssaspeaks]

@folkie I’m a daycare teacher last Xmas I had only been there a few months and was a floater so none of the parents really knew me as their kids teacher so the only gift I got was a tumbler with my name on it, probably cost $5 total and it made me so happy just to be thought of. We definitely don’t care for the amount you spend and we’re just happy you’re even thinking of us!!

 

[seeker1999]

@folkie Don’t feel bad! I’m a high school teacher, so I generally don’t get gifts. Any time I do, I’m so grateful. Whether it’s a mug, $1 and a card, or just a kind email I appreciate it.

I’m also giving hard $$ to my daughter daycare teachers. Decided why even buy the gift card? It’s the same thing, but more limiting on where to spend it.

 

[mimi94]

@johnsubira We did $50-100 each. Cash or gift card. I feel that's pretty standard in my area.

Not to split hairs, but it is a holiday gift, not a tip.

 

[afterthelordsheart]

@mimi94 Yeah I live in France and our staff are paid decently but we still give them some Christmas cash, it’s not a tip (we don’t do that) it’s a Christmas gift.

 

[paparazi257]

@mimi94 We do $50 to target for 3 teachers for my son. And I bought them when target had their 10% off sale so technically i spent $45.

I might have my son color a picture to personalize it a little.

 

[tajdin]

@mimi94 Same, $100 for lead $50 for assist and some small gifts (a candle, socks, candy).

 

[trailblazer50]

@mimi94 Do you mind me asking how much the monthly tuition is at your kids’ daycare? I feel like that would be correlated with how much to gift

 

[mimi94]

@trailblazer50 I don't think it's correlated tbh. Just about everywhere daycare workers make a sub living wage.

I think we were around $1.5-2k/month? It's been two years so I honestly don't remember the exact amount.

 

[johnsubira]

@mimi94 Literally didn't even cross my mind people would care so much about me calling it a tip. Yea of course its a gift, and we'll hand write thank you's to each teacher, and we value all of them. We also did gifts for teacher appreciation week, but lol didn't realize the reddit police would get so upset on that point. And I'm not talking about you, your comment was prefectly pleasant and helpful, cheers.

 

[neyra_06]

@johnsubira Because they are different things and tipping culture has become insane. Gifts are given out of gratitude to show appreciation for a year’s work and are personal. Tips are for tillable professions like servers and are meant to reflect the level of service received in single transactions and are impersonal . Current tip culture where people are asking for tips for everything has made the whole thing feel dirty and exploitative.

 

[johnsubira]

@neyra_06 Yea I totally hear you. Words matter and I didn't give it much thought about how my post would read to people. Now that I'm reflecting on it a bit, I guess the idea of a gift versus a tip is kind of at the heart of my reason for even posting. We have some teachers we deeply love, and care so much about our kids. And I want to give them a bigger gift. But I feel this obligation to gift everyone, and potentially the same amount, which makes it feel more like a tip because I'm doing it just because I feel like I should, not as an expression of gratitude.

 

[buithanhhang]

@johnsubira Is this kind of thing expected of daycare parents? This will be my toddler’s first Christmas at the daycare so I’m new to this. We’re having the worst financial issues right now, and Christmas is going to be slim as it is.

 

[finnyjoyfj]

@buithanhhang

Christmas is going to be slim as it is.

Honey, do not stress about this. If you can afford it, that's great. If you can't, you can't. I'm an elementary teacher and I NEVER expect a gift. If someone is going to hold not giving a gift against you, they are a jerk not worthy of getting one.

Maybe in the future, if you can afford it, you can give them a little gift of appreciation on a day or during a time when it ISN'T expected. I'm certain that would be truly appreciated as well.

If you're REALLY feeling bad - get some construction paper and make a card --- explain that you can't afford a gift right now but truly appreciate how well they take care of your kiddo. Personally, I always keep and cherish the hand-made cards I receive.