My lil one will be beginning VPK in a daycare in a few weeks. I'm sad to have to leave the daycare that has taken care of her since she was 10 weeks old. The caregiver is a wonderful woman, had cared for her regardless of illness, finances, anything. She has become like a member of the family almost like a second mom to my daughter. I would love to give her a great but inexpensive gift for all the years she's cared for her and for all of the wonderful things she's done and helped us with, but I'm at a blank as to what to get her. Any Ideas?
Thanks in advance.
I love the poem called "A Mother's Thank-You"
http://www.amazon.com/Thank-You-Touching-Double-matted-Wa...
Do you have pictures of your daughter and her together or have you still kept a few pieces of artwork over the years? You can get them copied to a disc or printed out at Kinkos. There are a few neat ways you can present them to her:
You could:
1) Make a scrapbook if you are creative with your hands. I have no clue what this could cost.
2) Decoupage a little inexpensive keepsake box with her pics and artwork and then inside you and your daughter can each write her a note telling her how much she meant to you. (I did this and while it didn't turn out great, it cost less than $20 to make and my grandmother STILL has it displayed proudly in the sitting room after 15 years!)
3) Use the digital copies to make a Screensaver slide show for her computer. (Free if you have your own scanner, still very cheap if you go to kinkos)
4) Get super geeky and make her a animated card personalized with all the pictures set to whatever music you want. You do this all on a free account at www.animoto.com even if you are not computer savvy. The card builder walks you through choosing a layout, writing your text, uploading your images and choosing the music. You can even download it to a disc she can play on her computer or dvd player.
I just gave my son's swimming instructor a manicure set for a mos of lessons.
What about something from things rememered, and maybe incorporate a picture of your child.
Still stuck on the "I would love to give her a great but inexpensive gift" when you go on to say she is like second mom and all she's done and help you with. but your looking for an inexpensive gift? so basically you want to give her something but not spend money? I guess I would be looking a little higher than inexpensive for someone who had cared for my child from the age of 10 weeks till she started school but thats just me. would say i am not judging but I did daycare for a long time. and while gifts are never expected it is just tacky to try and make something cheap have any meaning. it would just be for me better to just have the hug and we we appreciated you so much thank you than a cheap throw away type thing that shows how much "you" cared about her.
Maybe a gift certificate for massage, or pedicure, or manicure or any combination there of. I saw a really cute gift basket once - take a wicker paper plate holder, put some shred in it, center a glass votive holder in the center, and then put different flavors of Yankee (or another really nice brand) votive candles around the centered holder - but lying on their side, in a pattern, then shrink wrap and add a bow. Actually someone gave me one like that for mowing her grass, I in turn made my own and gave them to my mother in law and her friend as a thank you for throwing my baby shower when I was pregnant - I enjoyed it, and so did they! If she is into scrap booking or card making or anything like that - a gift certificate to her favorite store for supplies - or a class would be much appreciated. And make sure to include her in your Christmas card list - and include the latest picture of your daughter! Good luck.
I agree on the photo album. Your daughter's old enough to do a really special drawing to go in it, or you can paint her hands and do handprints. Write a fabulous note to go with it, too!
A photo album of your daughter at all ages and stages, a bouqet of flowers and a sincere 'Thank You' card. Maybe invite her to your house for a family dinner so you can talk and remember the times and plan how you can keep in touch.
I love pedicures. I'ts more about the relaxing than anthing else. May sound simple but it is worth it. Also, don't loose contact with this wonderful person. She's accumulating points to get into heaven! : - )
A beautiful portrait of the kids in a nice frame (maybe even embellished by the children) would be nice or you can do a hand print or handmade artwork on a ceramic tile or plate and burn it with their inscription on it. If possible combine both projects into one. These are more meaningful than a store bought thing and you can use a thank you poem or a poem about how her life has touched your children and along with these little fingerprints are her prints molding their future.
Enjoy
Find a paint your own pottery place. You can paint a plate with your daughters hand print on it. It's usually about $20 to $25.
