What to Get a Daycare Provider?

G.,

My mom has been a day care provider for over 20 years now. She enjoys all of the little things that her "kids" give her-from homemade to store bought. It is the thought behind it and the thank you that comes with it that means the most. Since money is tight and she does not have the felxibility to go out easily consedering her grandson, what about fixing a meal for her family and taking it to them. I know there are so many nights when my mom does not want to cook dinner and does not feel like going out. SHe just wants to stay home and do nothing! As mom's though, we know dinner has to be fixed! I know she would love to be able to toss something in the oven that she didn't have to prepare, and eat off of paper plates and be able to throw it all away when done! I also think the Borders gift cards are a good idea as well, but I am like you and not a huge fan of gift cards-I always find I debate the amount way too much! I don't want to go overboard but don't want to seem cheap!

Whatever you decide, I am certain it will be appreciated. Finding a good provider is a wonderful gift!

One of the best gifts I received was a gift certificate to the photography studio I liked but couldn't always afford. The Border gift card would be great!

Sounds like the most thoughtful and loving gift you could give her would be the gift of time then. Since you are short on $, this might mean that you offer to take care of her grandson for a few hours while she gets to go to the book store with $10-20. (If you are close-by, Half-Price Books is a GREAT store and your $ will go farther... you could also give her a $5 gift card to the coffee shop next door for a treat.) She will probably be thrilled to have you show that you knew and honored her real needs (some time for herself) and gave from your heart. :)

G., I am a provider and honestly the what means the most to me are the heart felt cards or letters the parents give me. A Thank You card with a few personal lines telling her how much you appreciate the loving care she has given your son will go a long way. Maybe the Borders gift card with the note would be nice.

M.

I think the borders or B. Dalton gift card is a great idea! U can use them both online and she can have her book delivered to her home. Then have ur son make a little card or ornament to go with it. To me gift card enclosed in a child made card or ornament was just as special as anything else. Or make a homemade fruit bucket ( my kids got me a little bucket that we could use at daycare and put a couple pieces of fruit in it
) They also cut out ornaments out of paper and put a picture of them in it and 20 years later I still have the ornaments and put them on my tree and tell my grandkids about each child on the ornament. If you don't want to do gift cards remember child made is more special than store bought. At leaat to me it always was and still is!

i am also short on funds but have an awesome provider i'd love to spend big bucks on...unfortunately i just can't. i am going for a candle this year (i love yankee, and their smaller ones aren't too expensive - i got a coupon online too) and am going to have my three year old "help" with the card, he "writes" his name, and makes smiley faces now. maybe some stickers. that's what we're doing, and i have faith that my sitter, who is also a very loving and christian lady, will take it in the spirit it is given, and it's not about how much we spent.

Good Morning G.! How many children does she care for? if it's more then your son and her gr son, take some fun pictures of them as they play one day. Get a collage frame and cut the pictures to fit & give her that.

Maybe offer to watch her gr son and let her go get a manicure or pedicure on you. Invite them for dinner one night or bake her some decorated Christmas cookies, or Chex party mix, Carmel corn etc...In a pretty tin. I do this for friends we hang out with, I get Christmas tins at the Dollar store.

There are alot of easy things you can do with just a little nudge of a heads up. Hope you receive even more ideas.

God Bless you
K. Nana of 5

What if you and your some baked cookies, bread or even dipping pretzels in chocolate. Then give her a plate of your homemade yummies and a small gift card to her favorite place.

Along the lines of baking breads. Growing up my Mom & I baked bananna bread and pumpkin brean in cleaned out soup cans and then wrapped the baked bread in colored plastic wrap. They were small loaves and everyone always enjoyed them!

I used to be a home daycare provider and the best gift I got was a gift card to Beauty Brands. I used it for a pedicure and to buy some polish and stuff. It felt great to pamper myself which wouldn't have happened otherwise, b/c home care providers don't make much to be honest. Good luck and God Bless and Merry Christmas.

As a daycare provider, I love receiving gifts from the kiddies! The gifts range from homemade cards & ornaments to expensive items...which make me feel uncomfortable. For me, the gift has more meaning if the child is allowed to actively participate in the making of or the purchase of....I want that gift to reflect the child's personality.

Some of my favs have been a tray of cookies/fresh-baked goods....which we then used for a special tea party that day. Another fav was a bag of children's books...some which were added to the children's box of books & some were placed in Ms. S.'s special books (my read aloud stash which only I can use). Another really awesome gift was a gift certificate to our local garden center!

All this aside, I really liked some of the other postings. Since your provider is giving of herself to caring for her grandson, I truly think anything to ease her life would be beneficial....I like the idea of you caring for her grandson! Actually, anything to honor that gift is an over-the-top idea. Peace.

Hi, I am a childcare provider. I really think the gift card to Borders is an excellent idea. You took notice that she likes to read and that's good =) More ideas: gift card to a nice resteraunt or a Vanilla Visa gift card so she can buy whatever she wants. More things I like are magnetic shopping lists (I use those all the time)and nice scented candles. Anyway, those are just some ideas =) Good Luck!

Victoria, I LOVE your idea! What a thoughtful, compassionate thing to do. G., I hope you will consider this one, it really speaks to what this season is all about!

Good luck and have a wonderful holiday!

I do Mary kay and would be happy to help you!! just got to my sight marykay.co/alewis1965. if you are interested let me know ASAP! I can wrap it cute and make it look very christmasy

I'm a teacher and I bought our daycare provider $20 worth of bread from The Bread Company (Panera). I got all different kinds plus bagels. It filled a whole bag, and she and her family ate it throughout the holidays. The bread can even be frozen for later. Yum!!!

A gift card for a massage...what daycare provider DOESN'T need one!?!?!?

Can you believe I get nothing from the kids I watch! I've been sitting for 21 years now and remember the fun the kids had bringing me gifts and cookies and birthday, christmas gifts. The kids I have had for now 2-3 years, do not give anything! I still give gifts to them anyways. It's sad as I think it teaches the kids to give and receive instead of just receiving.

Anyways, what I liked to get was bath stuff, maybe a massage, manicure/pedicure, gift cards, perfume (if you know their favorite). I have even gotten nice sweatshirts and earrings, mugs.

Hope this helps. Merry Christmas.

It isn't the gift as much as the thought. A heartfelt note about why she is special to you and your son would go a long ways. A plate of cookies or a gift card is nice also, but just making it known how much you appreciate her will make her day. If you want to give a practical gift, some new supplies are always nice. Crayons and glue sticks are always needed. Also a gallon of milk and healthy snacks like a box of Nilla Wafers or fresh fruit would help her out with her daycare budget.

If it is possible, get the kids in the daycare together one day to take a photo. Then have your son decorate a frame for the photo. Having him paint a wooden one might be fun, and then he can decorate it with glitter or stickers, whatever he likes. I would write the year on the frame too. Or if you can't get a photo, maybe have your son do a finger paint project on paper and frame it as artwork for her to hang in her daycare. It truly is the thought that counts.