Am I being tight?

beckseven

Just had an email from a friend asking me to go in for a present for nursery staff. I have just really embarassed myself because she said she was spending £10 each on the supervisors and then £5 each on each of the three staff-£35 pounds in all-I thought she meant go halfs so texted back to say I'd give her half the money but turns out she meant double the money. i don't have the greatest monthly budget and that is quite a large chunk of spending money for me. Am I being tight because I've texted her back to say i'll get my own prezzies?

bulchy

I dont think you are, it is a lot of money. If it was me, I would be buying one present for the staff to share, like some biscuits/choccies for the staff room. My kids are left school now, but I remember dreading the end of a school/nursery year as, call me mean, but I didnt agree with all this buying expensive pressies for all the staff. For one thing I couldnt afford it, and for another, the staff must have been over-run with pressies and probs half the stuff would either go to waste or be 'recycled' I would usually buy something for them all to share, and it was always appreciated.
Dont feel bad, I never did
Sue

GEEGEE8

We didn't even do this when I was a kid...!

You are not being tight, £35 for them is too much!

Choccies and a card would suffice.

hngrymummy

No you're not being tight. I think she should have discussed it a bit better with you. I don't mind going halves on presents, but I would like some say on what the 'halves' is. I imagine it's the same with you.

Maybe have a cofee with her and explain your situation, and that you don't mind contributing, it's just that you're limited in how much you can put in.

SugarSpun

I think that's a ridiculous sum of money - a box of biscuits or even some homemade cakes and a nice card is enough.

BitterAndTwisted

No, I don't think you're being tight. Not having oodles of cash to splash around is unfortunate but doesn't necessarily mean you would even if you could. I dunno, it seems to me that some parents like to get into some sort of a competition with these things. I wonder if they really are just "showing their appreciation" or actually believe that their kids can be bought some special treatment somehow.

Also, imagine the carp that some of these worker receive all the time. I suspect that some of it ends up on ebay, the local car-boot or charity shop in any case.

What about baking something special and taking it in so everyone, including the children can share? I'd rather receive something that entailed some special effort rather than some awful and useless guff from Boots or the Body Shop.

ilovecushions

I used to work in a nursery years back and they one thing that I truly appreciated (sp?) was a card made by the kids or a drawing. I still have the homemade ones in a box somewhere - can't bring myself to part with them! Don't feel the need to spend anything.

beckseven

Phew thanks for that! The problem is that a lot of the people where I live are wealthy so this is probably drop in the ocean to them. my mum was a teacher and we used to love the last day of term because she got lots of boxes of choccies-roses, quality street etc nothing extravagant but our family certainly appreciated it. At least i know i'm not being tight but i was just a bit taken aback!

ilovecushions

Have you got a paint it yourself pottery where you live? I don't know how much it costs but probably not much for a mug or bowl, I bet no one else will go to that much trouble.

pigpen

I don't buy any of the staff presents.. they get paid every month same as any other employee why do they need presents? they are doing what they chose to do.. If they kept them for a weekend free of charge I might think about it

It is almost like buying a present for the woman who served you in tesco.. she is doing her job.. just the same..

I do think it is a stupid idea gone mad making many parents feel they HAVE to give a gift.. If they want a gift they can keep my child

ilovecushions

pigpen wrote: »

I don't buy any of the staff presents.. they get paid every month same as any other employee why do they need presents? they are doing what they chose to do.. If they kept them for a weekend free of charge I might think about it

It is almost like buying a present for the woman who served you in tesco.. she is doing her job.. just the same..

I do think it is a stupid idea gone mad making many parents feel they HAVE to give a gift.. If they want a gift they can keep my child

:rotfl:

I agree!