How much do you spend on teacher Shalach Manos

Log in / Sign Up

List of Forums + New Post Recipe Box Usergroups Following My Posts Bookmarks

Private Messages Advanced Search Rules New User Guide FAQ Advertise Contact Us

Forum -> Parenting our children -> School age children

View latest: 24h 48h 72h

pooki

Sun, Mar 06 2016, 7:52 pm

How much do you spend on teacher shalach manos? Any nice ideas?

out-of-towner

Sun, Mar 06 2016, 7:58 pm

I'm not up to teachers yet, but I do know that for our Rabbanim I try to put together something Bakovdik, but simple, so as not to break the bank. I like to give things that I know they will use and appreciate. I give a bottle of wine or even sparkling grape juice and a nice bar of chocolate in the hopes that the Rav or Rebbetzin is a chocolate fan.

There is Hakaras Hatov, but I don't believe that it nessessitates going overboard if you can't afford it. I think that this does the trick (besides that I would rather spend less on MM and give more $$$ to the Mosdos to help support them and their work).

seeker

Sun, Mar 06 2016, 8:02 pm

B"H our PTA organizes something that ends up being $15 per kid. So grateful for that!

Sun, Mar 06 2016, 8:16 pm

We also use the PTA program for teachers, a few dollars each.

Fave

Sun, Mar 06 2016, 8:30 pm

I spend very little on the actual mishloach (bar of chocolate and some nuts- works out under $3), but I add a nice card with a check.

I feel that the Moros/Rebbeim don't need my candy as they're getting plenty from the other students, and would appreciate the tip more.

amother

Smokey

Sun, Mar 06 2016, 9:10 pm

Fave wrote:

This. Regular shalach manos and a check.

cnc

Sun, Mar 06 2016, 9:20 pm

Fave wrote:

Same here

lfab

Mon, Mar 07 2016, 1:18 pm

I do teachers through the school PA. For playgroup morahs I just give what I'm giving to everyone else.

amother

Ecru

Mon, Mar 07 2016, 1:52 pm

How much of a check would you give, say, to a third grade Morah?

Chayalle

Mon, Mar 07 2016, 1:59 pm

I also give the regular mm (which are quite simple) and a gift card.

amother

Ecru

Mon, Mar 07 2016, 2:03 pm

Chayalle wrote:

I also give the regular mm (which are quite simple) and a gift card.

Do you mind sharing how much gift card? Trying to figure out what the norm is...

Chayalle

Mon, Mar 07 2016, 2:47 pm

amother wrote:

Do you mind sharing how much gift card? Trying to figure out what the norm is...

I've given varying amounts based on the particular child, the teacher, etc...for example for DD's 7th grade English teachers, I think I did either $15 or $18 depending on what they taught her and how much, since the subjects are split. When it's just one English teacher I've done $25. For Hebrew teachers, I've done anywhere from $25 to $50 depending on how my finances were that year, how much effort I felt they were putting into my child, etc...

juggling

Mon, Mar 07 2016, 3:42 pm

I'm going to be a minority voice here. I'm in Israel, so bear that in mind. I think Purim as a whole has gotten way too expensive! And Pesach is right around the corner. If you have more than a child or two in school, and especially if you have more than one teacher per child, it ends up being a lot of money. Money which, for me, is way more than I can comfortably spend.

I do give my teachers a nice gift card, if I can afford to, but at the end of the year. (I could see doing chanukah instead, but it would be one or the other, not both.) By nice, though, I mean about 100 shekels in most cases. I don't know, maybe others think that isn't so nice?

For Purim I send a "symbolic" mishloach manot to each kid's homeroom teacher. I send only packaged goods so it doesn't end up in the trash. I generally put in an inexpensive bought cake or package of cookies, and a carton of soft drink. That's it! I like to hope those items might be somewhat useful to a busy teacher with a family to feed. It costs under 15 shekels per package. I also usually put in a tzedaka card, because I think it is a nice "upgrade" that doesn't cost much.

I package it up pretty. And since they are bulky items it looks fairly "mechubad." I hope the teachers arent offended, but it just doesn't feel reasonable to me to spend more.

amother

Aquamarine

Mon, Mar 07 2016, 3:50 pm

going anon because of identifiying details:

we are a low income family, dh teaches in a MO school, receives MM from a maximum of 4 students each year, I am a daycare teacher, get MM from about 6-8 kids, usually cheap stuff like grape juice, cookies ,etc, no giftcards, no cash for either dh or me.

we also dont give giftcards or cash to rebbeim or teachers. we cant afford it. I will not overdraw my bank accoiunt or go itno credit card debt over gifts for teachers, just as I will not do so to buy myself extras, eg fancy chocolates, flowers, clothing etc.

I hope my kids rebbiem and teachers do not treat them any differently bec we dont give major gifts. I give them small giftcards for chanukah and end of year instead, eg 10-18$ each time. for MM I give rebeim a bottle of kiddush wine and bar of chocolate (elite, = what I can afford, I dont buy anything more expensive for myself either) For teachers, I give bottle of grape juice and pkt cookies usually. It is what it is . I accept my financial limitations and wish that others who are strapped for cash would do the same. Its importatnt to be realistic, spend within your means and not go into debt.

amother

cornflower

Mon, Mar 07 2016, 6:26 pm

Regular MM with a check and card or for Rebbeim, a bottle of wine/sparkling with a check and card.

amother

Forestgreen

Mon, Mar 07 2016, 9:34 pm

I'm a teacher, and I have been one for many years (anon because many moms of my students go on this site).
I have received some absolutely magnificent MM, some exquisitely expensive MM, and some that were even more over the top than you can imagine. I have also received checks and gift cards along with a lovely MM. These are all nice things. However:
If you want to show hakarat hatov to a teacher, the way to her/his heart is a handwritten note telling him/her how much he/she means to your child. You can thank the teacher for a specific thing, for just generally being a good role model, or for being there for the child when he/she was having a tough time. Just put together your standard MM, and attach the note where it will be noticed (and not thrown out with the wrapping). And make sure to send the child in with it -- my favorite part of purim is seeing my students in their creative and beautiful costumes; sometimes it shows me a side of the student I have never seen before!

Oh, baked goods and chocolate are always appreciated Wink

Ruchel

Tue, Mar 08 2016, 12:04 pm

We don't have school on that day. I don't give, and didn't get.

amother

Maroon

Tue, Mar 08 2016, 1:15 pm

I give to them as much as they give to my child.

My regular MM and a check if they have put effort into my child. If you don't return phone calls or do not acknowledge my child, please don't expect a gift.

Page 1 of 1