Am I the only mother that didn't get the memo?

[ccgirl]

Well, I am getting myself all psyched already for easter baskets for the class!! I just have to email the teacher to make sure they do have a party for then. Or a 'spring break' party.

Is this a public school? If so, they probably don't celebrate Easter as it is a religious holiday. At least, that is how it is around here.

 

[Hannathy]

Well, I am getting myself all psyched already for easter baskets for the class!! I just have to email the teacher to make sure they do have a party for then. Or a 'spring break' party.

I think you missed me asking but what grade is this and how many kids? I think it is really nice but I am curious because like I said there are 31 kids in my son's class so that would be a lot of baskets!

 

[Hannathy]

My dd is almost 20. I always put candy in the valentines. Nothing new here.

In fact most of the time I would give out candy in those cute bags with the valentine attached. Remember back in those "old days" when they had those cute little paper bags?

Actually they are plastic and zip lock! I got them at the dollar store and they were really nice. Same size as the little old paper ones (had those for my DD who is 19) but as I was looking in the drawer for the twist ties my DS was opening them and goes "you don't need them they are zip locks"

they had hearts all over them but the back was clear so he put the valentine in with the name facing to the clear and we put the pencil in and the candy and zipped it up to the pencil and they worked wonderfully.

 

[hereyago]

well, The $ from the lottery is supposed to go back into education. win/Win.

Here in VA, it was assumed that the money went for education. However, the first 10 years of lottery here, the profits went for the state's general fund. Then in 1999, it was earmarked for education.

Last year, profits were 439 Million, which is only about 4 percent of the state's total school budget. So it really isn't "extra" money, but the lottery still hypes it as such.

 

[gracie1]

Is this a public school? If so, they probably don't celebrate Easter as it is a religious holiday. At least, that is how it is around here.

You are probably 100% right on that! It is a public school, so I have an email in to his teacher to check on what 'parties' they will be having in the future. It's sad, but their not even technically allowed to call it a 'party' anymore

 

[gracie1]

I think you missed me asking but what grade is this and how many kids? I think it is really nice but I am curious because like I said there are 31 kids in my son's class so that would be a lot of baskets!

No way is there 31 kids!! I would've scaled back somewhere if so. He has different classes throughout the day, and each class has 4 students to it. However, I didn't realize that there were different classes throughout the day, so his main classroom received the goodies. I'm guessing that there would probably be about 20 kids if I did all his classes, but I'm not doing that. He has a main class and that's it!

 

[brockash]

My sons' teachers asked us to send one bag of individually wrapped candy, along with the regular valentines. They also told us we could send candy if we wanted to at Christmas. Other than my kids' sugar rush I don't mind helping. I did think that if everyone sent candy that it would be a tremendous amount of candy, but I'm pretty sure not everyone sends candy and it evens out. My kids didn't come home with a huge amount of candy(unless they ate it all at school).

At our school, for every party, all parents are sent a note home asking to help (either candy/cookies/drinks ect.) Since my DS has been at this school, only 2-3 parents send anything in (these are of classes of 20-25.) The 2 "room moms" (I'm one of them) go in the night before and figure out everything else that is needed, and split it.

 

[Mrs.Toad]

Well, I am getting myself all psyched already for easter baskets for the class!! I just have to email the teacher to make sure they do have a party for then. Or a 'spring break' party.

None of my kids (nor I at that age) ever had an Easter, or a spring break party. (Even in a Christian preschool. Just not a "party" type of holiday, I guess.) Halloween, Winter Holiday, Valentine's and End of Year are it. But you could do something fun with summery stuff in a sandbox for an end of year party!

No way is there 31 kids!! I would've scaled back somewhere if so. He has different classes throughout the day, and each class has 4 students to it. However, I didn't realize that there were different classes throughout the day, so his main classroom received the goodies. I'm guessing that there would probably be about 20 kids if I did all his classes, but I'm not doing that. He has a main class and that's it!

Four kids in a class? Wow! Now I'm really curious. Where is this? Is it a special needs class of some sort? Recent budget cuts have increased our elementary school class sizes to 27-30 on average, but even back when we had enough teachers, most classes were 22-24 and the smallest I ever saw was 15 in an afternoon kindergarten class (no one wanted afternoon K ).

 

[gracie1]

None of my kids (nor I at that age) ever had an Easter, or a spring break party. (Even in a Christian preschool. Just not a "party" type of holiday, I guess.) Halloween, Winter Holiday, Valentine's and End of Year are it. But you could do something fun with summery stuff in a sandbox for an end of year party!

Four kids in a class? Wow! Now I'm really curious. Where is this? Is it a special needs class of some sort? Recent budget cuts have increased our elementary school class sizes to 27-30 on average, but even back when we had enough teachers, most classes were 22-24 and the smallest I ever saw was 15 in an afternoon kindergarten class (no one wanted afternoon K ).

This school is in Delaware. We have so many types of schools its not funny. His sisters go to a different school where there are like 30 kids to a class. He is not in a special needs school, but we do have schools here that are for intense learning, where instead of being in a large class, with one teacher who has to try to teach 30 kids and not be able to give them individual learning lessons, he is in a class that can. He also goes to school all year long. This school is so good with teaching that his education level has gotten him into a classroom with 8 year olds and he is 6 years old! I am so proud of him!! And, not only is the class 4 students, but they have 2 teachers! So two students to a teacher.

 

[luvsJack]

Is this a public school? If so, they probably don't celebrate Easter as it is a religious holiday. At least, that is how it is around here.

For the younger kids, our school has an Easter Egg hunt and a sort of outdoor party/picnic type thing. This is like K-1 only though. They don't go into the relegious aspects of Easter at all. I am really not sure how they have been able to continue this with it being a public school, but so far they have.

We did an egg hunt/party too and the parents went all out for that one too. One made little nests out of coconut and then put little bird egg candy (I think its like malted milk balls) in each one. REALLY cute. Another made a bunny cupcakes. Lots of work went into this stuff!

 

[simba20]

I don't go "overboard" but I did give out goodie bags. DD is in a private church based daycare with 11 kid sin her class.

I was going to make the heart valentine flower pops that you cut out from scrapbook paper for DD's class , it was in last year's Fmily Fun magaine, but last week I realized V-day was coming and I didn't have time. So instead, I took the bags of pops I already had (Blow Pops and Tootsie pops) and bought two more bags of candy (a non-choclate candy mix) and individual treat sized bags of mini-M&M's and crated "treat bags". I also bought those V-day cards that are sold on the regular card aisle that come in packs of 8 and had DD give out those. Her class is 3 & 4 year olds and have recently learned to write their names and read each other's names, so I had her sign each one and then yesterday when I came to the party, she handed them out 9I wrote each child's name on the outside), so it gave her reading and writing practice.

The class also had a party, but I do have to admit that I am the "healthy mom" of the group. There is always a sign up sheet with different categoeis,a nd I always do the finger foods. Typically I bring small sandwiches or pigs in blankets to balance out the junk (chips, chee-tos, cookies, and cupcakes) the kids will get. My highlights in the past have been pigs in blankets, heart shaped sandwiches (sans condiments), and orange wedges. My daughter's daycare has banned cupcakes only because the kids don't eat them or else just lick off the icing. I feel special though that the kids alway eat my sandwiches or pigs in blankets. My daughter's class has moved up with her through the years, and whenever I come on party day, they all ask for the hot dogs." I have seen plates of cookies and chips with nothign more than a bite being thrown away, but those hot dogs....they go crazy for. LOL!

Oh and DD's school will be having an Easter party. Yes, her pre-school is sponsored by a church/part of a schurch, but I call it religion lite. With the exception of her teacher this year playing some Bible story songs on her cassette player, my daughter hasn't ever touched on religion at her daycare period.

 

[Sonya]

We gave each kid in my daugters first grade class a $5 scratch off.

Is this legal? Lol

I can see I'm going to have to step up my game. I can't imagine what it will be like with all of them in school!

 

[Tinkh]

We gave each kid in my daugters first grade class a $5 scratch off.

Are you kidding lol?? You have to be 18 to gamble and you sent them to the school?

 

[DeluxePrincess]

DD10 came home with a big bag full of candy yesterday. The teacher asked each family to bring in 1 bag of wrapped candy to share with the class. I don't really buy candy to bring into the house so the school parties and Halloween are the only places she really gets large amounts of candy from. She knows if she eats it all too quickly, there won't be any left until the next holiday. Of course, during Halloween, I "helped" her eat the good stuff. Can't resist a good Reese's Cup or Butterfinger.

 

[Luv'sTink]

Originally Posted by Dictator
We gave each kid in my daugters first grade class a $5 scratch off.

Uhm, I thought/think it was a joke.

 

[locolala]

My son is 15. So he's five years away from ES valentine parties. The valentine with candy in it was rare then. Now I understand it's more normal. I think it's dumb. Kids don't need all that candy. Why must people overdo everything? Keep it simple folks! They are children and if they get it all now, they will be bored, spoiled adults.

I'm 15 years out of Elementary school and we all got candy for Valentines day at school. Even the teachers brought in candy. I remember in 5th grade we got candy if we got over a 95% of tests.

 

[tiggersbombed2]

We did full size Hershey bars this year. It was cheaper than getting together a goodie bag. The kids loved it. I hope I haven't caused the downfall of the country.

Valentine's with candy attached have been around a few years now. What's the big deal?

 

[disfan07]

We always did cards and candy when I was in elemenatry school and that was only like 10-15 years ago.

I dont think it's anything new

 

[themilesfamily]

My DD took Valentines with a temporary tattoo attached to each card. (They came with the cards -- they were things like hearts, cherubs, etc.)

When I was a kid, I came from a poor family as did virtually everyone in my class. No one's parent was trying to be an uber anything. We were excited to get store-bought Valentines, period. We would have fallen over in shock if someone had actually attached gifts to the cards.

For a while we sent my DD to a really chi-chi preschool. The trend there -- the parents were having special photo shoots done of their kids and turning them into photo-Valentines. We didn't even try to compete. That year we attached a pencil to each card.

 

[NHdisneylover]

I'm 15 years out of Elementary school and we all got candy for Valentines day at school. Even the teachers brought in candy. I remember in 5th grade we got candy if we got over a 95% of tests.

I have been out of elementary school over 25 years, and we always had candy with Valentine's Day cards even back in those "ancient days." Back then the teachers used to let us eat pretty much as much as we wanted in school so our parents did not see as much come home--maybe that is the difference. Perhaps the poster you quote just never saw it because her son had already eaten it.