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

[disykat]

I miss when it was just cards. We had parties with games, special "refreshments" and cards. My experience as a teacher has been that the kids used to read and treasure all the valentines. Now they pretty much throw the valentines in the trash and make piles of the "stuff."

I'm not "against" a piece of candy or a pencil attached to a card, I do it myself. However, it's a slippery slope and pretty soon the cards just aren't valued any more.

 

[littleteapot]

There are always those parents who do that and really enjoy it. I don't begrudge them but I also don't let it make me feel guilty. I probably did for about 30 seconds when my first child was 3 or 4 and we first experienced that. Then I said "oh well, not my thing."

This! Gifts are their thing, that doesn't make them bad people or "uber" parents. It isn't a competition, so I don't try to keep up or pass them.

 

[PaulaSue]

OP, they can't have candy in school but parents send in other treats here.

 

[golfgal]

This! Gifts are their thing, that doesn't make them bad people or "uber" parents. It isn't a competition, so I don't try to keep up or pass them.

Just wait until your kids are in school--it very much IS a competition for many parents.

 

[Nancyg56]

Just wait until your kids are in school--it very much IS a competition for many parents.

You just need to step back and let them have at it. I always did what I wanted adn was comfortable with and let teh others do what they wantd to do. I will say I avoided those PTO dragons who made every event all about them.

 

[tiggersbombed2]

I've never seen it as a competition. My kids pick out Valentine's Day card they want from the Walmart File and if it comes with candy fine, if it doesn't we attach something. Scary right?

 

[Christine]

This! Gifts are their thing, that doesn't make them bad people or "uber" parents. It isn't a competition, so I don't try to keep up or pass them.

Any parent who can make around 31 valentine goody bags or various "crafty" things or "special" treats is an uber parent in my book!! And I don't necessarily mean that in a derogatory way although there is probably a certain amount of envy on my part. If you've got it in you to do that and you enjoy it and it causes you no stress, GO FOR IT!!!! You're still pretty UBER in my book. My point was, there are always parents who can/want/will do all this extra stuff and there's nothing wrong with it but don't beat YOURSELF up about it if it's hard for you to do it or you don't think it's required or whatever.

 

[ThreeKMom]

In my DD's school they have a rule that snacks need to be of "Nutritional Value" to be sent into the classroom. NO candy or sugary drinks at all!! You can't even send cupcakes with candy decorations. To make things worse in her class they have several allergies - peanuts, chocolate, strawberries, citrus fruits and gluten! That doesn't leave much to send in.

For Valentines day we sent in cards with pencils attached. I noticed that the cards that were supposed to come with candy had the candy removed! I also noticed that about 3 or 4 kids actually made their own cards to give out,we may try this next year!

 

[2binak]

I miss when it was just cards. We had parties with games, special "refreshments" and cards. My experience as a teacher has been that the kids used to read and treasure all the valentines. Now they pretty much throw the valentines in the trash and make piles of the "stuff."

I'm not "against" a piece of candy or a pencil attached to a card, I do it myself. However, it's a slippery slope and pretty soon the cards just aren't valued any more.

I fully agree. DD's school (she's 3) doesn't let the kids see the valentines before they go home. The teachers put them in decorated paper bags and it's up to the parents whether or not they want the kids to get the candy & gifts. I take the candy off of any cards before DD goes through them. She is soooo happy to have the cards that there's really no need for the candy & gifts. She will look through those cards for at least the next month! I'm sure most kids do just toss the cards aside to get to the candy & gifts though. So sad.

 

[minniebeth]

I miss when it was just cards. We had parties with games, special "refreshments" and cards. My experience as a teacher has been that the kids used to read and treasure all the valentines.

Last year, my DD was in 2nd grade, and the kids had to have homemade cards, not store bought and there was a no candy rule. You should have seen the cute Valentines and the kids DID love them and treasure them! I know that was (in part) the teacher's intention. It was nice.