I am a third grade teacher. I am apalled at where teachers are placed in the article as well, but not because I want a bigger gift. The reason it bothers me is because it reflects a lack of respect for teachers. If you are wondering about what to give for a gift, those gift certificates are a GREAT idea. I, agree that I do not need any more figuriines and definitely no more coffee mugs! But, if you really want to make your teacher happy, give him or her the gift of respect when you interact with them. Respect the fact that they spend over 1000 hours a year with your child and that generally, teachers are very intelligent, trustworthy people who work their hearts out for your children.

Not a story but a question: I use a cleaning service, and the person who cleans is not always the same. How do I offer a tip (equal to one cleaning) that can be divided among those who clean? One person is more frequent than others (she's good!), but still, others have participated. In the past, I have included in the payment before the holiday the amount equal to one service, but am not satisfied that those who served best are justly compensated. Any ideas?

"Long ago and far away......." when I was a young girl, I frequently baby sat for a farm family. One night, the mom was going to Bingo and she said if she won, I would get paid but, if she lost, I'd get other than monetary compensation. Naturally, I prayed she'd win and naturally, she didn't! My "compensation" was a frozen goose from the farm's larders. Lucky for me my Dad appreciated the fact that I provided Sunday dinner and he paid me $5 for the bird!

I also think teachers, the people who shape our childrens entire lives deserve more. Saturday I went to my regular hair stylist for color,prem & style, I tipped my usual 20% plus $100 as I did last year which is equalilvant to the cost of my average visit. A teacher surely deserves more than my styist? My son in now attending UConn, in part because of good teachers.

As a mail carrier I often received gifts of baked goods,which I deeply appreciated. But one family would wait until after Christmas to give me a box of cookies. The cookies were always stale and obviously the left-overs of their holiday party. They were totally inedible ! Then one year they gave me a box of candy instead still in it's cellophane wrap. What a relief. Until I opened it and discovered the candy was rock hard with white bloom on it. Apparently they had stored it a few years and decided to give it to me.
I could never understand why as this family was always friendly and we had never had any problems.And I should mention that the rest of my customers are good-hearted, generous people.

I will never forget this! I have a house cleaning business and I always bring my customers a little something for Christmas. I was at this one particular home, I brought her my gift, and she says to me, "Well, I had a gift for you but my husband took it to work for someone else. Hahahaha!" And she left it at that...I did not know what to do or say! I just stood there with my mouth opened and said sheepishly, "Thank you, I guess". (Never did get anything from her that year!)

The newspaper delivery person gets $35 and a really nice card. The garbage haulers, recyclers and yard debris haulers, the vet and the dentist each get a really nice card, homemade cookies and candy in an attractive container. My hairdresser and manicurist each get a really nice card, $25 and a nice glass cookie jar full of homemade cookies and candy. By treating these people well at Christmas, and tipping generously all year long, I receive fine service.

My boyfriend is a high school teacher. He has been delighted when someone has baked him cookies or given him a $10 cafe gift certificate. He spends about $1500-$1800 each year buying school supplies and could probably easily make more money elsewhere but he loves teaching in a public city high school. He makes more than I do and often more than the parents providing those gifts. Teaching is a profession, not a service industry. He has paid leave, insurance, pension, city property tax deduction and other benefits others mentioned in the tipping article may not have. If each of his students gave him $25, he would have approximately $2000. My dog walkers have 20 clients that get regular walks for their dogs throughout the week + many occasional customers like me. If each of their regular customers tipped them $100 it would also be about $2000 but it would be split by 3 people. I don’t disagree that teaching is hard work and that teachers are underpaid, lack support from administration and are under appreciated. However, I don’t think gifts or tipping is a substitute for what’s missing. I think it’s a completely separate issue and should be treated as such.

I am a teacher and I teach children. But I also take care of your children when their best friend is mad at them, when they are hurt, when they didn't eat breakfast, when they are having difficulty learning something, or when mom or dad yelled at them. Plus I comfort them after a tooth falls out and then they lost it. I think a teacher deserves a thank you card with a gift card inside. Aren't we at least as important as a dog walker, hair stylist or doorman? People always comment that teachers are under paid. Here is a chance to show your teacher how much you appreciate all they do for your child.

In this country teachers are the most low-paid and under-respected of ALL professionals.
Other countries and cultures revere educators --in Japan the "sensei" is a word used for physicians and scholars as well as kindergarten teachers; and the word "rabbi" also applies to instructors, both giving reverence and respect just by virtue of the title. ALL teachers deserve elevated status both socially and economically and it's time they were recognized for all they do. A friend of mine spends hundreds of dollars of her own money to buy supplies and teaching materials for her inner-city first-graders and is not reimbursed! She does NOT need a few dozen more figurines, apple plaques or coffee mugs but a gift certficate to a spa or even to Whole Foods would be welcome and useful, I'm sure.
I am a bartender and make more money than half the teachers in my state. What does that say about our priorities?
Just about everyone can recall that one teacher who somehow encouraged or inspired them; I know I would love to go back and thank more than one of mine.
Did not the editors of this magazine have at least one English teacher who helped make get them where they are today?
Give the dog-walker what you like if you can afford a dog-walker, but triple that amount for the person responsible for the knowledge, safety, entertainment and well-being of your child for nearly one-third of every week!

I am not a teacher and I don't have school-age children, but I want to put my two cents in re the teacher gifts anyway! Yes, a teacher should get a better gift than the pool guy, but the problem with giving expensive gifts to teachers is that not every family can afford to do so and it might seem like some parents are trying to buy a better grade for their child. Many schools have a teacher appreciation day when the teachers are treated to breakfast and given a gift (usually a gift certificate) from the entire class. I think this is a much better solution to the Christmas gift dilemma. Of course, a sincere letter of thanks is always appreciated, and a teacher who has spent extra time working one-on-one with a child should get a nice gift from the family.

What is recommended for a nursing home nurse taking care of a parent. There are 3 in my case with morning, evening & weekend nurse. Please help.

As a former high school teacher and present-day parent I was also shocked by your suggestion of a minimal gift for teachers. They worker harder than anyone I know and receive inadequate compensation for all they do! Are you kidding! Your lack of insight and thoughtlessness makes me question the rest of your suggestions, not the least of which is $100 for the pool cleaner. When was the last time the pool cleaner had to sit in a critical course to teach young minds??

I am surprised that so many teachers are offended by your gift suggestion. I thought they taught "for the love of teaching"! Also, here in NJ, teachers are paid VERY well...in fact better than a lot of private industry jobs. What ever happened to "Its the thought that counts"???!!!

I am very offended by your suggestion that teachers should get a minimal gift while the pool cleaner should get 100 dollars. That is outrageous! As a teacher of middle school students, I encourage the author of that article to try teaching for one month! Even better, attend the class I have to take with no pay after school for three hours twice a week and some Saturdays so I can get endorsed in gifted. The author can also attend my graduate classes so they can afford to put $75 dollars away each month for their child's college. This article is just one example of how sad the view and pay of teachers is in this country which is why our students do not respect us or value education. Japanese teachers are paid like doctors and they effect of that shows in the deep respect students show to them and their education.

I think that your article was WAY off. You think that a dog walker deserves a tip equal to one weeks service (which I am going to assume is $50 - 100), someone who opens your door for you and may carry a package for you upwards of $100, and a teacher a "thank you note or a small gift costing less than $25"!? That is crazy! The person that is mainly responsible for your child's education, well being throughout the day, and making sure they feel cared for those 8 hours they spend away from their family is less deserving than a dog walker! Unreal...

As an aspiring teacher and as the daughter of a teacher, I was also appalled at the ranking that teachers received in your article. I think that if anyone can afford a dog walker, house-keeper, personal trainer, a hair stylist and the other service personnel that were listed then they can afford to give their child/ren's teacher a thoughtful and practical gift. You said that a nanny should receive a gift valued at one to two weeks salary, so shouldn't a teacher receive at least that equivalent? Maybe not from each of her students, but if you added the gifts together they should equal that much. And please remember teachers do not need anymore, mugs, wall hangings, pencil holders or towels that say "World's Best Teacher" unless it holds a $50+ gift certificate.

Reading your article about how teachers should receive the less then 25 gift is horrible. Being a aspiring teacher I was very peturbed at this. The next time your child is in need of medical care, or maybe the next time you visit a lawyer because your husband/wife left you and wants nothing more then to completely rip you off you better think about who got them there. Because the people saving your life and your bank account aren't there because they were born smart. They are there because they were taught by deserving teachers. Without teachers there would be no other professions. Its teachers that shape your children while you are at work, or home during the day. Next time YOUR at the doctors and they tell you that you are sick and you get that horrible feeling, but then suddenly they tell you they can help, remember that they are there because of teachers. Teachers that get far less then what they deserve. Low pay and high insurance rates. Teachers who go to school and teach because they love to do it, and only want whats best for your kids.

I am an esthetician who only receives tips from about half of her clients. I don't expect tips, though I am grateful for them. I was also appauled that you reccommend giving a small gift to a teacher. Unlike me, teachers do not set thier own prices for their services. The do a much more difficult job for a lot less money. Of course she would say that a "thankyou" is the best ift she could recieve. However, what says thankyou more than a gift that she would not give herself. Get together with other student's parents and give her a spa day!

My kids were in Middle School last year, gave a 50 dollar gift certificate to the local bagel store and a basket of coffee, coco and teas. I got many thank yous and they could use the gift for the next meeting, for all the staff.

I am utterly appalled at the bottom ranking you have given teachers in your list of whom and what to tip for the holidays. Is this a reflection of your level of respect for what they do? Why would you put day-care staff, babysitters/nannies, housekeepers, and even the dog walker, for pete's sake, way above teachers? Do you figure teachers do so much less for your child's well-being and future than the dogwalker does for your pet?

Why not just leave them off the list entirely, rather than deliver such a pointed insult by ranking them last and least deserving of your holiday generosity?

I wholeheartedly agree with Julie, who posted a comment saying "Shame on you"!

I was shocked that a teacher would receive a small gift costing less than 25 dollars----To follow that up, a day care staff member could receive 25 to 75 dollars....better yet, a doorman receives 20 to 100.
Again, teachers are at the bottom. This note is from an elementary teacher. Shame on you.....

We were just reading the "Tips for Giving" article in your December issue, and were quite disappointed to see that your article suggests giving a teacher a gift that costs less than $25, yet hairstylists, babysitters, and dog walkers should receive a tip or gift equal to the cost of one service, which could be at least $50! Somehow, we feel that the value of childrens' education and all teachers do throughout the year is a bit more deserving than these other personal services. We love gift certificates AND thank you notes.

I read your information about what to give teachers. As an elementary school teacher, I must say that although the little homemade gifts are lovely, since we are SO underpaid, we really do appreciate the money or gift certificate gifts. I'm a single mother of two and the best gift I ever got was a $50 gift certificate to Meijers. I could buy necessary items that my salary didn't allow. We don't need anything. We teach because we love to. But honestly, we really could use the cash or gift certificates. THANKS!!!