So when I’m told at the daycare to “bring Valentines for the kids and here is the list of names”, what is it that I’m supposed to do?
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Opinions, art, debate
Opinions, art, debate
So when I’m told at the daycare to “bring Valentines for the kids and here is the list of names”, what is it that I’m supposed to do?
Clarissa's Blog 
Find out how many children are in her class, buy a packet of Valentine’s cards like this, and sign “From Klara” on every one. Put them in an envelope and deliver stack to teacher……………It’s so early to be doing Valentine’s Cards though! This is usual a ritual for children who are between 5-9 or so. Klara and her little classmates are too young to know or care about Valentine’s Day!
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Ah, thank you! This really helps. They will be having a Valentine party in their group. One set of parents was told to bring “pirate booty.” I’m very glad I’m not in that group because I have no idea what that means. Another group of parents has to bring “goldfish crackers.” It’s very confusing.
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I believe this is Pirate’s Booty. (But I could be wrong.) It’s a puffed rice/corn snack that typically sells at Trader Joe’s.
http://traderjoes.com/fearless-flyer/article/1694
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Oops. Wrong link above. THIS is Pirate’s Booty. https://www.walmart.com/ip/10535793?wmlspartner=wlpa&adid=22222222227025354499&wl0=&wl1=g&wl2=c&wl3=82850817392&wl4=pla-74426333527&wl5=9018836&wl6=&wl7=&wl8=&wl9=pla&wl10=8175035&wl11=online&wl12=10535793&wl13=&veh=sem
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Interesting! Are they going to feed this to kids?
Sweet Lord.
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Oh I missed that you were given a list of names of the students. So actually on every card write “Dear Name” and then “From Klara.” For everything else, proceed as above. 🙂
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The recipient’s name goes on the envelope, not the card, unless you want to write it both places.
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What should I write in the card, then? These are very small babies. Romantic declarations seem a bit misplaced. 😄
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“From Klara” is fine, as is, “Happy Valentine’s Day,” or “Happy Valentine’s Day From Klara.”
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Yes. No need to write anything other than “From Klara.” The card will usually have a happy little pre-printed saying. 🙂
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This is a great relief. 😀
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I would tell them you want to be sure, and ask them what specifically what they are expecting you too do.
My guess us that the day care people have some notion of what is appropriate to do, and they have assumed that everyone else already knows the same things. So they don;t have to give you any specifics. Which is dumb, but lots of people act that way in lots of situations….
I also think you’d find other parents who also don’t know what to do–so alternative 2 is to ask another parent “Hey what do these guys expect us to do for V day?”
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These parents get spooked very easily. I think the better option is to ask the teachers.
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You can buy these packs of kids’ Valentine cards (there can be a dozen or several dozen) at grocery store chains that say things such as “You’re a great pal!” or “Have fun for Valentine’s day!” They usually have cartoon characters on them, and lines for “from” and “to.” Fill those out. Buy a bag of small candy or a large bag full of small bags (they sell similar packs for Halloween) and then tape one piece of candy (e.g., a lollipop) to your Valentine’s and voila! A kids’ Valentine!
You’ll get the hang of it after your first. 🙂
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Thank you! I know I’ll figure it out eventually. 🙂
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….just ignore it.
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… live accoring to your values not moronic, time-consuming, meaningless, unhealthy, consumerist crap.
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My daughter is 11 months old. She hasn’t had time to figure out her values yet. Let’s give her at least a dozen years to do that. 😄
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“live according to your values not moronic, time-consuming, meaningless, unhealthy, consumerist crap.”
Awww. I would advocate against Valentine’s Day “grinchiness”. When I was little I thought the school-sponsored Valentine’s Day parties were SO fun. I thought it was very exciting to pass out and receive cards and the teacher would usually give us some treat and we would play games. Usually there would be a themed art project. One year we all wrote poems. It was just the best.
As an adult, I don’t have huge feelings for Valentine’s Day one way or the other. But as a kid, it was one of my favorite school holidays. I think sometimes adults don’t realize how much children enjoy little parties, special treats, and breaks in the routine. 🙂
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Exactly. If she decides she hates this or any other holiday at any point in her life, of course I won’t make her participate in it. But turning such a little kid into a pariah to service mamma’s neuroses is downright cruel. If everybody else participates and she is excluded, that can be a confusing, sad experience. And for what?
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Well, she will be brainwashed by the zeitgeist and will be wanting a dog next.
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Everybody manages to figure out how to relate to something as trivial as Valentines day. Let’s not make too big of a deal over it. I celebrate it, and I’m perfectly fine.
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What Evelina said. Kids love parties at daycare. They usually anticipate them for a week, do activities around the theme, such as decorate the paper bags with their name in which the Valentines will be placed, then practice reading (obvs not at 11 months by later) by having to find each classmate’s name in a row of baggies in order to put each Valentine into the bag of the kid it’s intended for…
Kids (yes, I said kids, not children, so sue me) get a lot out of celebrations with their friends and the activities around them. This is a key part of socialization. It’s irksome to see people eschew fun in the name of ideological purity.
I don’t give half a $hit about Valentine’s day as an adult, but for instance I love Halloween because I get to dress up as a witch and distribute candy and see adorable younglings in their costumes. I also don’t care for Christmas but the kids really look forward to it, so Dad is in charge of presents and tree decorating.
Just because you as an adult don’t enjoy something, doesn’t mean you have to stomp out everyone else’s fun. I personally think I am missing the celebratory gene and envy a little those who are truly into the holidays. Begrudging other people’s joy is… just nasty.
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…a child decision is based on what influences she is exposed to. If she is exposed to pressure to conform to certain meaningless behaviour, her decisions will be based onnthat.
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I grew up in the Soviet Union. We obviously had no Valentines, Christmas or 4th of July. And now I am enthusiastically celebrating all three. As for the May Day that we were pressured to celebrate when I was growing up, I don’t celebrate it in adulthood. So no, it’s not unavoidable that people will celebrate the same holidays their entire lives. Not that it’s a big deal one way or another.
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What’s so meaningless about a sweet little party in which children are encouraged to be nice to one another? On a slightly different angle, children should just enjoy themselves: they don’t have to invest meaning in every aspect of their lives just yet. I truly don’t see what’s accomplished by denying children access to the little social niceties that make days pleasant and friendly.
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Especially at the age of 11 months old. This is something knew for the kids to do, I’m sure they’ll have fun. Why over think it?
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A famous propaganda line in the USSR was, “Today he listens to jazz and tomorrow he will betray his country.” 😆
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They would’ve known, they were using the Beatles to spread Marxism at the same time.
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Sorry, I know I have rather extrrme views but I have raised four well-adjusted, successful children. I never called them “kids”. Goats have kids.
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As I always say, if you are unhappy with how I speak your language, let’s switch to mine. 😀
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Not unhappy with anything, just making comments….
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Oh for God’s sake. “Kids” is a completely acceptable term. Actually, calling children animal names is a common form of endearment. I’ve heard parents call their children “kitten”, “bunny”, “monkey,” “little duck” etc. etc. I used to call my niece “my little kangaroo” because she used to bounce so much. These are all normal, friendly, sweet, things. I don’t think it’s particularly wise to thrust children into a dour, grey world. Let things be cheerful!
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“Oh for God’s sake. “Kids” is a completely acceptable term”
I remember the line about goats from elementary school! It must have rubbed off some because while I think it’s completely fine in informal usage it irritates me in more ‘serious’ writing like journalism.
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I would agree that “kids” is slang. I wouldn’t use it in a formal/academic paper. But it’s completely fine for casual speaking or blog commenting. It’s certainly not a cruel term.
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Animal names as terms of endearment can be sweet but it is the generic use of “kids” that I find cringe-making.
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It’s been in the language for over 100 years. You might as well say that women wear bloomers, not pants or trousers, and that men wear pantaloons.
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When I was a kid, whether the adults called us “kids” or “children” was a good litmus test for me (not that I knew what a litmus test was). Adults who used “children” were uptight and seemed to have forgotten what it was like to be a kid.
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Ok, no “Be my Baa-lentine” or “You’re the GOAT” cards for Mariana.
I think schools dictate that you get at least one Valentine for everyone in the class so nobody really has an opportunity to feel too hurt.
She really is too young for those Necco candy hearts though.
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Boo hoo hoo, I take it all back…
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