Mom Urges Parents To Stop Making Classroom Gift bags for Every Holiday, Sparks Debate
With hundreds of parenting books and thousands of blogs online, parents feel the pressure of raising their kids in the exact way they are told to. Social media has a huge role to play when it comes to inundating millennial parents with everything they should and should not be doing with their kids. Millennial parents have their own ways of raising a healthy adjusted child and often the process involves many classroom holiday parties.
One mom took to TikTok to speak against it and called for changes when arranging classroom holiday parties. "Parents of little kids, can we stop making full-on gift bags for every kid in the class for every single holiday?” Renee Reina, a TikToker mom said in the video.
"When I was growing up, it was Valentine's Day cards. That's it. Now, every single holiday Halloween, Christmas, Valentine's, Easter, it's like my child comes home with a full-on gift bag from every other kid in the class." She then talked about how she felt really bad about herself when she only bought the teachers' gifts this year thinking that's normal. "A gift bag plus birthday parties, another gift bag, like how many gift bags do we need?" she concluded.
People took to the video to share their opinions on the subject. Many sided with the fact that parents can do whatever they want for their kids while many felt that giving gift bags for each occasion was a bit too much. “I love doing it because sometimes that’s the only ‘gift’ some kids are receiving. It may be one or 2 nicer things and some candy but I love it!!” one mom wrote. Another TikTok Mom wrote, "Yup! And it’s all stuff that ends up in the garbage."
"Thank you!!! It’s weird. My son gets one from every kid and I’m the only one that only does Valentine’s Day. Sorry. Too much," wrote a parent while another talked about how they are doing it because they never got the chance to celebrate anything growing up. "I healing my inner child. Wasn’t allowed to celebrate anything growing up. You know I’m passing out goody bags all year round," read one of the top comments.
The comment section also attracted a kindergarten teacher who sided with the OP and wrote, “As a kindergarten teacher I can’t agree more!!!!!!! And when one starts they all start! The pressure parents must feel! Please don’t!!!” You heard the woman. Stop the madness!" Another parent talked about how their kid's teacher has taken steps to decrease the number of gifts during each occasion, "My son’s teacher sends a note asking families to not bring in gifts or treats for the kids in class. Instead, they bake in class and have it as a treat," the comment read. A user even talked about how the school her kid goes to doesn't allow this, saying, "My school doesn't allow this except for teacher gifts. Kids are allowed to bring cupcakes or snacks for birthdays. and the school sends the kids home."
A mom took to the comment section to say that it was just a momentary thing that all the gifting and classroom holiday spirit suddenly faded away when the kids hit middle school age. "Don’t worry it will stop completely in grade 6! When my son started middle school, there were no more treats," the mom wrote. Giving gifts is a good thing a child can do, but as we all know too much of something is always harmful, especially for young brains who learn every day.