Valentine's @ School

[186momx]

What is everyone's kiddos doing or not doing for Valentine's Day?

[186momx]

I'm venting. Just got an email from DD's school. They are not celebrating Valentine's day. Instead they will be doing a school wide buddy day and doing a kindness craft.

DD's 1st grade class has a buddy class (4th grade) and they usually meet up on Fridays and read to each other. Last week since no school Friday they did an extra PE together. DD's teacher already told her class that Friday 16th was going to be a big buddy event as they were going to be celebrating the Chinese New Year.

Now I get to return the 32 horse Valentine's cards I bought last weekend. I wanted to get some before they were all gone as I don't have time for Pintrest. I also have to explain to DD why she can't do cards and they won't be having a party/celebration and why her friends who go to other schools will.

I wish schools could just stop over thinking everything and let the kids celebrate when everyone is already talking about it. I won't miss all the candy and glow sticks that would have come home.

[k3am]

186momx, I'd still send the Valentines anyways even if they're not making a big event of it.

[2chatter]

We have a friendship party (not Valentines). DD has a few handmade things for her BF since kinder but she has to sneak them to him because they include two forbidden things - personalization and love. I mean seriously? So I helped her make her subversive delivery plan.

[mustardseed2007]

186momx, I'd definitely let her give out the cards.

We bought valentines from target for the classmates and another pack of cards for the teachers. Boom, done.

[waverly]

I am just doing cards. Lots of moms do a bag of non-food dollar store stuff, but I am too lazy for that plus most of it is junk.  We are not allowed to bring food. 

[hocus2]

My younger kid is passing out trinkets I found online and my older one is passing out cards that she picked out. There is a party for both classes but I'm not sure on the food rules.

[traveltheworld]

We were told no food items and no trinkets, but cards are permissible. From the email description I got, it appears that there will be a Valentine card holder - but I can't figure out if that's a card holder for each kid or not.

Question - do you let your child give out cards to only the kids he/she likes? DS only wants to give cards to half a dozen kids that he likes, but I feel like if the kids will each get a card holder, then DS should do cards for everyone. Because I don't want certain kids to feel like he/she got fewer cards...or am I over-thinking this?

[twinmomma]

DD1 is decorating a cereal box for a mailbox and they're handing out cards.
DD2 is also doing cards. Not sure about a mailbox yet.
Both classes are doing little parties with snacks. Both classes require you do Valentines for the whole class, which I agree with. No little kid should feel left out over a little card.
Daycare never had crazy moms with elaborate Valentines so I'm hoping that trend continues with elementary school since my plan is to let them pick from the easy card choices at Walmart.

[twinmomma]

Feb 6, 2018 17:33:05 GMT -5 traveltheworld said:

We were told no food items and no trinkets, but cards are permissible. From the email description I got, it appears that there will be a Valentine card holder - but I can't figure out if that's a card holder for each kid or not.

Question - do you let your child give out cards to only the kids he/she likes? DS only wants to give cards to half a dozen kids that he likes, but I feel like if the kids will each get a card holder, then DS should do cards for everyone. Because I don't want certain kids to feel like he/she got fewer cards...or am I over-thinking this?

They don't require cards for every kid? Our school does.

[186momx]

traveltheworld, it was always for the whole class or none at all. Once parties and cards went out of style (middle school) if you did anything it was just with your friends. I'm guessing each child will make a card holder of some fashion at school.

twinmomma, I'm glad both of your girls are doing cards. That would have been really hard to explain why twin 1 class got to do cards/holder/party and twin 2 class isn't doing anything at all. Last year at our school K was like that DD's teacher did a holder but only 5 kids brought in cards as it wasn't communicated well while the other K class didn't do anything.

DD said all the kids are talking about Valentine's and lists and how it wasn't fair that they didn't get to do cards in K so I'm guessing when Mrs. J tells them the new plan for next week she is going to have unhappy kiddos.

No idea how many are in DD's class right now, last count I had for the gingerbread activity was 34 but DD said they got 3 new kids after winter break but 2 kids have been in Mexico and haven't come back yet. No list makes it hard to make sure enough cards get sent in especially with her large class.

[librarychica]

Cards and stickers. They do a class party and come home with way too much junk and candy.

[divanerd]

His class is having a celebration and I dropped off crafts so they could make cards for a unit at the hospital I work at.

I'm trying to decide if I participate in the day but my day is booked.

[campermom]

I got a letter today each kid which I didn't look at but put in the pile of 100th day of school necessities and a letter about the Talent Show.

All for me to look/prepare during my solo parenting weekend.

IM EXHAUSTED

[mae0111]

Both kids are handing out cards. Food is verboten so I bought a few things on Oriental Trading Co - Little slinkys, a craft, and bags. It’s all crap but the kids love to give stuff out. There’s enough for everyone in both classes.

[akafred]

The kids do cards at school where they write the person's name, with each letter standing for a positive adjective. Like Charlotte:

Caring
Helpful
Artistic
Really funny
Loving
Optimistic
Terrific
Trendy
Excellent

They do one for every kid in class except themselves. I'm pretty sure they all hate Charlotte by the end because she has such a long name lol. But it was a lovely and creative way to keep the Pinterest and candy out of the school. Also they do it during school time so no mommy one-uppers.

[phdmomma]

DS is having friendship day with valentines cards. Trinkets are okay, food is not. I got cards from Target that are basically an envelope with a little puzzle in each. Dd, no idea, they haven't mentioned anything yet. She has the exact same valentines as DS, and I left all the names blank and signed her name.

[saraml13]

Daycare does a Valentines exchange in DS1’s preschool class. Food is discouraged but not forbidden. They have to bring one for every kid. They ask that we don’t individually address the cards so that they can pass them out more quickly. I got these cards with emoji gel clings from Target.

DS2’s class hasn’t mentioned anything and I don’t plan on sending anything.

[waverly]

Feb 6, 2018 17:33:05 GMT -5 traveltheworld said:

We were told no food items and no trinkets, but cards are permissible. From the email description I got, it appears that there will be a Valentine card holder - but I can't figure out if that's a card holder for each kid or not.

Question - do you let your child give out cards to only the kids he/she likes? DS only wants to give cards to half a dozen kids that he likes, but I feel like if the kids will each get a card holder, then DS should do cards for everyone. Because I don't want certain kids to feel like he/she got fewer cards...or am I over-thinking this?

Nope. They have to give cards to everyone in the class.

[sandandsea]

I plan to use last years leftovers if we have enough or go to the dollar store and get whatever character he picks and they have left. We have to do the whole class at his school. I’m a room mom and planned the party where we are making glitter play doh, playing bingo, making the card bags and passing out valentines. I premixed the dry ingredients so it should be easy to do the playdoh.

For Ds2 I’m skipping as he’s 1.5 but I did sign up to bring pouches.

Both are having parties.

ETA. We did them tonight and have three leftover cards after using the last two years worth of leftovers. . Cheap mom win! And ds was happy he got to use paw patrol and fire and rescue planes.

[traveltheworld]

Huh, weird. I re-read the teacher's email a few times now and it doesn't specify you'd have to do cards for the whole class.

I'm going to get DS to do cards for everyone. I'd hate for a kid to feel left out.

[covergirl82]

I bought a box of valentines for each of my kids. Their school still does valentines. You get some Pinterest moms that do fancy things like a card with a package of popcorn with a note that says "I'd pop for you!," but I have no interest in doing that.

[twinmomma]

186momx, So far we've been lucky with both classes doing something for each of these celebrations. It might not be exactly the same, but no one has been left out yet!

[polecat8]

DD and DS1 will both have class parties. Since both of their schools have weird food rules, I had them pick out gifts that are not food related. DD has cards that have an eraser attached to them. I bought pencils to add to them. I found some Valentine's themed fun packs that have a small coloring book, crayons, and stickers. I found them all at Target.

[katrine05]

DD goes to a Catholic school so since Valentines day falls on Ash Wednesday they are celebrating it on Tuesday. They didn't specify what was allowed and not. I'll pick out some cards for her to give out and leave it at that.

[ilovelucyvv]

DS is doing PJ masks puzzle piece valentines. DD is doing Shopkins smelly tattoo valentines. I attached candy to valentines last year and they got confiscated by daycare despite that they allowed them the year prior. At daycare they try to get the emphasis on writing cards for the teachers. Also they call it Friendship Day not Valentines Day.

[erinshelley21]

DS just has to bring 10 cards with his name on them. Easy peasy.

186momx can your DD take them to gymnastics and hand them out there?

[xctsclrx]

I am bringing valentines. Nothing fancy. They are having a party. I am bringing cheese cubes. Luckily the only allergy in our school right now is peanut so nothing with peanuts.

[justcheckingin73]

I haven’t seen anything from school yet but they haven’t done parties in a few years so I usually send some cards that DS picks out at Target. My middle schooler will probably do something for her close friends. Not sure what yet but I’m sure it will be a last minute request on her part. Sigh. 

[sweetptater]

Feb 7, 2018 7:57:56 GMT -5 covergirl82 said:

I bought a box of valentines for each of my kids. Their school still does valentines. You get some Pinterest moms that do fancy things like a card with a package of popcorn with a note that says "I'd pop for you!," but I have no interest in doing that.

I'm with you. My kids each got a box of cards from the dollar store. Boom. Done.