Communication journals

[kelleyg19]

How many of you use communication journals? What do you write in them? I always give a verbal overview the child's day, what they ate, if they pooped, how long they napped for. One of my families was wondering about doing communication journals? Thoughts on doing these for all families or doing them at all?

[cfred]

I never do them. Like you, I just tell them at the door. There's always a little visit with the parents as they come for pick up anyway and a chat just seems more personal to me. I doubt they'd even bother to look at the journal anyway. I've been writing out weekly menus for months, but no-one's ever taken the time to read through. I communicate issues through the day to individual parents via text message, and they seem to prefer the convenience of it. For instance, if someone gets a bump or scrape, or requires medication, etc....anything out of the ordinary.

[Dreamalittledream]

I started out doing them my first year and didn't mind it at all. However, I found that parents for the most part did not even read them, forgot them or lost them. As well, the info. got pretty repetitive. So, I created a Facebook group for my daycare (secret; no one but members can see photos or posts) and find it's a great way to post photos, events (for parents, and other family!) & message parents that way (a great CYA too as any messages are always archived and easily retrieved; as opposed to a log book getting lost). I do have one family that does not have Facebook, so I communicate by email.

[mimi]

I do daily sheets listing menu, diaper changes, progress in toilet training, mood(s), activities, items needed and a personal comment from me. It is the bain of my daycare day, but the parents do love them. Some parents keep them in a binder to chronicle their childs achievements/progress, others I see them reading them in the car before they pull out of the driveway. Should I miss a day, they remind me they missed having it. When I show a sample report during the interview the parents seem happy that they get this to give them more insight into their childs day. Did I mention I HATE doing them LOL

[Other Mummy]

I also do them. Each child has their own plastic envelope sleeve and everyday I place an infant/child report (# Diapers, how much they ate, etc.) as well as our daily menu and Monthly newsletters.

...I hate doing them as well :unsure: But Parents love them and during interviews, it really makes prospective clients happy :)

[playfelt]

I found the daily sheets to be more a waste of paper and my time than useful. For the most part our days are the same with a variation in nap of no more than 15 minutes. Child usually poops once a day, etc. I communicate at the door at pick up and expect parents to communicate the child's night before/morning at drop off.

I also found that if I did have a disagreement with a parent it was 98% of the time over something written in the book. Things like arguing that they said naptime was 9:00 and I had written 8:45 or 9:15 cause well we all know that some days are just like that. So I got where no matter what I did I was writing 9:00 in the book just so as not to get myself in trouble. In other words what was the point of the journal. I wasn't going to write major milestones in there anyways since that is up to the parents to see first. And since the attention span of an infant/toddler is minutes at best to list the play of the day was about thinking ok what toy did child actually touch more than 3 times today. The reality is who cares. And when it comes right down to it if a parent cares that much if the child played ball today or stacked rings today the most they can stay home and see for themselves.

I have heard of two options for parents that really insist but it comes at a $5 a day premium. Either a note at naptime is written so they are paying me not to have my lunch hour or they get an email in the evening detailing the day in which case they are paying me for loss of family time.

I think it is sufficient to just tell parents at the door anything out of the ordinary or anything they need to know that effects the day such as long or short naps, poor appetite.

[mimi]

Oh Playfelt I wish it would be sufficient for me to relay the days events at pick up. Unfortunately, with the child wanting the parents attention , getting dressed for home and me trying to report the day it was too hectic especially when I have multiple pick ups at the same time. Also to tell you the truth, I wouldn't remember wether dck had 2 poops or exactly how long they napped etc. so this way, the report is accurate while my memory is not.:)

[Naftafia]

I simply have a white board at the front with spaces for eating, napping, toileting, behavior and comment beside each child. At the bottom I will list the menu for the day. What needs to be written is on there and if the space is blank in means that everything was normal. This is the perfect tool for me because it gives the parent all the needed info in a glance and I also use it to remember things I need to tell the parents such as needing a new change of clothes or diapers.

I never felt the need to have a journal as my parents would likely not read it and it would create that much more work for me.

[momofnerds]

use to do it, but no one cared and no one read them. Its so much easier to tell them when they pick up their kids. I don't go into crazy detail unless something bad happened, but its so much easier this way.

[mommylove]

I have daily sheets that show what they ate, where we went, what books we read and what toys they were fond of and more. Parents love it and sometime will go out and purchase books and toys there kids are enjoying here for them to enjoy at home. I definatly have no time to give a report at the door its get them dressed and go...parents are usually in a rush to get home as well, then at there own convince they can sit down read it and respond usually at the morning drop off when things aren't so hectic. I feel like its a good balance still personal cause we usually discuss the day before every morning and there still getting all the details of there lil ones day.....

[Spixie33]

I do daily sheets listing menu, diaper changes, progress in toilet training, mood(s), activities, items needed and a personal comment from me. It is the bain of my daycare day, but the parents do love them. Some parents keep them in a binder to chronicle their childs achievements/progress, others I see them reading them in the car before they pull out of the driveway. Should I miss a day, they remind me they missed having it. When I show a sample report during the interview the parents seem happy that they get this to give them more insight into their childs day. Did I mention I HATE doing them LOL

Ditto to this.
LOL
This sounds like what I do and how I feel every day having to fill them out x3, 4 or 5

The parents do like them and quite frankly I loved them when I used a daycare provider for my kids. I really looked forward to reading about my child's day each night.

I also had a provider who passed a communication book back and forth every day and yes I forgot it sometimes but I was pretty good at responding back and I enjoyed it. I kept the communication books in my kids' memory box.

[Spixie33]

Oh should add that once I notice that the sheets are piling up or not being removed from the child's diaper bag or the parent mentions that they never have time to read them or that they don't ever read them, etc that I stop doing them for that child.

[playfelt]

I used to do reports till a child turned one, started walking and eating the regular menu. Then the need was gone as it was basically the same info every day. Now when they start at a year there is very little to say in a way. And truthfully a lot we would prefer not to say.

[Momof4]

Nope, I'm another one who does verbal reports at pickup time. I have a logbook but it's for me and I log naptimes, diaper changes, and all the food a child like or dislikes, eats or doesn't eat. I fit about 3 years worth of a child's life into one notebook so I'm saving trees. The parents love the verbal update at the end of the day. Hey, I raised 4 kids and hated trying to find the time for paperwork after work!

[daycarewhisperer]

I don't do daily reports. They are too time consuming and they cause way too many conflicts. The day to day changes are very minimal so they end up being a pain to be creative and come up with SOMETHING to share. I just tell the parents the base feed sleep play schedule and let them know if there is anything that is not working. No news is good news.

Parents requiring a daily sheet would not be considered. It's too much for me in parent contact time. I would do it for $5 a day though!

[Shannie]

I have a secret FB group as well and I put my daily menu on there. As well as post photos of the kids during the day, craft time, play time, outdoor time..... The parents LOVE it! :)