Communication journals

Quote:

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Originally Posted by 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

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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.

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.

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.

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!

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!

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! :)