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Thread: Food Diary

  1. #1
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    Food Diary

    Hello,

    I have two younger children starting with me soon (and it has been awhile since I have had young ones!) and I am wondering how you record bathroom habits and food consumption. Do you use a diary? Verbal? Send home email reminder?

    And my big question is how long do you do this for? Until they are two? What age do you feel it is ok to stop?

    Thanks!

  2. #2
    Euphoric !
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    I have communication books .... I do not go into great detail ... When they napped....when we went outside.... What they are for lunch ..... Also if the child normally poops here and doesn't or has multiple and are different I write that too so the parent can watch for possible illness.... That's all I also use the book to write if the child needs more supplies cause often at home time I forget..... It takes all of 5 minutes to write out

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    I do the same as Crayola kiddies. Basically it's what I'd want to know. What they ate, how long they napped for and anything out of the usual....good or bad. I do this for all the kiddies. It's a basic memo pad I use for each kid. Cheap and efficient.

  4. #4
    Euphoric !
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    I used to do the reports but then questioned their value. If the parent trusts me to feed and care for their child then they need to trust that I did. Besides I can write anything in the book to please or should I say appease a parent and will admit I have. If parent said nap was to be 9:00 then that is what I wrote even though it was really 9:15 because when I was honest mom questioned me. I am not a nanny reporting to a supervisor and that is what I have always been made to feel like when doing reports - like I have to justify how I spent my time while on duty.

    I speak to each parent at pickup and note anything out of the ordinary or comment on the day but that is all now.

    After a couple of months it gets to be boring and routine and seems like a waste. Whether the child got changed at 9 and 11 or 8:30 and 10:45 has nothing to do with the child`s bowel habits but more with my play schedule that day so it is meaningless. Does a poop at 9 or 10 really matter? As stated above I note to parents things out of the ordinary to watch for as in didn't poop yet today or pooped already twice or didn't feel like eating much today. As for nap I let them know what time their child woke up for infants so it helps to determine evening routine but again we pretty much move from event to event and by a certain time infants are just woke up to finish the day before hometime so parent would be told if child woke up alone or if I had to wake them - simple verbal sentence.

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    I don't write diaper changes or toilet times. I keep it basic. I'm always blank when the parent comes...or distracted by my kids or dc kids, so I find it useful.

  7. #6
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    Yes I don't write toilet times or diaper change times or anything like that ... But if a child normally poops here ( not all do thankfully) and they dobt on a particular day then I just write "no poop today" most days my pages are the same three headings " outside ... Lunch.... Nap. I don't post a lunch menu ... I'm more of a fly by the seat of my pants type person.... So I just write what the child had for lunch ... Most Parents can't believe what I get them to eat. I always have a quick chat at the door ... Such as we had a good day or we had to have a time out or we went in the pool today but that's about it. They are fast and I fill them out while the kids are eating their lunch.

  8. #7
    Euphoric ! Dreamalittledream's Avatar
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    I use this one...http://www.thedaycarelady.com/WhatIDidToday2.doc. I modified it a tiny bit to what I need and have a bunch in cheap duo tangs which travel back & forth. I started out with communication logs...it got pretty repetitive. So this is quick...just check, check a few times, voila. I do it for everyone, every day... no matter the age.
    Children are great imitators.
    So give them something great to imitate.

    ~Anonymous~

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    I have a white board at the front entrance which I use for everything. I write the menu on it daily for everyone to see and each child has a line for bowel or toilet training, eating and behaviour as well as an additional comment line if anything else needs to be addressed. I only log in bowel movements for the first few months unless the child has issues with regular movements, and/or if they have not had a movement for 1-2 days. I use this board to remember what needs to be discussed such as new words for babies, good behaviours for toddlers, new attempts at play or new successes at crafts etc....
    Like others have written, without the board I tend to forget what I have to report.... even what we ate sometimes!
    The board can also be used by the parents if they have something to discuss that I can not address at drop off, or if there is a change in the normal schedule.

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    yeah...a menu ahead of time is tough for me, too Parents always ask me this at the beginning and I tell them that if I tell you the day before...it's good. Usually I can do that because we usually have that nights leftovers the next day. But if we pig out at supper, I have to make something up...or BBQ season is tough, too. Leftover BBQ is dry
    I always find something to whip up!

  11. #10
    Euphoric ! Inspired by Reggio's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by playfelt View Post
    I used to do the reports but then questioned their value. ....
    This is my feeling as well - I kept those logs in CENTRE care because communication was a challenge for parents ... they dropped off to one caregiver in the morning and picked up from another and in the midst of the day 2-3 more caregivers might have assisted in their care ... the communication logs about 'what I did today' in regards to the eating, sleeping and pooping was as much for PARENTS as it was for PROVIDERS sharing the duties

    At home - it is just me and 5 kids I am able to 'remember' the day pretty well and tell parents verbally quicker than I can 'record it. That said I keep a personal log for MY EYES because there are stuff I need/want to have a written record of for tax reasons or 'recollection' if a challenge arises ... so yes I do 'track' these things however I only share it with the parent if I have a CONCERN otherwise my frame of mind is if they are happy and healthy at the end of the day than yes they ate, slept and pooped as they needed so lets focus on conversations on things that are IMO more valuable to know

    I honestly tell clients when they ASK for something like this "in the grand scheme of 'memories' you want cherished from his/her childhood would you rather I spent my time creating a How I ate ,slept and pooped journal or would you like me to use my energy and free time to plan an awesome experience for your child each day and snap some photos and do a little journal about what MATTERS 20 years from now .... who they WERE as a child, the things they enjoyed, the triumphs they had and so forth because YES that I will do
    Children construct their own intelligence. The adult must provide activities and context, but most of all must be able to listen. Children need proof that adults believe in them. Their three great desires are to be listened to, to understand, and to demonstrate that they are exactly what we expect."
    Loris Malaguzzi

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