What do you say to parents at pick up and drop off?

[littlebugsdaycare]

I ask for a brief update of their evening, how they slept (if they are still 2x a day nappers what time they woke up), how their night was. Simple, polite and quick to move on with our day to ease the transition for the wee ones.

As for log sheets, I do them nightly electronically and email them out to the parents, makes things faster, and no paper waste.

[Skysue]

I just started sending out daily reports electronically! The parents get it no later than 5:30pm! I send little reminders as well! I do a general report of our activities and menu to streamline it for all the kids!

[playfelt]

I just started sending out daily reports electronically! The parents get it no later than 5:30pm! I send little reminders as well! I do a general report of our activities and menu to streamline it for all the kids!

I had actually thought of doing something like that and then I keep telling myself don't start something you might regret. If parents were asking for written reports for sure I would be going to something electronic and leaving it up to them to print out if they wanted to.

[sunnydays]

I do what Skysue said. Every evening I write an email "blog" about our day. All of my families love these emails and I have been thanked many times for them. I don't do it individually for each child as it would take me an hour, but rather it is one email addressed to all families with nothing personal in it. This way parents also get to know the other kids a bit through hearing about them in the emails. I think it makes everyone feel more connected.

[Momof4]

I keep daily logbooks but they are for my reference, what children like or don't like to eat, naptimes and diaper times so that when we get to toilet training I can see if there is a pattern for poops and I can get them ready for the potty at that time. But I have always given the parents a verbal update at the end of the day.

I have one picky eater so her Mom asks me to send her an email every day at naptime with my daily menu (nobody else has every really cared about the menu) but this little girl won't eat any food in the evening if she's had it during the day. The Dad isn't great with messages, hehe and does dropoff/pickup so it gives me a good chance to keep an open communication with the Mom.

I wouldn't want to have to write out elaborate paperwork for parents, they wouldn't read it anyway, just a nuisance to them. And I have clients who don't check their email regularly so that wouldn't work for all. Find the system that works best for you and your clients.