When To Give Up The Daily Report?

[SarahBear]

Day care providers,

How long do you write detailed daily reports? I started my family day care two years ago, so my first infant is now turning two. I feel like I should not still be writing down every time he poops and what it looks like! I did change his daily report from an infant report to a toddler report when he turned one, but his parents still wanted to know times and details for naps, diapers, feedings, how much he ate, what toys he played with, and his mood throughout the day.
Also, with the cost of ink, having to print them out every day is killing my wallet!

Please let me know what you include on your reports and how long you continue to do them.

Thanks!

[seebachers]

according to OUR licensor, we have to do it until they are out of diapers. So if you still have a 4 yo in a pull up, then you do an infant/toddler report for them as well.

[Meeko]

Tried it for a while and it was a complete waste of my time and paper and ink.

The parents SAID they liked them, but I watched closely and they ended up on the floor of their cars (or even in my driveway), left in cubbies for weeks etc.

They ASKED about the child's day at pick up and so I ended up telling them everything on the paper anyway!

Si I stopped doing it.

If a parent really, really wanted one, I would have them use up THEIR ink and paper and bring you a pile to fill in.

But honestly, how long does it actually take to tell them in person that Timmy had two bowel movements and ate all his lunch?

Make the parents pay for the forms and I won't be surprised if they suddenly don't need them any more......

[DaisyMamma]

Make the parents pay for the forms and I won't be surprised if they suddenly don't need them any more......

I'm sure you are right about that. I have a kid who turned one not long ago. The papers rarely made it home, EVER. I never saw the parents even glace at them. I stopped his when he was 1. It was a waste of my time, paper, ink, etc. My new infant's parents ask for the form and look at it and I bet they will ask to continue to get one after age 1, but I no longer do it automatically after age 1.

[MarinaVanessa]

Thank goodness in CA we're not required to do it at all. I tried it for a while and the parents never really looked at them. When I told them I would stop doing it 2 families said that they "needed" them and so I required them to provide the forms for me ... wouldn't you know that they suddenly didn't need them as badly anymore

[littlemissmuffet]

I would never in a million years waste time writing out daily reports. I would rather give a quick face-to-face update at the end of the day... and when I need to be more detailed, email. I can imagine how often parents don't even glance at these things let alone actually READ them. So many parents don't even read the contracts they sign with us, or leave their children's crafts in the car for months at a time, or "forget" basic common sense houserules despite the signs on the door, the newsletters, etc.
I know not all parents are that way, but there are too many for me to spend that kind of time and paper on someone that the majority wouldn't be interested in.

[MN Day Mom]

I used to do it until the children turned 18 months. It didn't take long to realize I was writing pretty much the same thing every day... so, I quit doing them. I will ask brand new first time parents if they'd like them briefly while they adjust to daycare and until their child is transitioned in and on a pretty consistent schedule... most say not to bother.

Some parents might want to know what their kids are eating... I found it works really nice to write the days menu on a dry erase board and hang it by the kids cubbies for the parents to see if they want

[SarahBear]

Well, I guess I have strange clients, then. They actually keep every single report in a binder at home. They don't even let the kids carry the daily reports because they don't want them to get wrinkled!! We are in New York and I don't think there are any requirements to having a report, but my clients certainly couldn't do without them. They have actually referred back to the first child's reports now that they have a second child, to see when they tried certain foods or how their naps were similar or different.

I print out a monthly menu now (like a school menu) so I don't have to write that down every day.

Maybe I will just start doing it electronically, so it is emailed to them and then they can use their own paper and ink at home.

[Blackcat31]

Welcome to the forum!

You have been upgraded so you can post freely now.

[littlemissmuffet]

Well, I guess I have strange clients, then. They actually keep every single report in a binder at home. They don't even let the kids carry the daily reports because they don't want them to get wrinkled!! We are in New York and I don't think there are any requirements to having a report, but my clients certainly couldn't do without them. They have actually referred back to the first child's reports now that they have a second child, to see when they tried certain foods or how their naps were similar or different.

I print out a monthly menu now (like a school menu) so I don't have to write that down every day.

Maybe I will just start doing it electronically, so it is emailed to them and then they can use their own paper and ink at home.

That's awesome I wish I had more parents who were actually interested in their child's daily activities. Good for you!!

And yes, email is the way to go!

Also, welcome to the forum!

[SunshineMama]

Ugh the daily report is very frustrating for me! When I started it I advertised that I would do it, and I made the mistake of writing down everything, including a little bio about what we did that day.

Well now I am full and taking the time to do it every day takes up time that I don't have. I am working hard when the kids are awake, and I really don't want to give up the small amount of peace and quiet at naptime that I have to do it. Stupid first year mistakes.

I know that my parents appreciate it though (the ones who do read it).

[momma2girls]

I stopped doing daily reports when I moved to a larger city. I give daily reports at pick ups. If there is anything abnormal, etc.. I tell the parents. I tell the parents of an infant, when they last drank their bottle, and if they had a bm, and that is about it. I always tell them if they were fussy, didn't sleep, or didn't eat well as well. It was a total waste of time, and the parents didn't even look at them anyways!!

[KBCsMommy]

I only do an infant report when I start a new baby. Thats so the parents can get a feel for the schedule Im getting their child on. But once the babies are in a good routine and the parents know they are in a routine, I stop doing the reports.

I just will tell the parents if the kids did anything funny, ate something new, or a weird BM or no BM.

All in all I only do an infant report for maybe 2 months.

[Breezy]

If parents insist they want them, I email them at the end of the day!

[Sunchimes]

I have a little white board by the door. When the toddler does something cute, I make a note on the board so that I can remember to tell her. I tell the baby's mom when he had his last bottle and if anything new happened, and that's it. I did the reports when I first started and no one cared. We all talk a lot, so they don't feel left out of the loop.