So What DO You Tell Parents?

[SilverSabre25]

About an infant's day? Especially parents of an infant who is working very hard on crawling and making new milestones and movements almost every day?

It gets boring saying "Oh, she had a good day. she ate well and took good naps, and had fun playing on the floor with toys." Because that's true every day!

I've told them a couple times that she did x little thing or y little thing and they were surprised and said, "Oh! I don't think we've seen that yet!" which made me feel bad since I don't like to tell milestones. Last week or the week before it was getting fully up on hands and knees. Today I think she just figured out how to get from tummy back to sitting. She is VERY proud of herself, and looked surprised the first time I saw her do it, making me think it was the first time she's done it. She made a little gasp of surprise and looked over at me like, "WHOA. This is so cool!"

But I'm not going to mention it...I want them to see it...but I always question how much time these littles get on the floor at home because parents always seem surprised at how much they play and move here.

[julie]

If a kid is experiencing a first here, I would let them know that the kid is "close" but not that the first actually occurred here.

"Suzy is sooooo close to crawling! She keeps trying here, but no luck yet! Keep a camera handy this weekend!"

Stuff like that. No firsts officially happen on my watch. They are only dress rehearsals for Mom and Dad.

[coolconfidentme]

First things never happen in DC! I've had babies take their first steps with me & I tell the parent to encourage walking. I'll get a text when it happens at home & I reply, "Our little man is growing up so fast!" I NEVER mention that he already did it here.

[kathiemarie]

When they do something new here I tell the parents something like "oh it looks like jonny is getting ready to xxx be on the look out." Then they either say "Oh he did that last night/week etc." or "Thanks! We will."

[Cradle2crayons]

I tell parents if first things happen here. I do regular developmental and milestone assessments also.

I tell parents of littles from day one interview that its unrealistic to think that firsts won't happen here but when they do ill try to get it on camera or document it on their milestone paper for their baby book.

None of my parents get upset if a first happens here.

[SilverSabre25]

I know how I handle the major firsts, it's more the day to day rundown or an otherwise ordinary day. I feel like I have to walk on egg shells when saying what baby does all day...but I don't want to accidentally give something away or make it sound like I either don't pay attention or that she doesn't get time to wiggle and play on her own...but the basic "played ate slept was happy/fussy" seems too formulaic..

[Blackcat31]

I know how I handle the major firsts, it's more the day to day rundown or an otherwise ordinary day. I feel like I have to walk on egg shells when saying what baby does all day...but I don't want to accidentally give something away or make it sound like I either don't pay attention or that she doesn't get time to wiggle and play on her own...but the basic "played ate slept was happy/fussy" seems too formulaic..

Why not turn it around? You have your own little one, what things do you NEED to know after leaving them with another caregiver?

And what things do you just WANT to know?

I would think the last diaper change, nap schedule and eating behaviors and their overall mood are some things that are a MUST know, whereas, the other stuff is just fluff...kwim?

[momofboys]

I had a DCM text me last week about baby crawlng up on his knees & how it was the first time they'd seen it & she asked if he had done it at my home. I replied, "he was working so hard but not quite there yet. Exciting for you to see his hard work pay off" or something like that. He had been doing it for a few days here but I wasn't going to make her feel bad about missing it. I am pretty hush hush about first unless it is rolling over & I am concerned a parent might leave child somewhere where they could roll & get hurt.

[MrsSteinel'sHouse]

Infants- I have to send home a sheet with diaper, food, nap info. I will note if anything seemed off that day. Otherwise I tend to be normal day, a little fussy, or super happy today and leave it at that unless if they ask questions. I am also a no firsts happen on my watch but sometimes my other ones tattle!

[Cradle2crayons]

Why not turn it around? You have your own little one, what things do you NEED to know after leaving them with another caregiver?

And what things do you just WANT to know?

I would think the last diaper change, nap schedule and eating behaviors and their overall mood are some things that are a MUST know, whereas, the other stuff is just fluff...kwim?

That's great advice!!

For the three sibling set, I really don't report much as far as day to day stuff. If they ate good etc.

The special dcg I copy her daily record paper and put it in her backpack. That paper includes every diaper and what each diaper weighed, the exact time I gave her heart medication and her Zantac and breathing treatments etc. it has her heart rate i checked right before her amiodorone as well. it has her exact calories she consumes while here and what time I mixed her tube feeding formula and hung her new bag. WHEW. After that paper really not much needs to be said . I send pictures and video all the time so she knows her little one is having a good day.

The special dcg infant brother has an infant daily sheet basically diaper changes, bottle times and amounts, rice cereal amounts added to bottles and now his Zantac dosages. Same as his sister, I take lots of pictures and videos.

[Angelsj]

Why not turn it around? You have your own little one, what things do you NEED to know after leaving them with another caregiver?

And what things do you just WANT to know?

I would think the last diaper change, nap schedule and eating behaviors and their overall mood are some things that are a MUST know, whereas, the other stuff is just fluff...kwim?

Exactly. In nursing, it is a change of shift read off. I do the same thing with daycare. This is what you need to know to take over care of this child.
If the baby/kid does something really cute, I might share, but usually, just the facts.
Joey has been a little cranky, but basically had a good day. He had 5 oz at 4pm, just after he woke up from his afternoon nap @ 3:45pm. His diaper is fresh as of half an hour ago. Have a great evening!

[Familycare71]

I had a DCM text me last week about baby crawlng up on his knees & how it was the first time they'd seen it & she asked if he had done it at my home. I replied, "he was working so hard but not quite there yet. Exciting for you to see his hard work pay off" or something like that. He had been doing it for a few days here but I wasn't going to make her feel bad about missing it. I am pretty hush hush about first unless it is rolling over & I am concerned a parent might leave child somewhere where they could roll & get hurt.

[Lavender]

I'm an infant room lead teacher (mine are 8+ months) and I communicate in several ways. My daily sheet goes home with the eating/sleeping/diapering and other such notes. Each day I write on a dry erase board the fun things we did (today for example: chased bubbles, explored purple pasta, started a scary Halloween art project, read books). When I speak to the parents I share any little things I noticed their child doing that day or how they reacted to the experiences we had. If their child was "sad" I let them know and how I responded plus try to brainstorm what is going on.

[Cradle2crayons]

Exactly. In nursing, it is a change of shift read off. I do the same thing with daycare. This is what you need to know to take over care of this child.
If the baby/kid does something really cute, I might share, but usually, just the facts.
Joey has been a little cranky, but basically had a good day. He had 5 oz at 4pm, just after he woke up from his afternoon nap @ 3:45pm. His diaper is fresh as of half an hour ago. Have a great evening!

Lol funny you brought up nursing. I left nursing full time six years ago and now only work a few shifts a month to maintain ceu and licensing stuff.

But with my special daycare girl I still feel like a private duty nurse. Weighing diapers, taking heart rates, feeding tubes, suctioning, breathing treatments, physical therapy etc. my husband says I left full time nursing to come home and do full time nursing .

[MotherNature]

last diaper change & feeding, when they lasy napped for infants, and general mood is the daily thing. If they're close to doing something major, like crawling, we'll talk about it, like X is so active here, she'll be crawling before you know it because she's been getting her knees under her & scooting, etc... I did have to inform a dcd that gummy grins were gone forever, as dcg got her first tooth on my watch.