How Do You Communicate With Parents?

[jenboo]

As we are expanding to a large daycare, I'm trying to streamline everything.
One thing i can't figure out is how to communicate with parents.

I have a daycare landline, personal cell phone, daycare email, brightwheel and i just signed up for a google number.

I'm thinking of having the parents call or text the Google number and also use email (how i send out announcements). Does that sound good?

Originally it was landline,email or brightwheel. The problem is that everyone wants to text and the brightwheel messaging isn't reliable...sometimes i won't get a message for 4 hrs.

How do you guys communicate with parents???

[Blackcat31]

As we are expanding to a large daycare, I'm trying to streamline everything.
One thing i can't figure out is how to communicate with parents.

I have a daycare landline, personal cell phone, daycare email, brightwheel and i just signed up for a google number.

I'm thinking of having the parents call or text the Google number and also use email (how i send out announcements). Does that sound good?

Originally it was landline,email or brightwheel. The problem is that everyone wants to text and the brightwheel messaging isn't reliable...sometimes i won't get a message for 4 hrs.

How do you guys communicate with parents???

Depends on what it is I am trying to communicate to parents...kwim?

If it's a daycare closing or a memo I want all parents to read, I post on my parent section on my website and also have a calendar with my closed days marked on them that I distribute at the beginning of each year as well as keep it posted on the parent bulletin board in the entry way.

If it's something meant for one parent or family only, I will e-mail or text them.

I have 16 different families that all attend on different schedules and I've had no issues keeping it simple like that.

[Baby Beluga]

For some things we text, for others that I want a paper trail for (tuition adjustments, behavior issues, etc) I email and other non important stuff (PJ party, etc) I use good old fashion paper and hand it to them at pick up.

I have found (at least with this group pf parents) if I say "Sally, on Friday the children are having a water day and here is a list of supplies Johnny needs" while handing her the paper, Sally is more apt to read it when in the car once the children have settled vs me verbally telling, texting or emailing her.

[CityGarden]

I plan to have a landline (have not decided if it will just be a dedicated house line or a google number yet) and email ---- I do not want to text parents or for them to text me.

[DaveA]

Reminders, changes, and general information- parent letter
Non- essential "how DCK did" stuff- talk with parent at pickup
Emergency or "Need to make sure they know this"- text followed up immediately with phone call.

[bklsmum]

I do a monthly newsletter, a weekly note and special reminder notes as well as a bulletin board in the breezeway. I will sometimes text parents and they text me all the time but usually I hand them a paper when I have something to tell them so it is documented. I only call in emergencies.

[Alwaysgreener]

Text, paper and signage in the entryway. Some times verbal but paper trails are always good.

[Josiegirl]

Maybe super-gluing notes to foreheads?
Sorry, it just seems like 1/2 of everything gets read and remembered anyways.
I use lots of texting, some emails, daily notes(sometimes I include reminders on them, and monthly letters. I communicate during d/o and p/u but if a child has had an unusually rotten day it's hard to talk with dcks around. I'll usually send a follow-up email. I also post days closed or party reminders right on the front door and bulletin board. You'd think with all those words staring them in the face..... ::

[midaycare]

Brightwheel. That app saves me sanity and it's free. I get paid on there, too.

[jenboo]

Brightwheel. That app saves me sanity and it's free. I get paid on there, too.

I'm having major issues with the messaging. I won't receive messages for hours after they are sent.

[midaycare]

I'm having major issues with the messaging. I won't receive messages for hours after they are sent.

Have you contacted them? I receive them right away.

[jenboo]

Have you contacted them? I receive them right away.

Yeah. They said they were working on the glitch. When it read a message, it still shows up as unread as well.

[midaycare]

Yeah. They said they were working on the glitch. When it read a message, it still shows up as unread as well.

Mine read unread for a few hours. That doesn't bother me. But not getting messages would!

[jenboo]

Mine read unread for a few hours. That doesn't bother me. But not getting messages would!

Mine have been unread for 2 weeks now
I love everthing else brightwheel though!

[gigitrooper]

A parent told me her daughter's preschool uses an app she loved

It's called Tadpoles.