Do You Text With Parents?

[Live and Learn]

I notice many threads where providers mention texting with parents. How many of you do this?

[legomom922]

Actually, I prefer this. I'm too busy to talk on teh ph and sometime I feel intimitated, so I can pretty much say what I want when I text without having to worry about my shy side! And not only that, I also have a record of the conversation, and I can write things out over a period of time if I am busy. I also love the fact that they text me when they get out of work and tell me they are on their way, so I can start packing up the kid and putting on their shoes, coats etc, and then they are ready to go out the door right when the parent arrives!

[marniewon]

Almost all correspondance with parents is done face to face or text. They know if they call me, I may not be able to answer the phone, but it only takes a few seconds to text, when I get a minute. Same here, I will text them if I need to, so I don't bother them at work, and when they have a minute, they can text back.

[SunflowerMama]

I definitely do. They actually prefer it.

[tenderhearts]

I do not text or email any of my parents. I prefer phone. But we also don't have texting on our cell phone anyways, we pay for the cheapest plan out there since we hardly ever use our cell phone. I do have one mom who does text me to my email which is fine providing what she's telling me I get before she gets here, like she wont be here until 10 and I dont' get it until then

[TGT09]

Most of my parents prefer it. Like another poster said, it's nice when they are running late or something else that they can ask if it's ok or just to let me know.

Mine know too that it's sometime easier to get a response from me that way.

We had a super bad storm 2 weeks ago where tornado sirens were going off and people were put into shelters. I had 2 parents texting me from the shelters to make sure that we were all ok and knew what was going on. I even had 1 parent that was texting me that hadn't ever texted me before.

I know my parents pretty well to know whether this would be something they would use. I do have 1 parent that I've never texted with and it's because she doesn't text period. It's funny though that she's the one main parent I wished had it!

[BentleysBands]

all the time unless its very important i will call or talk at p/u

[DCMom]

I do also. Most of my clients are of the younger generation so I have had to keep up! Not to mention, my kids won't answer a call but they will answer a text. Go figure.

[Lucy]

Yes, definitely texts. Easiest for both parties. They can do it secretly while at work, and I don't have to answer a phone at an inconvenient time. Makes the conversation shorter too. I use email also. I just have my laptop on all the time on my kitchen counter and if an email pops up, I hear that sound. Again, don't have to go over and read it immediately if I'm busy.

[DancingQueen]

I do and it is also part of the paperwork they sign when they enroll. I have a part in there asking if texting is ok.
I also use it for fun -I send fun pictures of their kids to them sporadically throughout the day and they LOVE that.

[Live and Learn]

So for those of you who do text with parents are you having texts with each parent each day throughout the day or are they just texting you when they are on their way to pickup or if there is a tornado?

[newtodaycare22]

I send/receive texts about pick up and drop offs. I also have an occasional parent check in when the kid wasn't feeling too great, just to be sure they are ok. Sometimes if I want to tell a funny story I'll text them too. They appreciate the laughs.

[Lucy]

Originally Posted by Live and Learn

So for those of you who do text with parents are you having texts with each parent each day throughout the day or are they just texting you when they are on their way to pickup or if there is a tornado?

Mom will text to see if toddler straightened up after a crying drop-off. Or to tell me dad will be picking up 30 min early. I will text to tell a funny tidbit, or to say toddler slept 3 hours today! It's usually just a quick thing. If it were more important, they would call.

[QualiTcare]

Originally Posted by DancingQueen

I do and it is also part of the paperwork they sign when they enroll. I have a part in there asking if texting is ok.
I also use it for fun -I send fun pictures of their kids to them sporadically throughout the day and they LOVE that.

i did the same thing - i had one mom i had to force to leave bc her baby would cry - and i'd text her a pic before she could make it out of the driveway of him eating breakfast happy as could be. it made her mornings a lot easier during that period.

[DancingQueen]

I have one dad that texts me every day at nap to see how she is doing and I text back and let him know
a mom that will text to tell me if she is running late or not coming at all
another will text me on the weekend occasionally if she found a good sale on something or if her ds did something incredibly amazing because she knows I love hearing about it (but usually if she needs me during the day she emails me - which I also get via my cell phone so for me it is no different than texting)

[TGT09]

Originally Posted by Live and Learn

So for those of you who do text with parents are you having texts with each parent each day throughout the day or are they just texting you when they are on their way to pickup or if there is a tornado?

I'd say 95% of the time my texts from parents are informative. That they need to tell me something especially if one parents drops off and forgets to tell me something. It's nice to be able to text them in return with questions about random things I see. I have a vegan child and sometimes the parents forget to tell me how to prepare her food so it's easy for me to just ask.

I don't ever get "hey, what are you up to" texts. Mine are never consistent and most of the time aren't even daily.

[nannyde]

Yes I love it. Saves SO much parent contact time

[boysx5]

I have one parent who does this and at first I got annoyed but it saves me the time of having to chat and since dad usually drops off and picks up I keep her posted as to what day he has had

[laundrymom]

I text all the time, I think all my parents have texting, most unlimited pic and video too. If we are doing something fun, or silly I video it or tak a pic of it and text it to them. Text is easier if its something quick. If something happens however,.. I text,.. call me asap,.. urgent. or something like that. I believe every one of my parents have their cell on their body at all times. also, I facetime them if they have a 4rth gen ipod. We skype,.. Im very open about our day and letting parents into it. They love it. Makes them feel more connected to their kids,.. Sometimes they will be having a hard day and text,.. can you send me a pic, Im having a rough day, and I go snap one of their child at that moment and send it. Sometimes a pic of their child, and seeing the reason they put up with their job is allthey need to turn the day around.

[MarinaVanessa]

Originally Posted by nannyde

Yes I love it. Saves SO much parent contact time

Yes it does! I have a google voice number that I put on my advertisement and give to the parents that I attached to my cell phone. This way when they call or text I have a record that I can just print out. When loony DCM goes bonkers and texts me I have a record of it. It's sooo hard to get an actual transcript from the phone company for texts so I prefer this way vs other forms of communication. It's quick, it's easy and it's easy to save a conversation.

I actually initiated the whole google voice thing to keep track of texts and calls from my DD's biological dad for our custody case and I loved it because it worked so well that I used it for my business.

[DCMomOf3]

I have one parent who prefers to text, and at work it's easier for her to respond. The others don't text at all, otherwise it would be my preference.

[kendallina]

I don't. I don't even have a cell phone .

[Blackcat31]

I do not text or e-mail. It is nice to have a few things separate from work. If I gave out my e-mail address or my cell number, it would never end!! Phone calls at my childcare during business hours only! If it is an emergency or happens after hours, I have an answering machine that gets checked every evening before bed and every morning when I get up.

[Lianne]

Originally Posted by Live and Learn

So for those of you who do text with parents are you having texts with each parent each day throughout the day or are they just texting you when they are on their way to pickup or if there is a tornado?

I text to my clients about things that aren't really important (not worth bothering them with a phone call) but I know I'll forget to mention by the end of the day. I'll text them if their child needs diapers or had a toileting accident, fell and bumped themselves or said/did something cute. More important stuff gets a phone call and/or a face to face conversation.

[KEG123]

I dont have a cell at the moment but will get one once I start care. It seems like it could have its benefits.

[CKSher]

I have never texted my parents. Sometimes I wish I did as it would be easier than trying to carry on conversations with all the kids running around us, but then I also worry that they would constantly be texting with unimportant things or I would stash my phone away and forget to check it and miss something important. Things seem to be working well the way I am doing it now so I figure why mess with a good thing!

[ninosqueridos]

No texting and I am happy that way. We use phone or face to face (and try to keep it short and sweet). I write in their child's book everyday so they could learn what happened during the day in there.

[Crystal]

no texting. cannot stand the phone. screen calls and call back if important, otherwise talk daily at drop off and pick up.

[Live and Learn]

No texting here either. I figure that if there is an emergency I call on the phone for pickup up, I occasionally put notes in lunch boxes as reminders and I send and receive the occasional email regarding schedule adjustments.
I like to send photos of the dck from my iPhoto. To each their own.

I will apologize now for the following rant but I have noticed that their have been several threads concerning weird conversations that parents and providers have while texting.....

What I don't like about texting is that it seems like people (read parents) expect immediate reponses. I am available by phone and almost always answer it......if I am busy feel free to leave a message. I will call back as soon as I can. I am available by email...I will respond as soon as I can. I just don't want to chit chat with parents Via text all day and having them checking in for reports. I will gladly hold the hand of a 2 year old if he is having anxiety during the day but not a grownup.

I think that people sometimes send texts about things that are not important and would definitely keep....these things are so unimportant that they wouldn't bother with a phone call or email but they think nothing of shooting off a text. I guess I am in a sassy mood today but I am just imagining having
each of my families texting me a couple of times a day....uh...no thanks!

[countrymom]

Originally Posted by Blackcat31

I do not text or e-mail. It is nice to have a few things separate from work. If I gave out my e-mail address or my cell number, it would never end!! Phone calls at my childcare during business hours only! If it is an emergency or happens after hours, I have an answering machine that gets checked every evening before bed and every morning when I get up.

I'm the same way, I also believe it would never end.

[countrymom]

Originally Posted by Crystal

no texting. cannot stand the phone. screen calls and call back if important, otherwise talk daily at drop off and pick up.

I screen my calls too, esp since i get telemarketers calling all the time.

[countrymom]

I don't know, maybe its just me, but i find texting rude, esp. in a business. If there was a problem I would rather deal with it face to face or talk to a real person than send a message. I usually talk to parents at pick up or drop off time, if its important and I forget, I call them later and the parents really prefer this.

[safechner]

I do text with the parents and they are doing the same thing. I found it is so much easier for me to use communicate with them. I do talk to them during pick up/drop off with no problems. I do not have phone landline at all but I do have a video phone with sign language communicate. Cell phone is only for my business that I need to use text and I can claim on my taxes that IRS cannot do anything about it since I am deaf myself. My husband have another cell phone so it is for personal things.