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Daycare Center and Family Home Forum>How Do You Communicate With Parents?
jenboo 05:28 AM 12-19-2016
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???
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 06:05 AM 12-19-2016
Originally Posted by 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???
Depends on what it is I am trying to communicate to parents...kwim? 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???
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 07:09 AM 12-19-2016
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.
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 08:39 PM 12-19-2016
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 04:19 AM 12-20-2016
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.
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 04:40 AM 12-20-2016
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.
284878 07:21 PM 12-20-2016
Text, paper and signage in the entryway. Some times verbal but paper trails are always good.
Josiegirl 04:30 AM 12-21-2016
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.....
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 05:10 AM 12-21-2016
Brightwheel. That app saves me sanity and it's free. I get paid on there, too.
jenboo 06:42 AM 12-21-2016
Originally Posted by midaycare:
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.Brightwheel. That app saves me sanity and it's free. I get paid on there, too.
midaycare 06:53 AM 12-21-2016
Originally Posted by jenboo:
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.I'm having major issues with the messaging. I won't receive messages for hours after they are sent.
jenboo 07:34 AM 12-21-2016
Originally Posted by midaycare:
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.Have you contacted them? I receive them right away.
midaycare 07:36 AM 12-21-2016
Originally Posted by jenboo:
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!Yeah. They said they were working on the glitch. When it read a message, it still shows up as unread as well.
jenboo 07:42 AM 12-21-2016
Originally Posted by midaycare:
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 Mine read unread for a few hours. That doesn't bother me. But not getting messages would!
I love everthing else brightwheel though!
gigitrooper 07:52 AM 12-21-2016
It's called Tadpoles.
Blackcat31 07:59 AM 12-21-2016
Originally Posted by gigitrooper:
It's called Tadpoles.
Tadpoles has fees attached though so many providers don't see the value. It's called Tadpoles.
Other threads about parent communication
https://www.daycare.com/forum/tags.p...+communication
daycare 08:02 AM 12-21-2016
I use google voice for everything, including texting I have never had problems with it.
I do use email and my website.
I have 17 families not including my own, lol yes my family needs reminders too.
If its something big, like holiday party, closing, etc, I also print something out and post in our parent section.
I am the only person in my family that runs the daycare, with unrelated employees. however, even if my kids or husband was to work with me, we do have one rule.
I am the only one who sends home any reports about a childs day to the parent and if parents ask questions, my staff will always refer them back to me.
example and reason why I made this rule:
years ago I had a family tell one of my assistants that they needed a 6:30am drop off, 1 hour before our opening time. Which the parent is breaking our policy, but tells my assistant anyways.
my assistant forgets to tell me, it happens when you have this many families.
I go to the gym every day at 5am and NEVER take my phone. I come rolling in around 7am and my phone was blown up with missed calls and text from dcm mad as heck.
parent tried to drop off and no one came to the door.
so after that I told my employees, any parent tries to tell you anything at the door or ask questions, tell them to talk to me.
One other thing that I thought of that works for me is that I will only take schedule changes by email in writing. So if a different person is picking up for the day or you are picking up early, email or text. Having a house full of kids when a parent walks in and starts telling you something, you will forget.
I tell my parents when they tell me at the door, please email or text me, I will forget. if they don't 9 out of 10 times, I forget....
hope this helps. '
I do use email and my website.
I have 17 families not including my own, lol yes my family needs reminders too.
If its something big, like holiday party, closing, etc, I also print something out and post in our parent section.
I am the only person in my family that runs the daycare, with unrelated employees. however, even if my kids or husband was to work with me, we do have one rule.
I am the only one who sends home any reports about a childs day to the parent and if parents ask questions, my staff will always refer them back to me.
example and reason why I made this rule:
years ago I had a family tell one of my assistants that they needed a 6:30am drop off, 1 hour before our opening time. Which the parent is breaking our policy, but tells my assistant anyways.
my assistant forgets to tell me, it happens when you have this many families.
I go to the gym every day at 5am and NEVER take my phone. I come rolling in around 7am and my phone was blown up with missed calls and text from dcm mad as heck.
parent tried to drop off and no one came to the door.
so after that I told my employees, any parent tries to tell you anything at the door or ask questions, tell them to talk to me.
One other thing that I thought of that works for me is that I will only take schedule changes by email in writing. So if a different person is picking up for the day or you are picking up early, email or text. Having a house full of kids when a parent walks in and starts telling you something, you will forget.
I tell my parents when they tell me at the door, please email or text me, I will forget. if they don't 9 out of 10 times, I forget....
hope this helps. '