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gkids09 12:53 PM 03-13-2010
Does anyone else have folders for all the kids? I just started mine this past week, and most of the parents have loved them so far. They include a behavior chart where the kids get Green (Great day, very few behavior issues, because everyone messes up!), Yellow (Good day, a few behavior problems), and Red (Day needs a little improvement, constant behavior issues) The plan is not to have a red day unless something major happens. I also include a laminated All About Me form from thedaycarelady.com, which lets the parents know what and how much their child ate, when they peed and pooped during the day, and some activities we did during the day. I just use a dry-erase marker on the laminated sheets and erase and re-do each day. The parents check the folders every morning or afternoon and also get papers out to take home or to sign and return to school. (The pockets are labeled either "Return to School" or "Leave at Home." I was just wondering if anyone else did this, and how your parents feel about it.

I had one write me a note saying that it was "the best idea ever!" lol
It makes me feel good to know they appreciate what I do.
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DBug 01:01 PM 03-13-2010
Great idea! I started out with a similar idea -- booklets kept in the kids' cubbies where I recorded daily eating habits, potty trips/diapers, discipline, etc. But in my case, parents forgot to check them every day. Now I use the Parent Notes from the Funshine Express website. It has checkboxes and areas for notes, and they're relatively inexpensive. I just send them home with each kid every night. That way if parents are in a rush, they can read them later on in the evening.

I like the fact that your folders are reusable though, and there's no possibility that it's just being tossed in the recycling every night. And of course, they're far more cost-efficient than my Parent Notes!
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SunflowerMama 01:06 PM 03-13-2010
I do a similar thing too. It's just a half sheet of paper "My Day at Little Acorn" and has how much they ate, if they slept or rested, # of diaper changes, how they got along with their friends and followed directions and what their favorite activities of the day were. I put them in everyone's bag before they go home.
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gkids09 01:08 PM 03-13-2010
Well..I have noticed a couple parents just ignore them. Every child has his/her own color sticker on the edge so they are easy to find. The first day I had a young parent come in, pick it up, say "GREAT" and then threw it back down. But her husband checks it every time he comes in, so at least it's being checked! Also, I put them on the table beside our sign-in/out sheet so they are right in front of their faces instead of in the kids' cubbies. I just was tired of getting texts and calls all night asking if a kid pooped or what/how much they ate each day...Figured this would take care of that!!
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momofsix 04:40 PM 03-13-2010
I only send home daily sheets for infants now. I used to do sheets for all the kids, but the parents never read them or seemed to care, so I stopped. No one even said anything when I stopped. It just seeme a huge waste of time on my part.
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Unregistered 09:31 PM 03-13-2010
I use a weekly learning sheet. I write down what we'll be working on that week (letter, number, shape of the week, memory verse, Bible Story, etc), that way, they know what their child will be working on and they can work with them at home to re-inforce it. I also include reminders such as paperwork needing filled out, policy reminders, Preschool breaks, etc. I have a file folder, also, for each preshool child to put their work in at the end of preschool each day.
Some of the parent's actually read the weekly learning sheet and check to see what their child did that day. Others don't pay any attention and I have to remind them when I notice their folder getting too full. When this happens, I just feel like I'm wasting time and energy and money doing this. But once in a while a parent mentions something that was in the weekly sheet, or asks about it if there were no take home worksheets/art that day, and I feel like maybe it is worth it. At times, though, I'm tempted to only make enough copies of the weekly learning sheet for the parents who care enough to read it.
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SimpleMom 07:46 AM 03-14-2010
I have daily forms that go home which include what we did for activities, moods, diapers and feedings (for younger ones), meals, reminders (special days coming up), needs (paperwork, formula, extra clothes),etc.

I also have a monthly newsletter that I send home with the curriculum summary, policy changes/updates/reminders, and important dates/birthdates, etc. I try to include fun things that the kids say in it as well as what I love about my families...just to remind them how much I appreciate them
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Former Teacher 08:56 AM 03-14-2010
Originally Posted by momofsix:
I only send home daily sheets for infants now. I used to do sheets for all the kids, but the parents never read them or seemed to care, so I stopped. No one even said anything when I stopped. It just seeme a huge waste of time on my part.
So true and yet so sad. Been there done that.

It is required by TX law that caregivers must send home infant reports. Even that at my former center was a total waste of time, energy, and money. In fact we had one parent tell us that not even bother to give her one because she just threw them away. We had to explain to her that if state came in, we would be in trouble. She was like fine.

It became a ritual every Monday to clean out the diaper bag from the week before and throw away the previous take home sheets because she just stuffed them in the bag without even looking.
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AmandasFCC 04:51 PM 03-14-2010
I thought about that but I know my parents well enough to do know it would go unnoticed. I had folders on my wall for each child to put their art work and stuff in and the folders were never emptied. It's a lucky day if I can get most of the parents to come down the friggin stairs. They like to just stand at the top by the door and wait for ME to get their kid ready.
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Unregistered 07:13 PM 03-14-2010
Originally Posted by AmandasFCC:
I thought about that but I know my parents well enough to do know it would go unnoticed. I had folders on my wall for each child to put their art work and stuff in and the folders were never emptied. It's a lucky day if I can get most of the parents to come down the friggin stairs. They like to just stand at the top by the door and wait for ME to get their kid ready.
There's a dad at my daycare that likes to just stand there and wait for me to get his daughter ready (We never know what time he'll be picking her up, so I can't do it before he gets there). He'd just stand there with arms folded, and not say anything to me. I thought it kind of rude, so finally when I'd see him come in I'd greet him like usual, then say, "I'll go get her sippy cup". If he hadn't moved yet by that time, I'd busy myself doing something else with the other children (it's not hard to find something to do! haha). Once he'd see I was "busy" and wasn't going to get her ready while he just stood and watched, he'd slowly go over and get his own daughter ready. If the parent actually acknowledges me, and seems to appreciate anything we do, I like to get their child ready for them before they come, so they don't have to deal with their child's tantrum when they try to get their jacket and shoes on them. But of course I can only do that when I know what time to expect them...
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safechner 08:13 PM 03-14-2010
Originally Posted by gkids09:
Does anyone else have folders for all the kids? I just started mine this past week, and most of the parents have loved them so far. They include a behavior chart where the kids get Green (Great day, very few behavior issues, because everyone messes up!), Yellow (Good day, a few behavior problems), and Red (Day needs a little improvement, constant behavior issues) The plan is not to have a red day unless something major happens. I also include a laminated All About Me form from thedaycarelady.com, which lets the parents know what and how much their child ate, when they peed and pooped during the day, and some activities we did during the day. I just use a dry-erase marker on the laminated sheets and erase and re-do each day. The parents check the folders every morning or afternoon and also get papers out to take home or to sign and return to school. (The pockets are labeled either "Return to School" or "Leave at Home." I was just wondering if anyone else did this, and how your parents feel about it.

I had one write me a note saying that it was "the best idea ever!" lol
It makes me feel good to know they appreciate what I do.

This is exact same for my daughter at school that they send her folder home everyday but they have blue (Perfect day) . She is in 1st grades. I do read everyday and sign my name everyday.... It may be a great idea but honestly, many parents dont ever bother to check out of their children folders. I used to watch a child who attended same school as my daughter. His parents never checked his folders or cleaned his stuff out so I have to clean his stuff out all the time for him since it was so much heavy in the backpack for him. Just thought I should let you know.
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jen 10:17 PM 03-14-2010
I keep a small notebook for infants in their cubbies with what they eating, sleeping, and diaper info, also general mood for the day. I just found that a lot of parents didn't bother to read the information for older kids and it took a lot of time to get it prepared...
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originalkat 08:41 AM 03-16-2010
I only have 2-5 year olds. I send home a half sheet called the "Preschool Daily Report". They are mostly the same for all the kids. It says what we ate for all meals and the activities we did for the day. My parents love them. On the rare occasion that I ran out of time and didnt make them they ASKED for it. HEHEHE. So I think thay are a hit. Because they are fairly generic, I only have one to type on the premade document I created and then I just fill in the text boxes and print!

As far as getting the parents to take the stuff home...The more visual reminders the better. I used to use folders, but now I have mailboxes which are stackable paper files where I put their art and daily paper each day. They are always emptied daily. Once in awhile I remind them, but they are in the habit of always checking.
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momma2girls 10:43 AM 03-16-2010
Originally Posted by Unregistered:
There's a dad at my daycare that likes to just stand there and wait for me to get his daughter ready (We never know what time he'll be picking her up, so I can't do it before he gets there). He'd just stand there with arms folded, and not say anything to me. I thought it kind of rude, so finally when I'd see him come in I'd greet him like usual, then say, "I'll go get her sippy cup". If he hadn't moved yet by that time, I'd busy myself doing something else with the other children (it's not hard to find something to do! haha). Once he'd see I was "busy" and wasn't going to get her ready while he just stood and watched, he'd slowly go over and get his own daughter ready. If the parent actually acknowledges me, and seems to appreciate anything we do, I like to get their child ready for them before they come, so they don't have to deal with their child's tantrum when they try to get their jacket and shoes on them. But of course I can only do that when I know what time to expect them...
I used to have a Father like this, thought I should dress their child. I would have to find something to do everyday. I can't believe parents would do this, but just this once, has done this. He finally figured it out when he came he would need to assist his child, instead of me doing it for him!!! It's called laziness!!!
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