I am now at the point that I am wondering if I will continue to do daily sheets. I spend a ton of money on ink and paper. I also notice that sometimes the backpacks still have work and the sheets in them the next day.

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I switched to the Dailey connect app. So much better!!
I don't tell the parents they can log in.... I just tell them I use an app to send a daily email about their day.

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Agree with pp! I also used daily connect! Works great and saved money on paper and ink! It's also easier

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I do them but I just email them to parents. Last I looked into an app they only one I liked was for iPhone not android, but maybe that has changed. I need to look into it again.

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Tell those parents that want a daily sheet to bring their own.

You can fill it out.

9 out of 10 times those parents don't remember to bring one.

That way the cost of ink/paper is on them.

Separates out the ones who really need one and those who just say they do... because you are the one supplying them.

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I don't. I have found way too many things I spent a lot of time on shoved in places and never looked at! I do a sheet when babies start to get their routine down and so parents know what they're doing during the day.

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I tell parents I will do them if parents print and provide one sheet each day. Only one parent has wanted to do this in the past several years. I also don't do it forever. I will do them for a child under 12 months or an older child that is new (for a few weeks)

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I do them but e-mail them. This has saved me SO MUCH MONEY on paper and ink, plus I always retain a copy of them then! This has also proved VERY useful.

I copy and paste a standard version and then fill it in. It is very quick. I like that it keeps communication very open with the parents and myself. They are used to seeing an e-mail from me often and I find it a great way to discuss, without little ears listening, issues that are occurring or send out reminders about days off and such. I always say "6/30 Daily Report + special reminder" or "6/30 Daily Report + note" in the subject if I am adding anything important that I definitely want them to read.

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I do them for the infants. Once a child becomes a toddler I try to stop and encourage the parents to ask the children about their day. I let the parents know that if there is an issue going on that needs to be monitored I will happily fill out a sheet.

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I still do them…. always have, not sure if I will ever stop. I feel like its one of those little things that is more like a daycare center than a babysitter and people look for that. I've rarely have a parent who doesn't refer back to them - I have parents from years ago tell me they still have a folder full of them, LOL! I did cut down on the size of them a few years ago - went from full size paper to half so I get 2 on a page. And my DH can photocopy them for me at work (I send him with a pack of paper and tell him to make the whole pack) so its not costing me more than a pack of paper (and I always do the free after rebate thing at staples).

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I just stopped doing them for kids over 1. I still do them for the babies because I feel like they need that level of communication. I post all of our special activities, my menu, and reminders on my daycare Facebook page, so I felt like the daily sheets for the older kids were getting redundant.

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They never got read. Just thrown in my driveway/on the floor of their cars etc......a complete and utter waste of paper and time.

I got tired of parents asking how the day was and me replying with what was on their paper. Seemed pointless.

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I'm a daily connect girl myself. Once I got the hang of it, it's super fast and so convenient! And it only cost me $5 one time. Once they're out of diapers, I discontinue the app.

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Exactly the same thing I do. Saves paper and ink and I find its faster than hand writing. Love it

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I wrote notes for a while, but they were often lost and a pain writing one for each kid. Now I do a daily blog instead. The parents love it and it is great advertising when I am looking for new LOs to fill a spot. (all families have signed a waiver) http://littlefriendsdaycareslc.webs.com/apps/blog/

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The first two families I had I printed them out. The family I have now I started out using spiral notebooks that I got super cheap at back to school time. With the first two kids in the family she brought a diaper bag each day so it was just kept in there. I would get it out in the morning and fill it out each day. With the new baby I decided I hated the diaper bag coming and going every day so I gave her a three ring binder to keep at home. Each day I put the info on loose leaf paper and just hand it to her at the end of the day and she puts it in the binder at home. I keep a spiral notebook here with the same info for my records.

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I used to, but then saw them in diaper bags, folded right in front of me, questions were asked about things that were already on the paper; parents just didn't seem to read them so I quit doing them.

I do however ask the infant parents if they want one, but none of my families even want one. I feel that I tell them in detail about their day so they don't want one anyways.

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I use Daily Connect also and my parents love it! I did tell them how to set up their own accounts and 3 of my 4 non-related families check in at least once a day. I absolutely LOVE it! Not only is it great communication, but it helps identify patterns if there's a sleeping/eating/toileting/diapering question.

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When I first started doing day care, I used to use a notebook that would be passed back and forth between me and the parents. I would keep a record of things like diaper changes, meals and nap time during the day care day. The parents would write about things that happened at home that might impact the kid's day with me. After a month or two at most, the notebook would suddenly stop coming.

I've since switched to a daily form and find myself still writing one up for a couple of kids that I've had for over 2/3 years. I know the parents don't look at the daily form I give them but they insist on getting one. I'm thinking about going back to the notebook idea!

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I did them for the first year I was in business and then it seemed to be a waste of time. I did infant and toddler sheet then changed to once they turn 1 no more daily sheets one and one and done! Then I just said forget it and stopped doing it people questioned how much they child ate and how many times they were changed it became more trouble than it was worth. I'll never do a daily sheet again.

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