Daily diaries

[mum2two]

A quick question - who does them...?

I always have (well only been reg for a year - but...) It's just I've just taken on 2 kids form another minder, as she's having a baby, and I said to the mum I do a daily diary. As the girl is almost 4, and boy is after school only, I said it'll be quite basic. Just briefly what we've done, whhat they've eaten, and if there was anything in particular to tell her. She said 'Oh right - ok'. The old cm didn't do it.

Now I've spoke to a few other cm's and none do it. Said if it was for a baby then they would - but say if the parents want it & supply a book - then they'll do it. It takes too much time.

I find it takes 5 mins when kids are playing nicely to write something quick.

I thought we had to do this. Part of the whole working in partnership with the parents bit...?

But it's got me thinking - am I doing it when I needn't be - or am I doing it right?

Kelly x

[Pudding Girl]

I'll not be doing it as a rule, but will ask on signing up if it is required. Unf not everyone is that bothered at wanting to know what their lo has done all day, and I wouldn't waste my time if it's not going to be even looked at tbh.

[Banana]

Hi Kelly.

Its not essential that you do them. I do them but I have been thinking of stopping doing them and changing to a weekly report sheet instead. Im currently trying to mess around with creating one.

Some minders do and some dont, just depends on preference. I dont think the parents seem to bother with them to much, sometimes what i have written hasnt even been read

x

[sarah707]

I tend to carry it on until the child hits 3, then gradually phase it out as they are able to tell parents about their day themselves. Unless of course the child is disabled or the parent asks for them to be continued.

It's a very good thing to do and yes, you are right, it's excellent for demonstrating to Ofsted that you are working with parents. I wouldn't stop if you find it easy to do... just use a little exercise book, not expensive to do at all then :D

[namtasha]

i thhink there nice, but would only do fro pre schoolers i think
i currently will fo my babbie but dont for my 4 yr old mindee

[crazybones]

I used the NCMA journal as mine - until the mother lost it over a weekend. :mad: She now says not to bother. Other mindee's mum doesnt want any paperwork at all so anything I do now is for my own benefit and if they want to see it then fine but they dont even look at my folders of work or stuff on the walls. I keep all my photos too but they can look through the album if they want.

Annie x

[Noodles]

I only use record books until mindees turn 3. If after this the parent asked me to carry on i wouldbut i dont as a rule
:)

[ma7ie]

I personally wouldn't do it for over 3's

[bubbly]

I do daily diaries for both my mindees, aged 4 months and almost 4 yrs

[sarah32]

I do notes on all 3 of mines, mainly for the under one when hes had bad nappies and how hes done on hes food and when hes slept.

The other two who are 1 and 2 years old I do just a quick note on what they've done during the day, what they've enjoyed and how well they've eaten as little girl doesnt eat much. Mainly write it when they are asleep in
the afternoon, doesnt take long

[berkschick]

I do them for all my mindees apart from M whose parents told me they didnt require one ( she is 18 months!!). I filled it in anyway, she took it home that night and its never come back again!

Mine are small a7 books so I can easily fill in 2 pages a day!

[Angela234]

I do for all mindees until they start school

Angela

[Kelly]

I do them for all my LO's as well, they are fairly basic a brief description of what we've done, food, sleep etc, but parents couldn't care less even though they can see I take time to do them, i've lost count of the times they've gone home never to return and when I ask if they could please send them back I get 'oh, I don't know where it is/I lost it' I end up making up new ones.

I do replace them because I feel that I otherwise I am not sharing much information, but I do wonder if I should bother..... :rolleyes: :rolleyes:

[Hopscotch]

I do diarys for all the kids, i only look after under 5's and i write in them every day, i just fill them in when they are having a nap it doesn't take long and the parents do look at them, i even have little reward charts binded into them and the parents continue with the reward chart at home too. I know they do really like them but i expect there are parents out there who wouldn't bother looking at them.
Bev X

[deeb66]

I do for all mindees until they start school

Angela

I do this too.

I just put in it how long the kids have slept, soiled/wet nappies, food eaten, general mood and a brief overview of what the child has done that day.

It takes me approximately 5 mins to fill in.

I have a baby one, toddler one and older child. I have them stored on my computer and print off to only have to fill in the standard boxes. I then put into a wallet type folder and that goes back and forth each day.

When I had my inspection I used my diary system as evidence of working with parents.

[jmoff]

My parents love them! They say it's a great idea!

Jana x

[Sandie]

I do them for babies up to two more so to lets the parent know how the baby has fed, nappie changes etc and I do ask the parents to sign the book to say they have read them.

I do also kee a daily one for myself about my day with the children.

[hello kitty]

Have recently started filling my own designed daily diaries and although most parents said "great" I don't get much feedback. I have even put in bright pink reminder stickers but still don't get any comments back. Not sure how long I will continue with it tbh because it is costing me as I print it out in colour and use a binder etc etc.

Sarah :(

[Chimps Childminding]

Have thought about a daily diary, but i am sure most of my parents wouldn't bother reading it and i would be unlikely to get it back if it went home with the lo!

Do those of you that fill them in send them home each night or do you get the parent to look through it and leave it with you?

[Angela234]

My diaries i put into the childs bag for parents to take home most of my parents read them as they sometimes comment the next day about what was in them none of the parents write in them though.

Angela

[Lou]

I do one for all my under 5s.

They keep it in bag, and i write in it daily, i thin they like it but who knows lol, sometimes if we have had a particularly busy day or something unexpected happens i dont write it in it but normally i do.

I think its something i would like as a parent so i continue to do it.

[michellethegooner]

I used to fill in the NCMA diaries for all my mindess, but then parents would lose them or forget to bring them back for wks, so I phased them out due to the expense of replacing them, now I ask parents in a form how they would prefer to communicate e.g daily diary sheets, emails, telephone call, at drop off/pick ups etc they state their preference 9 times out of 10 as when they pick up.. Ofsted were content with this as the questionaire took into account the parents preferences giving them a choice therefore working in partnership.

michelle x

[Hopscotch]

I must say i think i have been pretty lucky with the parents i write in the diary every day and they always bring them back the next day and they even put comments or ask questions that they may not have had time to ask when dropping lo's off.
Bev X:laughing:

[buildingblocks]

I do them until they get to around 2 and a half and start pre school. I have one girl for 2 and a half hours a week aged 2 and mum has said she doesn't want one so I respect her wishes

[hello kitty]

Michelle I like your idea of a form requesting parents preferences on feedback. That way I won't be wasting time and money if they only want a chat. I might look at that more carefully.

Thanks for that.

Sarah :)

[LittleMissSparkles]

I did for for baby C but it never got read and mum lost it twice so I had to do another one twice and then thought *** it you dont read it and you lose it all the time anyone so whats the point, I have hard back book for older children if they would like one. I do have lots of sheets to show ofsted when they eventually come as evidence that i do/did them if parents would like one x

[jo f]

I do them, its good working in partnership.... and a nice ting for them to look back on in years to come. I wouldn't do without mine- I'd probably forget to mention stuff to parents-both my kids leave at the same time, can be hectic.
I write it as I go along during the day and from the child's perspective. I have a bit for my coments and reminders and a bit for the parents. It goes down really well and often get comments or messages back.

[Twinkles]

I have done them in the past but tbh I got quite disheartened when they didn't come back or were blatently ignored. I know I must start again.

[Spangles]

I do them and the parents I have love them so I am lucky. One of them finds them very amusing and reads them out to the whole family! I'm under pressure now to make them entertaining!

I just quickly jot things down as I go along because I would forget to mention everything otherwise at pick up! I've got a brain like a sieve! They don't take long to do, I quickly write them when they have a snack or their lunch and finish off just before they go.

I use my own, I've got them on the computer to just print off and write in, keep a supply of blank ones in each child's folder. They're only A5 size, could probably make them smaller but my handwriting is quite large!

[anneriddington]

I use daily diaries, we use the covers to save reward stickers given at playgroup or those I give out. I also use that back of the book to not down my holiday dates then parents don't lose or forget them!

I write them at tea time when we are all at the table and we chat about what we have been doing, my parents all say how much they enjoy them I like to put little notes to parents like Happy Birthday Daddy etc when its their birthday, it just show a bit of care.

Its also nice to look back at what we did this time last year and see how children have developed:)

[Amaranth]

We use daily diaries for all kids upto 2 and then will continue for longer if parents want us to, although none of the parents have wanted it yet. We look after quite a lot of kids, so would get writers cramp if we used diaries for them all :laughing:
This year we are starting to do a yearbook for each child with things in it like,pics of child at various stages through the year, about me page, pics of family (drawn by children), favourite things, reward stickers page and loads of the kids work. We are planning to send these with the mindees home at christmas as a present for their parents.

[charleyfarley]

I do them for the little ones but not so much for the older ones.

Luckily my parents do read them and do enjoy them but have never put comments in them even though I have asked them to.

I often refer back in them too and I don't think I'd work without them now.

Carol xx

[ruby]

we do them for most of ours but we only have d one day a week so mum said not to bother
but one parents didn't want to sign evey day so we now do it every month instead

cathy

[ChocolateChip]

I do one for my 8mth old, I only have her one day a week at the mo, so fairly easy, usual info about nappies, sleep etc. I have a 14 mth old starting for 3 days a week soon and I will do one for him aswell. I also have an 8 yr old, I started one for him because I do have him before and after school most days so thought mum would like to know that he has had breakfast and tea, and what he does here. Hoping he will start writing some things himself soon, that was also the idea to involve him a bit, my two say they want one aswell!
Tbh I am pretty much full as I want to be, so don't mind doing them, evidence, etc, but I can see why people with a lot of children or indifferent parents don't.
Think that form about preferences is a great idea, might pinch that one!
Nikki :)