Daily diaries

[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

[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
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