Daily Diary - make your own or buy one?

[Saz]

Hello,

Quick question - should I buy a daily diary off ebay or do you make your own?

If you make your own what do I need in it?

Will be minding a 15 month old once registered.

Thank you!

[katickles]

Hi - I have made my own. I got some really cheap hard back books from Tescos (44p) & then bought a childminders diary from ebay (Bev Mapps). I have then printed sections in A5 & stuck them in to personalize the diarys.

I spoke to the parents to ask, do they want to know about nappies, ie wet / dirty & they don't so i don't write about that. I write what the child has eaten. What we've done that day & some comments on general moods.

If you get permission for photos you can also take piccies & stick these in. Build up a story kind of thing. Hoping will look great after a while & will be a nice book for parents to look back on when child leaves. Also great for ofsted inspections & showing of EYFS obs.

[ma7ie]

I just use a hardback A5 book. I write in

time of arrival and who brought child,
time of departure and who collected child.
What child had for breakfast
What child had for lunch
When I changed nappies
If they had a sleep and for how long (time from and to)
What we did during the day and any achievements.
Anything I want to tell the parent that I may forget when they collect and have a space for any parent contribution.

It tends to fill one A5 page.

[sarah707]

Are you thinking about something for you to record what baby has done...?

Personally, I use a notebook which goes home every night in baby's bag and comes back with mum and I encourage mum to put comments in which I use for my obs etc...

Bev on here sells some lovely bound baby diaries in her Ebay shop... www.childminding-treasures.com (she's a forum friend) or there are ideas for contents on www.bromleycma.org.uk if you want to make your own.

It is very important for EYFS that we involve parents, so anything which shows you are both communicating with them and encouraging a 2 way flow of information is good practice. Up to you how you want to do it.

Hope this helps!

[avril]

I also just use a hard backed book and more or less say the same as above BUT also keep a page clear at the front so I can write my holidays in that way the partents have them to hand each evening if needed and I can plenty of written notice without pieces of paper being lost!
Another thing I stick a copy of my complaints procedure in the book so again cannot be lost.

Avril x

[sarah707]

Another thing I stick a copy of my complaints procedure in the book so again cannot be lost.

Avril x

That is a very good idea!

[bubbly]

I make my own in a simple form layout. I include:

Child's name
Today's date
I arrived with.... (i.e. mum / dad, plus time)
I left with..... (as above)
Things I did today / Toys I played with / Observations from childminder
What I ate / drank
Who provided baby milk / food (i.e. parents or CM or both)
I did / did not sleep today (plus times and place i.e. in the cot or bedroom)
My mood today (happy / grumpy / tired / other)
Nappy changing / potty times and if soiled or wet

I always leave space for the parents to write comments should they wish. I print off 2 copies - one for myself and one for the parents. So far i've had no comments from parents but if I did, I'd photocopy their returned form for my records and return the original.

Don't know if I'm doing it right but I like the layout and it's easy to complete on my laptop each day.

[berkschick]

I just use a small notebook and write an account if the day in it.

It goes backwards and forwards with the child.

[Saz]

Fantastic - great ideas from everyone!!!

My only worry is that I will only part-time when first starting; once a week. So the book might go missing during the week.

[bubbly]

My only worry is that I will only part-time when first starting; once a week. So the book might go missing during the week.

I was worried about that too. That's why I print off two A4 copies - one for myself and one for the parents (I currently have 2 mindees who have the same mum but different dads). I file the diaries in transparent pouches in the child's folder. If I wrote in a book I wouldn't trust it to be returned every day.

All parents are different though and some wouldn't have a problem ensuring the book is looked after and returned.

[allinatiz]

I use a note book for mine and just write what my mindee has eaten, nap times and anything of note that we've done/she did that day. I used to send it home every night but mum asked me if I could keep it all week and she'd take it at weekend to look through which is ok as we always have a chat when she picks her daughter up and if there was anything I wanted to draw her attention to I'd mention it then. Plus that does mean that whenever my inspection comes up I will have it with me and it won't be forgotten

[Tatia]

I use one of those small cheap spiral notebooks that's bound at the top? Sort of flips up? From Asda for 30 p or some cheap price. These go home with parents. I just free hand write about food, nappies, naptime, activities, all about our day. I tend to cover 2 pages back and front per kid per day! I only use the cheapo things because I have had too many go walkabouts and I was tired of spending the money. When I share pictures, I either put them on a cd or a memory stick and let parent take them home to put on their computers (if parent didn't have comp, I'd make copies). It's cheaper and easier on my comp than printing them all out. I also keep an observations book for each child (not school agers, though) in which I keep all their daily obs and pictures that show evidence (this is a ring binder). Parents are welcome to look at it but it stays with me. It's my proof for OFSTED! In addition, I have a big photo album that contains pics of everyone, including school agers, having fun and enjoying the setting.

[Tatia]

Gosh, I do run on. My whole point was this - do NOT bargain on your daily diary being your proof for OFSTED that you are doing obs or working with parents as partners. Sure as the sun shines, it will get lost or misplaced or just not show up when you need it most.

[Saz]

Thanks Tatia!!!

Thanks everyone for sharing your ways of working with me. It is abit strange starting a new job without someone to show me the ropes. If you all know what I mean - whenever you start a new job someone always shows you around, shows you the loos and the kitchen, shows you what paperwork gets filed where, etc etc. Instead I am spending ages trawling the internet and reading my ICP info and National Standards trying to figure out what is good practice.

[jmoff]

Thanks Tatia!!!

Thanks everyone for sharing your ways of working with me. It is abit strange starting a new job without someone to show me the ropes. If you all know what I mean - whenever you start a new job someone always shows you around, shows you the loos and the kitchen, shows you what paperwork gets filed where, etc etc. Instead I am spending ages trawling the internet and reading my ICP info and National Standards trying to figure out what is good practice.

DO you not have a support minder?They should help...
Well, my one wasnt any good and I go all the advice from here.

Re diaries: I make my own, print out load of pages on A4 -yes, quite big, and my husbads binds it at work for me...all the parents love it and make comments about it.

Good luck with it all.

Jana

[deeb66]

DO you not have a support minder?They should help...
Well, my one wasnt any good and I go all the advice from here.


Jana

Thats a shame Jana.

I am a Support Minder and take my role very seriously and try my best to help my supportees.

[miffy]

Aah so i do need a binding machine after all

Miffy xx

[Rubybubbles]

Aah so i do need a binding machine after all

Miffy xx

seems that way miffy

[Tatia]

I am a Support Minder and take my role very seriously and try my best to help my supportees.

So do I. And when I was new, my support minder was a big help to me so I'm happy to return the favour.

[Banana]

i just use a notbook.

i record what the children have done and what they have eaten, naps and any issues

xx