Doing a diary EVERY DAY! :(

[newbie]

It has been hectic here recently and therefore daily diaires have tended to get forgotton. I always have a big chat with the mindees' parents every evening about how the day has been, what they have eaten, naps and what we have been up to so if I run out of time to fill in diaries I don't overly panic as I know our 'chat' has been what I would have written!

Anyway, yesterday we had a Halloween outing and it was a very busy but very fun day. By the time all the mindees had gone and I had taken my own children out trick or treating and got them into bed it was 9pm and I hadn't even had my dinner! So the last thing I wanted to do was start completing diaries (mine are online). However, one of my mindees parents has questioned it this morning and asked me why the diaries weren't done. I explained but she looked a bit put out!

I was just wondering whether you guys did a diary every day???? I'm thinking of putting something in my newsletter about it but not really sure where to start

[EmmaReed84]

I don't do a daily diary as I don't have really young ones. My two full timers are siblings and Mum and I have a good natter each night when she collects about what the kids have done, eaten etc.

If it were me I would review my Working in Partnership policy and just put that I will do a dairy, but in some cases, the diary may not be able to be filled in on the evening, but will be filled in at some point, and if there are any issues they will be discussed with parents.

[mrs robbie williams]

i have three under 3 so i do daily diaries, each one has a hard back note book and as they arrive i lay them out in the kitchen and write in as a i go - gets a bit boring and repetitive tbh but i still do it each day, i tend to put a small bit for am and pm activities, what they liked to play with that day, meals and what they ate, nappies, bottles, sleeps. i prob do 3/4 of page for each one each day, i find it much easier doing it that way than doing it online but everyone is different

[blue bear]

I do daily diaries, they are paper ones, I do tell parents that the children are my priority not the diary so if I am exceptionally busy or a child needs me more on a particular day the diary won't get done but I will add a brief summary the next day or end of the week (tends to be once a week in school holidays) but I would text/phone anything that stood out and of course we always have pick up chats.

[Rubybubbles]

i have three under 3 so i do daily diaries, each one has a hard back note book and as they arrive i lay them out in the kitchen and write in as a i go - gets a bit boring and repetitive tbh but i still do it each day, i tend to put a small bit for am and pm activities, what they liked to play with that day, meals and what they ate, nappies, bottles, sleeps. i prob do 3/4 of page for each one each day, i find it much easier doing it that way than doing it online but everyone is different

Same, I list everything first thing

Nappies
Sleep
Milk
Food

And fill as I go, There is always a point I can, I even do it when they are awake haha !!!

I also do am and pm activities.

[JCrakers]

i have three under 3 so i do daily diaries, each one has a hard back note book and as they arrive i lay them out in the kitchen and write in as a i go - gets a bit boring and repetitive tbh but i still do it each day, i tend to put a small bit for am and pm activities, what they liked to play with that day, meals and what they ate, nappies, bottles, sleeps. i prob do 3/4 of page for each one each day, i find it much easier doing it that way than doing it online but everyone is different

I do the same

[Jo Jo]

Same, I list everything first thing

Nappies
Sleep
Milk
Food

And fill as I go, There is always a point I can, I even do it when they are awake haha !!!

I also do am and pm activities.

I do the same too

[moggy]

I also lay books out (spiral bound so they lie flat easily!) in the kitchen and I just note as we go- while they're having snack, at the dining table during lunch, when they are napping etc. It is usually a simple 'Had a lovely morning out at xxx she enjoyed the xxxx; xxx for snack. Dirty nappy. Back for lunch had xxxxx, slept in cot at xxxpm-xxxxpm... etc. Just written chronologically, really doesn't take much time once it is a habit.
Most of my parents write a paragraph or two each day too about home routine and events, so it is a really nice record of what is happening, a good way to make sure messages get home and useful to look back on.

[funemnx]

I have A5 books that I fill in every day for all my under 5's. Some of the parents of older children have kept them for sentimental reasons so I try to make them a bit more interesting now!

I usually do them when they're playing before hometime

[loocyloo]

Same, I list everything first thing

Nappies
Sleep
Milk
Food

And fill as I go, There is always a point I can, I even do it when they are awake haha !!!

I also do am and pm activities.

same here. mine live on the side in the kitchen.

i use A5 sheets that are pre-printed with boxes for meals, sleeps, nappies and then i quickly write what we have been doing. usually i write up at snack, lunch & tea, or during naptime. i find the sheets easier, i have often taken the sheets with me on days out, and fill them in as & when, then put them in childs folder when we get home!

[hectors house]

I just fill in a general on-line form throughout the day - with outings, activities, snacks, lunch, tea and then for younger ones my form says nappies, sleeps - I chat to parents when they collect but as I have got so many parents where one parent drops off and then other parent or grandparent collects, by e-mailing it everyone can get to see what their child has done in a day. Also I sometimes get written feedback which I save with a copy of e-mail as proof to Ofsted that I communicate with parents. I don't have time to fill everything in a diary x 3 - and yesterday I had 6 with some school aged ones. This was what I sent to parents yesterday and have had lovely feedback today about how much the children enjoyed themselves.

Morning Activities
Free play with Hotwheels track, soft animals and puppets (including witch, ghost, spider), Duplo – building tall towers
Made cakes to decorate later – everyone did a great job with cracking eggs and stirring Colouring Halloween pictures – witches, tricks & treats Halloween craft – handprint spiders

Snack Grapes, banana, Satsuma – beaker of orange juice

Change of resources as X remembered playing with BBQ when she came during summer hols - so got out BBQ, T sets, play food, role play box and everyone played restaurants and toy shops

Lunch Spooky Bolognese with eye ball & witches fingers surprise & worms (Meatballs, hotdog sausages & spaghetti)
Multi coloured jelly slugs and slime & frog spawn (custard & tapioca)
Small beaker of Dracola – red fizzy or squash

Afternoon Activities
Listened and danced to Danse Macabre and then as children enjoyed it so much, then listened, danced to & tried to identify animals in Carnival of the Animals.
Decorated cakes with coloured roll out icing spiders, monsters, slugs, ghosts and eye balls
Played “The Witch says” like Simon says with appropriate actions.
Free play and reading books children brought from home.

If I need to tell the parent anything personal about their child I write it on their e-mail rather than the diary that everyone can see.

[peony321]

i have always done these daily diaries as i specialise in under 4yrs. the parents have never complained and like that i log how many feeds, nappy changes etc. but ofsted hated it. said i was making too much work for myself and should concentrate on eyfs observation logging and coding! but the trouble is, most parents dont understand the eyfs, dont pay attention to it. they just want to know that their child is happy, cared for and developing through a home from home environment.

[caz3007]

I do a diary for my LO as its not always mum who collects but its important for her to know what LO has eaten, whether she had a nap (she doesnt have one every day) and what we have done as I dont see her to verbally give the info.

But yesterday we were out for the day and I didnt have time to fill it in as dropped LO off on our way home. Mum was fine and I have today written a little note about yesterday so mum has info about the day out.

I think if I was you Newbie, I would say something like I try to do a daily diary online each evening but occasionally I am too busy with my own family to do it. I feel that I pass on the important information verbally at collection time, so hope you will understand if I dont email you at times.

[Mouse]

I often have 4 under 5s, so have to find time to write 4 diaries. Mine are A5 books & I do a page a day.

I don't include nappy info unless parents specifically ask for it. I note what we did, what the children ate, funny things they did or said, where we've been etc. I also write vague next steps in & ideas for home - eg. X enjoyed looking at the photo albums today & identifying the children she knew. Next week I will give her the camera to take some of her own photos. Perhaps at home you could look at pictures from when she was a baby.

It does take time to do & I don't always have time to get them all finished, especially if parents collect early. They all accept that though & know I will get caught up when I can.

[Bananabrain]

i have three under 3 so i do daily diaries, each one has a hard back note book and as they arrive i lay them out in the kitchen and write in as a i go - gets a bit boring and repetitive tbh but i still do it each day, i tend to put a small bit for am and pm activities, what they liked to play with that day, meals and what they ate, nappies, bottles, sleeps. i prob do 3/4 of page for each one each day, i find it much easier doing it that way than doing it online but everyone is different

Exactly the same here.
Although I have to say I am getting increasingly peeved that I seem to be doing them for my own benefit!? Really fed up this morning as I had a child who had lots of loose poo yesterday and sent home lots dirty clothes. Asked for more spares, but obviously no-one read the book.

[jackie 7]

I do daily diaries and try to get parents to write in them. Also i stick a pogo printed picture a week in them.. When I am closer to an inspection i will encourage parents to sign etc. Any holidays go in and from now on they will have to sign to say they have seen dates.

[winstonian]

I do daily diaries, they are paper ones, I do tell parents that the children are my priority not the diary so if I am exceptionally busy or a child needs me more on a particular day the diary won't get done but I will add a brief summary the next day or end of the week (tends to be once a week in school holidays) but I would text/phone anything that stood out and of course we always have pick up chats.

I'm the same - last week we went on 2 trips so they werent filled out those days but have emailed parents lovely photos of our day out instead.
I have 6/7 under 3s most days - I take all the diaries out of their bags as they arrive, check for any messages and then fill them out through the day. Most of my parents are quite easy going and no one has ever queried if I've missed a day (and sometimes I do forget to send the diaries home ).

[lisa1968]

When new families start with me,I do tell them about the diaries but also explain that there may be times when I don't get round to filling them in, but, of course, if they need to be told anything important then I will do so verbally.
Sometimes i do get fed up of doing them,but I know if I was the parent then I would like to see a diary.

[miffy]

I used to hand write them but now I do them online. I try and do a bit through the day when Los are playing or asleep then finish off each evening as soon as all the children have gone. I email them to parents at the end of the week.

Miffy xx

[jadavi]

None of my parents want them as they dont have time to write in them or even read them..(but they do love the Special Books) I have written statement from them all that they dont want them.
All i do for babies is record the times of the milk feeds.
I chat extensively every eve and morn with parents and that is enough for them.
I got outstanding so I think as long as parents are on board they are fine about it.