First time minding a baby - daily diary help

[MISSYL20]

Hi, I've been minding a 3 year old since January so provide his parents with just a daily tick list. Food, places we've been people we've visited etc but come September I'm taking on a 10mth old baby. As he's a young baby I need to do a daily diary does anybody have any ideas & can help me with this?

What do you include in the diary?

Do you let the parents take the diary home each day to read?

or do you get the parents to just sign the diary when they collect baby?

Silly question do you just buy a cheap diary from a shop to do this??


Help!!' Xx

[sing-low]

I'm wondering about this too as I'm about to take on a 5 month old baby. This is what I've decided to do: I've bought a cheap exercise book and covered it with wrapping paper, written "X's Daily Diary" on it. Planning to put in info about naps, number and type of nappies, what we played with, where we went, food, bottles, and possibly end with a "best bit" or "highlight of the day". Also if I need more nappies, wipes etc. The plan is this will go to and from home with him and parents can write in it too as pick up and drop offs can be rushed.

[muffins]

All of my pre-schoolers have an A5 book with the info laid out as below, these are kept in the childs bag and some are also used by pre-sch with what child has done there in the morning

Day/Date-
Time attended-

AM- (what we did)
PM-

Nap(s)-
Snacks- AM / PM
Breakfast-
Lunch-
Dinner-
Nappy changes- (times & contents)

[Allie]

I just have a tiny book for each child and usually only fill one page. I ask each parent what sort of onfo they want and would only mention nappies if not the usual for that child. I also ask parents questions in the diary to check they are actually reading it as I wont do it if they dont bother to read it. It works fine for me and all present parents write in it regularly, keeping me well informed

[moggy]

I'm wondering about this too as I'm about to take on a 5 month old baby. This is what I've decided to do: I've bought a cheap exercise book and covered it with wrapping paper, written "X's Daily Diary" on it. Planning to put in info about naps, number and type of nappies, what we played with, where we went, food, bottles, and possibly end with a "best bit" or "highlight of the day". Also if I need more nappies, wipes etc. The plan is this will go to and from home with him and parents can write in it too as pick up and drop offs can be rushed.

I do exactly this and parents all write a paragraph or two each morning before drop off in their book- how baby slept, what they had for breakfast, any new achievements at home, general notes. Works really well.

[Rick]

Pretty much the same as Muffins. I usually put the summary at the top and a bit of waffle about what the child did and how they were during the day. I don't think half the parents read it but at least I know I've done it!