Newsletters/Menu's-How often

[actaktmdt]

How often do you send out a Newsletter to Parents?
Do you send home a menu for the month for the meals?

[gkids09]

I am required (well, they PREFER anyway) to send a newsletter home with each child at least oncer per month. As for the menu, we used to send home a menu every month along with the newsletter. Then, I noticed that newsletters were being taken home, and menus were being thrown in the floor. So, I just started making the menu and tacking it up on the parent board each month. Now, if they want to see it, they can look at it when they come in. I wouldn't even do that but I'm required to...

[originalkat]

I do a newsletter every month and one on the summer. I tell the parents what the kids ate on their daily report.

[momma2girls]

I also do a monthly newsletter with everything in it- welciming new friends, and dates taking off, any Holidays, any reminders, and activities(such as show and tell, pajama days, bring something from home, etc.)
I also started a monthly menu about 3 months ago!!

[grandmom]

I used to put a lot of effort into newsletters. Artwork, clip art, everything. Then I found parents didn't really read them. To test this out, I burried in a paragraph something like "if you tell me you read this article tomorrow, you get an evening of care for free". Nothing. Not a single parent. It was a lot of time away from the kids, but few parents cared.

[Former Teacher]

In TX it is required for children 18 mo. and younger to have a daily take home sheet. If the child is older and the parents request one then they must have one.
When I taught Pre-K I did a weekly letter, then switched to a monthly letter, finally stopped altogether once I realized it was a waste of time and money on my part.
As for the menus, TX is required to have a posted menu. We had one in the office when parents (state) first came in and one in the kitchen. It was a rotating menu that was listed by week. It also listed the snacks as well.
Naturally parents never read either one so I wound up telling the parents what the child ate anyway.

[melissa ann]

I used to send out monthly newletters but they wouldn't get read. I know, because when holidays came up, they always ask if I"m open. I would have that in the newsletter. I know have a big whiteboard by the front door and they read that. I use different color markers to make it stand out.
I used to send out menus but gramps would say, that's okay. he trusts that I'm giving them healthy food.

[laundryduchess@yahoo.com]

I give them one whenever anything is happening. mainly spring, summer winter and fall. I stopped putting notes on the door. I remind them of upcoming closings in the newsletters, and if they come on a day Im closed, They find a note on the door stating we are closed. When they call, and I dont answer, and I call them back on next business day I remind them that they are given a holiday schedule for the year every august, and they are reminded in the newsletters. After a few times forgetting,... they will read it the next time. =-) THEY will have to adapt to ME,.. I got tired of catering to adults like a 2 yr old about a decade ago, . How does the phrase go,... Lack of preparation on your part does not constitute an emergency on mine.

[tenderhearts]

When you do your newsletters do you do it at the end of the month and tell them what they will be learning for the next month? or do you do it at the end of the month and tell parents in the news letter what they learned for that month then anything pertinent for the upcoming month? I'm interested in doing it but just dont' know how to do it yet and trying to get some ideas.

[Pammie]

I send my "Daycare Doodles" newsletter home on the first of each month (September through June). In it, I highlight the planned themes for the month along with any special days/activities (for example, Earth Day and Arbor Day this month, along with birthdays, school early-release day, pizza/movie night).
I also include a lunch-menu calendar - only listing the entree for the day. My parents seem to like that and plan their home menus around what the kids will be eating here.
Occasionally, I'll send an "Even More Daycare Doodles" home mid-month if there's new information that I need to make sure everyone knows (new family, kids leaving, policy updates, late-scheduled field trip, etc)

During the summer months, I send weekly calendars on Fridays via parent's email boxes for plans for the following week.....and in the summers, parent's send sack lunches daily, so there's no menu to distribute

[momma2girls]

When you do your newsletters do you do it at the end of the month and tell them what they will be learning for the next month? or do you do it at the end of the month and tell parents in the news letter what they learned for that month then anything pertinent for the upcoming month? I'm interested in doing it but just dont' know how to do it yet and trying to get some ideas.

I send mine out for the following month, the last week of the previous month. I hope this makes sense!! !!!
Ex. I will send out Mays to everyone the last week of April.

[tenderhearts]

Thanks that helps, I'm trying to figure out how to put it out on paper "cute" so it looks interesting instead of just like a letter looking thing, kind of how the school sends home newsletters. thanks

[emosks]

We do a monthly newsletter. Our menus are posted on the parent board for them to look at.

[Momma in MT.]

I don't do a newletter. Instead I use facebook. I ask the parents permission to post pics of their kids on FB. I only accept the parents of kids in the daycare as friends. A couple of times a week I put a one or two sentence blurb about what we are studying. Something funny one of the kids said any outside activities. It also gives me a chance to remind parent what the show and tell is for that week etc.

Much easier and less time consuming.