Do You Do Parent Meetings?

[Mary Poppins]

Just curious if anyone holds regularly scheduled parent/provider meetings? I'm thinking I'd like to do this and I'm wondering if it's a common thing?

[Meeko]

If something needed to be discussed in length (I can usually say my piece in a minute or two at the door or on the phone) I would maybe schedule an appointment. Or if the parents wanted to discuss money etc without other parents hearing, I would schedule a later appointment. But I already work 60 hours per week. I don't want parents thinking I am available for them any more hours.

And I would NEVER schedule a meeting with all parents together. Numbers makes them bold and I am not about to try and defend my policies/rates to a mob!

[Meeko]

I post a monthly calendar with info/reminders etc. I also post notices on the door too. They can ask me anything at drop off and pick up, or they can call or e-mail me. And I am not shy if I need to say something to them.

With my set up, I really don't know what would be different about a set meeting....other than taking a heap of time I would rather spend with my family.

[Meyou]

I only have parent's meetings for behavioral problems. I've never done a group parent meeting.

[Cat Herder]

I generally only do conferences for adult/child issues. The parents text, call and email trying to avoid having to attend those. :confused: They feel they already have enough on their plates.

My clients prefer the "no news is good news" method. I have learned life is more peaceful and less expensive for me when I give it to them.

[permanentvacation]

I did hold bi-monthly meetings for a short time. I quit only because I HATE routine! I'm HORRIBLE at doing the same thing every certain date and time just because the calendar says to. But, what I did for a little while was to hold bi-monthly meetings with parents individually to discuss their child's progress. I work with the children ALOT here on preschool scholastics to prepare the children for kindergarten. So I would keep a weekly record of how each child was progressing scholastically and socially. Then every other month went over my reports with the parents to let them see on paper how their child was progressing. Basically like showing them a progress report/report card and going over it with them. We would also discuss anything that they or I had concerns about. Each meeting was 15-30 minutes and I held them immidiately after I closed - So no one else could overhear another child's meeting while picking up their child. Typically, the parent who had their meeting scheduled that day - if they usually pick up early, would just leave their child in daycare til closing time then come in, it would just be us, and within 1/2 hour we were done with the meeting.

My parents really liked having the progress reports - I would make a copy for each of them - just like a child bringing home a report card. They liked having the meetings so we could personally discuss everything instead of me just handing a report for them to decifer themselves. I simply stopped honstly because I don't like consistant mundane routine. It bored me after a while. But my parents really did like it, it helped me keep track of exactly what each kid had already mastered and what they needed to work on. I think it was a good idea.

I listed the entire alphabet, capital and lower case, - marked when a child was working on/mastered recognizing the letter, was working on/mastered the sound of the letter, was working on/mastered writing the letter, I did that for numbers, counting, ( counting to 10, counting to 20, etc.), colors, shapes, spelling/reading - I wrote the words that we were working on, I put in the different subjects - just like a school report card - science, social studies, art, etc. and put whether the child showed interest, participated, grasped the concepts taught, etc. I put things like tieing, buttoning, zipping, etc. I also put social skills in such as sharing, using manners, showing respect, Also physical abilities such as hoping, skipping, etc. And things about small muscle development like progress on holding small objects - small blocks and being able to control them as they build a tower, ability in using sissors, etc.

If I had a child that wasn't doing so well, I felt bad about having to show this big list of what we worked on and having only a couple of things that their child had mastered. But I always made sure to tell the parents that each child progresses at their own pace and that they are working on these skills. So that made the parent feel a bit better. ...... However, by keeping those records, I was able to help a parent realize that their child was slower and she used my records at the doctor's office to get him some help that he needed.

After reading about this and posting my reply here, maybe I will start keeping the records and having the parent meetings again. I did like having accurate records of the children's abilities and the parents really did like getting the reports and having the meetings. Maybe I will start it again.

[Mary Poppins]

And I would NEVER schedule a meeting with all parents together. Numbers makes them bold and I am not about to try and defend my policies/rates to a mob!

Good point!

I was actually thinking of like parent/teacher conferences just to give updates on the kids and to have a few moments to get to know the dcp's a little better. I mean, we chat at the door but that's it. It feels sort of.. awkward I guess?

Of course, I'm pretty new to dc and overthinking this I'm sure (like I do everything else !).

Thanks for the input.

[Mary Poppins]

I only have parent's meetings for behavioral problems. I've never done a group parent meeting.

I don't think I'd be comfortable with a group meeting, either. I meant one one one like at school. Sometimes it feels like there isn't enough time to talk to these people who I'm helping to raise their children and emails/texts feel too informal.

[Mary Poppins]

I did hold bi-monthly meetings for a short time. I quit only because I HATE routine! I'm HORRIBLE at doing the same thing every certain date and time just because the calendar says to. But, what I did for a little while was to hold bi-monthly meetings with parents individually to discuss their child's progress. I work with the children ALOT here on preschool scholastics to prepare the children for kindergarten. So I would keep a weekly record of how each child was progressing scholastically and socially. Then every other month went over my reports with the parents to let them see on paper how their child was progressing. Basically like showing them a progress report/report card and going over it with them. We would also discuss anything that they or I had concerns about. Each meeting was 15-30 minutes and I held them immidiately after I closed - So no one else could overhear another child's meeting while picking up their child. Typically, the parent who had their meeting scheduled that day - if they usually pick up early, would just leave their child in daycare til closing time then come in, it would just be us, and within 1/2 hour we were done with the meeting.

My parents really liked having the progress reports - I would make a copy for each of them - just like a child bringing home a report card. They liked having the meetings so we could personally discuss everything instead of me just handing a report for them to decifer themselves. I simply stopped honstly because I don't like consistant mundane routine. It bored me after a while. But my parents really did like it, it helped me keep track of exactly what each kid had already mastered and what they needed to work on. I think it was a good idea.

I listed the entire alphabet, capital and lower case, - marked when a child was working on/mastered recognizing the letter, was working on/mastered the sound of the letter, was working on/mastered writing the letter, I did that for numbers, counting, ( counting to 10, counting to 20, etc.), colors, shapes, spelling/reading - I wrote the words that we were working on, I put in the different subjects - just like a school report card - science, social studies, art, etc. and put whether the child showed interest, participated, grasped the concepts taught, etc. I put things like tieing, buttoning, zipping, etc. I also put social skills in such as sharing, using manners, showing respect, Also physical abilities such as hoping, skipping, etc. And things about small muscle development like progress on holding small objects - small blocks and being able to control them as they build a tower, ability in using sissors, etc.

If I had a child that wasn't doing so well, I felt bad about having to show this big list of what we worked on and having only a couple of things that their child had mastered. But I always made sure to tell the parents that each child progresses at their own pace and that they are working on these skills. So that made the parent feel a bit better. ...... However, by keeping those records, I was able to help a parent realize that their child was slower and she used my records at the doctor's office to get him some help that he needed.

After reading about this and posting my reply here, maybe I will start keeping the records and having the parent meetings again. I did like having accurate records of the children's abilities and the parents really did like getting the reports and having the meetings. Maybe I will start it again.

::

At least you are honest and really, I would probably end up getting bored with doing them, too! I am so the same way, I WANT to like routine, but i is SO hard for me to stick with one. Ugh.

So maybe it's best not to start something too regularly that I don't plan on carrying through with. Maybe if I just do them every quarter.. hmm.

[MrsB]

Nooooo parent meetings here... I do have what I call family night once a quarter.

Usually in the fall we do open house, kids get to show parents their routines, what their favorite projects are. We usually do a little circle time and sing a few of the kids favorite songs.

Winter we usually decorate holiday cookies or gingerbread houses.

Spring is usually some kind of family game night or craft night where we all where pjs and such.

Summer we usually do family camp/movie night. We usually roast hot dogs in our backyard. Everyone brings their sleeping bags and pillows and we lay out in the back yard and watch a movie.

Its always great family fun and I always get such great compliments from the DCPs that attend.

In fact, alot of my old DCFs end up asking to still come. It is alo of fun and I think it really promotes more family time.