Daily Report Sheets Feedback

[daycaredaddy]

This is my first time posting here, and while I don't own or operate a daycare center, I'm a parent that sends my child to daycare. I have nothing respect and admiration for daycare owners and workers. I'm overwhelmed taking care of one little person, while you all are responsible for multiple children, every day. As a working parent, kudos and thank you.

I do have a question for those of you do own and operate daycare facilities. Every day my son is sent home with a paper report sheet (his mood, what he did, how much he ate, etc). They're obviously invaluable to parents. They help to stay in the loop and on top of my son's day while he's away from home.

After some research, and speaking to a couple of local daycares, I found it odd most used paper.

I found https://www.tadpoles.com (which doesn't seem to be actively supported) and http://www.dailyconnect.com (which seems to be very expensive).

I'm also a software developer and I was thinking of coding my own solution but wanted to reach out for feedback before undertaking such a project.

Do any of you use either of these products? If not, why? Do you use another product? Would you eliminate paper report sheets if an easy to use, affordable product was available? If there's enough of a need, it something I will develop and reciprocate any support I receive.

I would very much appreciate any feedback. Thank you in advance!

[Thriftylady]

I use paper. Honestly I can grab a pen and write a quick something far faster than I can sit at the computer, get an application opened and type something then remember to save. It is just hard when you are in charge of little especially in an in home daycare where you are the only one doing everything. And, right now I have two siblings have another little starting soon, but I do both siblings on on sheet of paper because they eat the same, do the same activities etc. I do break up some of the things they do differently because they are school age and in two grades so if there is no school and they do school work here I write what the each worked on in a section. So if those ideas help you. But I still say the pen is just faster and easier for me. And my bottom line is tight, so I can't see me paying for that, we have so many other supplies to purchase.

[Laura5287]

I have used daily connect but it seems that paper is so much faster. With the app I had to put in the activity we were doing at that time or I would have to go back through and put in the correct time and there really wasn't a whole lot of space to fill in what we actually did. I did the app in the summer but when we started up the preschool days, it was just too much to keep up with and I only had 3 children at that time.
I am wondering though.. what age would you stop doing them? or do you continue even if they are school age. I have one turning 5 this week and thought that would be a good cut off?

[Gemma]

I use paper. Honestly I can grab a pen and write a quick something far faster than I can sit at the computer,

That's me!
I only do daily reports for infants, I could not run at the computer every time I need to write something down!
I don't see me ever dropping the paper and start using a program, I'd have to first write things on paper, for later put it in the program, it'd be twice the work.

[daycaredaddy]

It seems like each of you would be wary to use such a product because you believe pen and paper is faster. Given how busy you are, I understand. However...

This would be an app that would run on either an iPhone or Android phone, so it would be portable. Also, I think in most cases it could actually be faster than pen and paper (based on the data captured on the sheets from my daycare).

For example, to log a nap, all you would have to do is tap a "down for nap" button, then an "up from nap" button once the child wakes up. The app would automatically record the day and time. Switching between children would be seamless, which would eliminate the need for keeping track of multiple pieces of paper.

If I mockup a prototype design, would anyone be interested in checking it out?

Thank you for all the feedback so far, please keep it coming!

[Thriftylady]

I would be willing to test it for you, but if I have to text I will hate it. I may be weird, but I can't stand texting. All my clients prefer it, so I do it and hate it. When I am on the semi with hubby (not so much now that I am starting up again), I don't dare text my daughter it can turn into way to much back and forth and I end up calling her and telling her if she wants to talk we can talk but don't text mom again .

[NoMoreJuice!]

I would definitely be interested in trying a prototype! The one flaw I can see about the nap times would be...human error. I would forget, so I would need a place to go in and manually change the times later.

But yes, anything that speeds up and enhances communication with parents, I'm totally on board!

[Thriftylady]

I would definitely be interested in trying a prototype! The one flaw I can see about the nap times would be...human error. I would forget, so I would need a place to go in and manually change the times later.

But yes, anything that speeds up and enhances communication with parents, I'm totally on board!

Oh goodness me too! I forgot to do attendance one day last week!

[Blackcat31]

It seems like each of you would be wary to use such a product because you believe pen and paper is faster. Given how busy you are, I understand. However...

This would be an app that would run on either an iPhone or Android phone, so it would be portable. Also, I think in most cases it could actually be faster than pen and paper (based on the data captured on the sheets from my daycare).

For example, to log a nap, all you would have to do is tap a "down for nap" button, then an "up from nap" button once the child wakes up. The app would automatically record the day and time. Switching between children would be seamless, which would eliminate the need for keeping track of multiple pieces of paper.

If I mockup a prototype design, would anyone be interested in checking it out?

Thank you for all the feedback so far, please keep it coming!

Here are other threads about this.

https://www.daycare.com/forum/tags.php?tag=daycare+software

Many members gave feedback.

Maybe there is useful info for you in the threads....

There are more but I dont have time to search deeper at the moment.

[Controlled Chaos]

I believe me entering it would be faster. My concern would be, do all parents have to have iPhones, smart phones? If it isn't super convenient for parents with a variety of gadgets they won't like it.

[daycare]

Considering the fact that my state will soon be enforcing a daily health check that must be documented I would be interested in something like this. I also dream up that we could click links to the issue that may be occurring and have it emailed to the parent directly.

So example the kid is vomiting and had fever. We can log this state when child can return supply links to virus that may cause these issues along with when the child can return.
Like you child had the following symptoms

Fever then a list of what to do to help reduce this fever
Vomiting how to help vomiting and ECT

When to call the doctor
When your child is safe to come back
This is what in vision making one day.

We could also link immunization records to it to prevent missing them and etc

I guess it would be more of an overall daily health check app.

Manually I do this, it's a pain but helpful to resolving many health issues with the kids. It's been amazing that I've been able to tell parents because of keeping these logs. And it's nothing but facts.

Sorry I'm just dreaming out loud

[Thriftylady]

Considering the fact that my state will soon be enforcing a daily health check that must be documented I would be interested in something like this. I also dream up that we could click links to the issue that may be occurring and have it emailed to the parent directly.

So example the kid is vomiting and had fever. We can log this state when child can return supply links to virus that may cause these issues along with when the child can return.
Like you child had the following symptoms

Fever then a list of what to do to help reduce this fever
Vomiting how to help vomiting and ECT

When to call the doctor
When your child is safe to come back
This is what in vision making one day.

We could also link immunization records to it to prevent missing them and etc

I guess it would be more of an overall daily health check app.

Manually I do this, it's a pain but helpful to resolving many health issues with the kids. It's been amazing that I've been able to tell parents because of keeping these logs. And it's nothing but facts.

Sorry I'm just dreaming out loud

I just don't see me doing all that. I would spend all my time logging these things and no time with the kiddos. At that point, I would throw in the towel and go back to any job I could find. Even fast food would look good.

[Gemma]

Not for me either!
I don't want to become that dependable of my phone, besides, I still think "for me" paper is quicker, I don't usually report all of those things.

[Stephnrich]

Considering the fact that my state will soon be enforcing a daily health check that must be documented I would be interested in something like this. I also dream up that we could click links to the issue that may be occurring and have it emailed to the parent directly.

So example the kid is vomiting and had fever. We can log this state when child can return supply links to virus that may cause these issues along with when the child can return.
Like you child had the following symptoms

Fever then a list of what to do to help reduce this fever
Vomiting how to help vomiting and ECT

When to call the doctor
When your child is safe to come back
This is what in vision making one day.

We could also link immunization records to it to prevent missing them and etc

I guess it would be more of an overall daily health check app.

Manually I do this, it's a pain but helpful to resolving many health issues with the kids. It's been amazing that I've been able to tell parents because of keeping these logs. And it's nothing but facts.

Sorry I'm just dreaming out loud

I would love all of this in an app! I currently use Minute Menu Kids through my food program and I copy/paste their daily report in an email to parents. It takes a lot of time to write individual notes about each child, but I do because they all read them. An app would be easier.

[daycare]

Not for me either!
I don't want to become that dependable of my phone, besides, I still think "for me" paper is quicker, I don't usually report all of those things.

as much as i don't want to have to do it, it is soon going to be come required as part of our QRIS. We are in the pilot phase right now and I was handed this spread sheet check off list that we will have to fill out daily. I hate keeping piles of paper and hate having to fill things out. I have 4 ipads in my house, so mounting one by the diaper changing area would be easy to do and that would be the easiest time for us to do it.