How Do You Communicate With Parents?

[CityGarden]

I am debating the best ways to communicate with parents.

My group is 2+ so while I like parents feeling connected is there other useful options without doing daily sheets? Maybe a newsletter, blog or shutterfly site.... any other ideas?

I like the looks of programs like Brightwheel but I personally find those seem to focus on meals (provided by parents), diaper/potty time and sleep. I want something more insightful for parents and reflective of our actual time spent together.

[MarinaVanessa]

Maybe just a private Facebook group for them? If you just want to be able to communicate with them and send reminders I think that Shutterfly is overkill. If you were planning on sharing your newsletter or flyers etc then I'd lean towards Shutterfly.

[Sumshine]

I am debating the best ways to communicate with parents.

My group is 2+ so while I like parents feeling connected is there other useful options without doing daily sheets? Maybe a newsletter, blog or shutterfly site.... any other ideas?

I like the looks of programs like Brightwheel but I personally find those seem to focus on meals (provided by parents), diaper/potty time and sleep. I want something more insightful for parents and reflective of our actual time spent together.

I use BrightWheel and I post group pics, individual pics, our art projects, etc on there during nap time and the parents love it. I use the calander to remind of events like our valentines day party coming up. I do put food, potty, and naps on there as well but I like I can upload photos. It also notifies the parents on their phone "DCG was in a new photo".

I also have a general facebook business page that my DCPs, friends, and family are on who are interested in seeing what we are up to. I do like posting stuff on there too but I don't show any kiddo faces because it's public just bits and pieces of what we are up to. So BrightWheel comes in handy so they can actually see their kids faces !

[Ariana]

I use a private FB page. It makes things so easy! Couple that with face to face conversations and it works great. I post the menu and things we did throughout the day.

[Lil_Diddle]

I have a private fb page as well as post stuff on my personal fb. It reminds people what I do so it helps with promoting new business. I do have parents sign a consent that their child's photo can be posted. I also do monthly newsletters, I have a dry erease board posted with the weekly menu as well as group time activities. I only do daily sheets for infants.

[renodeb]

I found that daily sheets took to much time away from the kids, I touch base with each group of parents and if they need more info they can call me or text. I do have a fb page for my daycare and that seems to work for me. I post stuff on there but not every day.
Deb

[nothingwithoutjoy]

I use these methods:

--Group email. (I use yahoogroups, though there's probably something more up-to-date; I've been doing this a long time!) I send an email daily to the whole group, giving them an overview of our day. Sometimes it's brief, sometimes more involved, depending on what I want to tell them about. At the beginning of a new group, I use it a lot to explain routines, philosophy, etc, in the context of explaining what we did. I also use it for reminders (it's getting warmer; everyone will need bathing suits in their baskets) or community building (congratulations to ... who is expecting a new baby sister!). Our group email also has a calendar where I post holidays, vacations, etc., and set it up to send out reminders two weeks and one week before each thing.

--Private blog. In my daily email, I (usually) attach a link to the blog, like: "See the blog for the story of our progress on the doll protest." The blog is for more-in-depth documentation of project work and other learning. I include photos, scans of kids' work, video, transcribed conversations, etc there. Posts are tagged extensively, so the blog is easy to search (about a specific child, or a specific age, or an academic area, etc.) I do not write about every child every day, or try to cover everything we're doing. Instead, I focus on some specific story, with the kids who were involved.

--Facebook. I have a business page, specifically as a marketing tool because that's where prospective parents seem to look. I post something daily (ish) and sometimes direct my families there through my emails, too, because it's easy to post photo albums or short video clips there. Or because I posted something that might not be worth a blog post, but might be something they'd like to see. But I don't do in-depth stuff there (because I try to keep kids' personal details private), so I don't like it as a Reggio-inspired documentation tool. It's just a way to get my program out there (I haven't done a website).

I tell all parents in my parent handbook that if it's in an email or a blog post, I expect that they will have read it.

[daycare]

Try class dojo. Love it. Very easy to send messages to one family or all, post videos, record behavior, stories and etc. best part is that it's FREE. It's an app