How Do You Get Them To Look??

[gkids09]

I have a Parent Board, which is right above the sign in sheet parents sign their kids in and out on every single day..

The sign in sheet is on a card table, so it's large enough to hold a few other things too, like the kids' folders. The folders have all their artwork, important notes, etc. in them. However, parents NEVER check them. I remind them, and they say, "Oh, I don't ever remember the folders!" They are RIGHT NEXT to the sign in sheet, and BRIGHT RED.

I have tried notes on top of the sign in sheet saying CHECK FOLDERS, but still, they don't. I care for 12 kids a day, I don't have the time to hold the parents' hands and MAKE them check the folders!! Is there a way to make them more noticeable??

Also, I post notes and newsletters and other IMPORTANT info on my parent board. They don't pay any attention. I have put signs on the DOOR so they will see them...And they don't. How do I make the area more "inviting" I guess is the word to parents?? Before folders, I had a stack of papers by the sign in sheet, and only a handful of parents would pick them up. Folders help me see WHO has gotten their things, and who NEEDS to. HELP please.

[Ariana]

I don't have any advice sorry But I remember when I worked in a centre and on stat holidays we would have notices written everywhere in the daycare saying "We will be closed monday due to stat holiday". They were on the doors on the way in and the way out and beside the sign up sheet and every time we'd have 2-3 parents who would show up on Monday thinking we'd be open!!! Hilarious.

[Auntie]

I was going to say put in a letter that says something about a special day and see who gets it. I was going to say plan a special day but the child would suffer and that is not their fault.

So for the parents maybe say thank you for taking the time to read this letter and checking your child's folder, you may hand this five dollar off coupon for your next week of service. This coupon expires (the day after their payment is due).

[Meeko]

I gave up trying to make SURE everyone got the info.

We tend the kids....we shouldn't have to tend their parents too. If they turn up on a closed day and you've had it on your board/calendar etc.....then more fool them. Maybe next time, they'll be more interested in what goes on at day care!

[Meeko]

My son thinks that as it seems most parents don't read the contract....we should have a small clause in there somewhere that says "If, by the end of the third day of your child's attendance, you have not mentioned this paragraph, you owe us a million dollars in cash and will be required to run around the building 5 times in a clown suit."

.....just to see if anyone would say anything!!!!

[Hunni Bee]

Yeah I know...I went through that. I bought plastic folders for my kids to take home their artwork, weekly reports and such on Fridays...I'd never get them back, or I'd get them back with everything still it...meaning it rode around on the backseat of the car all weekend untouched. I have a parent board at the entrance to my classroom that no one looks at, a dry-erase calendar that no one reads, the doors are plastered with notices...all to no avail

Regularly I get a slew of texts/phone calls frantically asking "WHEN is the field trip??" "you guys are closed TOMORROW??"

If I really need them to know something, I type it in huge font and pin it to the back of the children's shirts.

[rjskids]

After many years of working in a center I've learned that you do have to babysit the parents. We would plaster the center with signs and notes, place notes ON TOP of the sign in sheet and they would literally flip the paper up to sign in and never even look at it. But it was always our responsibility to make sure they knew all the news. I used to have to inform 20+ families so having to inform 12 does not seem like a big deal to me.

[daycare]

I have one small white board sitting on a stand next to the log book where the parents sign. I find that If I write a small amount of info on it, they stop to take a second to read. Before when there was too Many papers, I think the parents felt overwhelmed to have to read so much stuff ever where.
It could be that I also offer a free parents night out once a month so they might be looking for that information.
Lol

Art work I also have folders. If the art work sits, I then will take it all out and have the child sit with all of it in a lunch bag or larger to give at pick up. I make sure it goes home by Friday, if not taken daily.

As for letters I always email them. I require they respond to the email, as I am requesting that they bring something to donate for our class wish list. Every family must bring one item. They email me back which item they will bring.

I always get responses.

[Abigail]

I don't think even half our parents read the bulletin board we've done, but I usually remind the kids as the parents are listening so I'm not talking directly to the parent yet they hear it. I did this four days in a row to remind them to bring swimsuits and only one parent "forgot".

[QualiTcare]

how about putting the sign in/out sheets inside the children's folders? instead of having one sheet with all the names, each kid can have their own sheet. the parents will have to open their child's folder to sign them in/out.

[GG~DAYCARE]

Put 'FREE-TAKE ONE" on each folder!!!!

[MN Mom]

Not sure on getting the parents to look at the folders besides just sending it home every Friday, similar to how schools do it. As far as getting them to notice your Bulletin Board...Pictures of the kids and change them regularly. They will have to scan the board to look for the pictures that have their children in them, and will be more drawn to everything else on the board.

[Kaddidle Care]

Keep it brief. One thing at a time. If there's too much on the board it's overwhelming.

If it's really important make a big neon arrow pointing to it. ::

[AfterSchoolMom]

I gave up on trying to get them to read things long ago. Now if I really need something I email them. I email the monthly newsletter too. It is now even a part of my contract that I prefer ALL communication occur via email, and I've found that most everyone likes this best - plus, then you have a record of their responses in case they try to pull anything.

[GretasLittleFriends]

My son thinks that as it seems most parents don't read the contract....we should have a small clause in there somewhere that says "If, by the end of the third day of your child's attendance, you have not mentioned this paragraph, you owe us a million dollars in cash and will be required to run around the building 5 times in a clown suit."

.....just to see if anyone would say anything!!!!

This is very funny! I would imagine it would be a very humbling for some. Even without the $1M