Home Daycare Policy Tips - Five Ways to Improve Communication With Parents
By Rachel Perry Pellegrini
There are three stages of communication. The speaker says something "the message" and
then the receiver hears "the message" and then the receiver "interprets the message."
Daycare providers have the responsibility of communicating with the parents of their
children regarding their child's well-being. That means that the childcare provider must
have practices skills at receiving and interpreting the message from the parent. Daycare
providers can avoid unnecessary miscommunication by implementing the following suggestions
into their daycare policies.
1. Listen to the Parent
“
To be able to ask a question clearly is two-thirds of the way to getting it answered. - John Ruskin
”
Hearing what the parent has to say about their child's diet, sleeping patterns, and
behavior will teach you a lot about their child. Listen carefully to what the parent has
to say. Ask questions when you need more detail and confirm that you understood with
phrases such as "So what you're saying is ..." "Did I understand you correctly that ..."
2. Registration Interview
The first time a child care provider has to truly meet the family is at the registration
interview. Create a welcoming atmosphere by offering coffee and cookies. Tell them about
you and your program then actively listen to them as they tell you about themselves,
their children and their needs.
Discuss every aspect of your care - where the child will sleep, what they will eat,
what activities they will provide. Put everything on paper and have them sign. Provide a
contract that outlines the hours of care and rate per day.
3. Monthly newsletter
Create a sense of belonging for the parents with a monthly newsletter that welcomes new
children to your care and says good bye to old ones. Tell parents what the children did
that month. Post little reminders to parents and have a little inspirational quote. A
newsletter can be emailed to them or given in hard copy. Parents love newsletters!
4. Weekly or daily reports
These are used in larger daycare centers and can be a great way to let parents know
about their children's strengths and what activities they enjoyed daily. This will also
allow you the chance to indicate if there is a problem. Be careful what you write though
and always be sure to use your words gently when there has been a problem with their child
that day.
5. Website
A domain name and website can be bought online for $10. Try service providers such as
godaddy.com or mustangmarketingdomains.com You can update your website regularly with
photos, quotes and stories about your children in the care (make sure you have signed
documents stating it is okay to take their pictures and post them) Always keep the lines
of communication open with the parents to avoid unnecessary misunderstandings.
Rachel Perry Pellegrini is a certified elementary school teacher. She has been
running a home daycare for the past year and writes about her experiences with
the intention of helping other mothers overcome obstacles in their own home business.
She has a background in Journalism-Print. Her daycare website is
Day Star Daycare
and her blog can be found at
The S.I.M.P.L.E. Self-Improvement Project
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