Daycare question

Sunshine2121

Hi all,

DD is starting Daycare on Tuesday. Mommy is sad ):

We are doing an in home care. I want to prepare a document for the daycare lady which provides the best communication concerning her routine and care so that she will have it in writing.

I was going to include the day to day stuff we do, eating patterns- how much she eats, when she eats. Diapering patterns and  when to use diaper rash creme. Napping patterns, when and how she naps, what type of activity she likes, when to use the nuk etc.

Does anyone have a template already prepared for this?

Being a first time mom, am I missing anything to include?

Thanks so much!

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Mich411

Great idea!  However, expect that it may not be followed.  My Mom did this for my sister too.  She began her own routines once she got there.  However, the basics in her care were honored and she was a fabulous provider.

endless...

Good luck on Tuesday. You'll both do great!

We did not do this for daycare--this is their professional job, so they know hunger and wet diaper cues, when to use diaper cream, etc. And PP is right about falling into a new routine while there (as a mom, I am still amazed at how well my kids adapt to a new environment when it seems like they are never able to be that flexible at home).

However, we do have a general outline for when our parents or other family members care for our kids. We've found it best to use a rough outline based on times to help people know what to expect and the schedule he does best with. Perhaps you could use something like this. It looks a bit like this for our toddler:

Here is what LO#1's day typically looks like:

-7:30ish: breakfast (we also make note of some of his favorite foods here)

-11:30: lunch (again, some more food ideas, but he'll eat anything)

-12:30: nap time..he'll sleep for 2-3 hours (we also add notes about what works well if he wakes up early)

etc.

At the bottom, we created a "helpful hints" section. It includes things like his bedtime routine, some activity ideas in case it's a rainy day, health insurance information, etc. When he was younger we'd include things such as we usually changed his diaper after every bottle, he liked having his nuk to fall asleep, and so on.

Hope that gives you some ideas. 

Not sure how old your DD is, but if she's not yet a toddler her daily routine will continue to morph as she takes fewer naps, eats less often, starts solid foods, etc. And you will have continuous communication with your daycare provider as all these things change.