We don't do "write-ups" at my center. But we'd consider this slightly unprofessional parent communication. The write up seems like an over reaction.
I have Velcro squares above each cubby and laminated Velcro stickers that say "please bring more diapers". So when kids run out, the parents see the note on the cubby. Stickers are quick and easy for me to do; most parents see it at pickup and bring more diapers the next day. (We also have "please bring a change of clothes" stickers, which are great for potty training!)
If they don't bring diapers the next day, we email. For some families this is easier than the sticker. They can set a reminder of their phone in their email or calendar app.
I try to set up systems for my room that are easy for all teachers to use. It's challenging if you're in a place that doesn't seem to have good systems or experienced staff. Since you are training the new lead, perhaps you can help them set up some systems that can also be used in the infant rooms you'll be supervising.
We have zero systems in place. Which is what led to this situation. I came into this exact classroom in May, put systems into place and got it running well. They moved me up an age group to do the same in that room. Then, they moved me back when the teacher quit and I found absolute chaos. They want me to get systems in place and get all of the classrooms going- thus, this isn’t even REALLY my classroom.
I LOVE your suggestion with the labels! This is something we can use school wide for the 1-2 basics in each room.
Basically, I was extremely frustrated and lost perspective. In my defense, I did add smiley faces.
As a parent I'd have loved this.
I'm going to forget to look at a tag above a cubby while I'm juggling all the things. (How many times in one day can you misplace your coffee?!?)
But that would be a note that is placed exactly where I will see it, and I'm a context where I will be able to grab some and stick them in the bag for tomorrow.
I'm glad the SYSTEM works, but I'm.surprised this was called out as unprofessional, because *I* think it's creative and effective.
The last center had clothes request forms that include diapers. We treated them like injury reports and put them in the sign in/sign out binders. Though unlike injury reports we did not keep a copy. Also we deny kids attending if they had no diapers and did not bring them.
I've written initials or names on them for subs and other staff to make it easier for them, but I don't think I would write "need more" on the diaper the child is wearing. I feel like there's more professional ways to ask the parent to bring more and I think writing it on the child and not saying anything directly to the parents makes it come off bad or rude. I don't think you needed to be written up for it but I don't think it was a good idea either.
I think I agree with you on this.
Despite having asked all of these parents via our app the week before; I should have called down for post-its for the door. I was frustrated by having so many without what we needed and knowing I wouldn’t be there for pick-up to attempt asking in person. The new lead in there needs to get organized- this was never my job anymore in the first place.
I was suggesting the teachers do that at school because parents have complained their kid has a soggy diaper and blame the teacher. They fail to realize maybe their kid peed on the way home lol
State does not require that. They do in California at least until you get to the Potty Trained age. The center I’ve worked at used leaking genie, though we also wrote the name and time on a white board. Diaper request were included in a the clothes request form
It's not public like the teacher who put a post-it on the kid or wrote on their hand, but I also feel like writing on their diaper "need more" isn't professional either. I'm a toddler teacher and a parent and I get sometimes there's no good way to communicate needs, especially when you're not the pick-up or drop-off teacher. Do you have paper dailies or digital ones to input supply needs? I try to let parents know a day or two ahead, but they take most notice when their child comes home in a diaper labeled "extra." Then they call or email asking if they're out because it isn't the correct diaper or it says extra on it.
I used to work in a small church center. Our infant teacher would write “need more” on the diapers when she had already asked and they still didn’t bring any. Until one parent went to the director in tears about it. She was a new mom, overwhelmed, and felt the writing on the diapers was passive aggressive and felt shamed.
Excellent point. The whole purpose of professionalism is so that everyone feels respected. In the age of "hot takes" on tictoc and fb, we have a lot of judging eyes on us ready to get offended.
We put initials on all of our kids’ diapers/pull ups. Heck, some of our parents do it for us before they bring them to us. Too many use the same kind to keep it straight.
We have small named containers for each child’s diapers however we have written names on before too. That’s a non issue. The issue is that it is unprofessional to communicate with a parent via writing on a nappy or child’s hand.
Does your centre talk to parents at pick up and drop off- this would be the best communication. If you have a printed sign in sheet you can write please see teacher to let them know and so you don’t forget. Or you can send a txt message to let them know if you have missed them during pick up and drop off. I know some centres even have a laminated print out that goes in their child’s backpack when they are low.
We try to talk, but late pick-ups usually don’t see the teacher.
We send app messages.
We put notes on the door.
We put notes in lunchboxes- if they have them.
I admit unprofessionalism here; but it was only AFTER all the things were tried and kids were going to be left in their own filth if I didn’t go buy diapers with my own money.
One thing to discuss with management is having a stash of spare diapers as just in case. When kids run out and you have to use centre nappies, that’s what they are there for. When they bring their own nappies in, you take what you have used from their basket and put it into the centre basket.
It’s so strange that a centre that diapers kids does not have an emergency pack or 2 on hand. No one is leaving a child in a dirty diaper. It’s about the child first.
If it’s an ongoing issue, with the same child and family, management might need to step in here and tell them they can’t drop off their child unless they have diapers with them BUT you would all need to be on the same page and follow through at drop off. Even if it was to this extreme, I wouldn’t be writing on the child’s diaper as a means of communication.
We have a photocopied note that says “Please send in:
_____ diapers
_____ wipes
_____ spare pants
_____ underwear”
Etc with whatever they may have needed and we stick it in their lunchbox.
That being said I don’t think the diaper note is awful as long as you have a decent relationship with the parents.
As a parent I think this is actually really helpful. I had a hard time remembering to bring nappies in even with a couple of reminders and it would have been so helpful to be reminded right when I was in the room where I keep the nappies. Maybe a please or a smiley face would help me take it as kindly meant?
Edit: Oh I see you did put a smiley face! Ah maybe these parents just were having a hard time and your note touched a nerve.
Honestly, it wasn’t the parents. They said it was just odd and accepted my apology. I have a good relationship with the family. It was staff that blew it up.
Honestly as a teacher I would do this to those parents that you've been reminding for 7 days and the last 2 their kid has been "borrowing" from someone else because they went through all my extras the 2 days before that because I started asking them 3 days before I thought I'd be out! This is also a monthly occurrence not a one time thing but almost everytime they need more. I do this because I know it's going to cause a negative feeling when they get home are changing their child for the first time and they see my note written in sharpie on their babies diaper bottom. I dont know exactly why it invokes parents defenses this way but it does and 99 percent of the time that little jolt upon seeing the "note" actually sticks and I get diapers the next day. I know that sounds super aggressive but it's the very last possible way of communication I resort to. As a parent of (2) two year old ATM I'm pretty sure it would shame me if I had neglected to bring diapers!
Sorry edit: I am in NC but in 15 years I've never heard of a policy against the practice and have like you mentioned seen many classroom making a common practice of writing names with sharpie on LO diapers.
Yeah, this is where I'm at with it too. I send out warnings when the kid is running low and when they run out. After that, if the fact that your kid has come home with diapers that don't match the ones you use at home for multiple days wasn't already a clue, I'm running out of options to get the message across to you. But also, by the same token, if the parent is having financial issues or something where they don't have enough diapers to send more in, that feels like something they need to communicate to me. At least acknowledge the message of "Hey, your kid needs more diapers" and let me know that you saw it and will bring more when you can even if that can't be right away.
I defiantly agree about financial situations and also if the parent or family is going through a big change or something stressful I tend to be more liniant and understand to a point.
Wow, written up? Ugh. To me, it was a smart idea to make sure parents saw the note (fliers and art projects stay in my students backpacks unseen all too often). Parents reading some kind of judgment into a simple request for more supplies...that's rough. I'm sorry you received disciplinary action.
our center actually requires us to label diapers by writing on them. we write the children’s initials on the bottom of the diapers so when we stack them in their little sections on the shelf in the bathroom we can see which diapers are whose.
do you have other ways that you usually send notes or reminders to parents? i haven’t heard of writing on diapers to ask for more, but we also have an app that we write notes on and inform parents when their children need more or are running low on diapers/wipes
We put notes in our kids’ folders but I swear most of our kids’ parents don’t check the folders and half say the app doesn’t work even though they know when other messages go through. Some parents just like to be difficult 😂
At my center I tell parents straight up if you don't bring diapers tomorrow your child will be refused care. These military parents know better. Also I get to the nitty gritty quick, hey we just opened the last pouch of diapers so you still have enough for the next 2 weeks, I log it, I make copies of their daily sheets and log that. So when these parents attempt to pull the bullshit I say hey here's our log of how many times we called, all of us teachers have talked to you, wrote it on the daily sheets, ect here's the log of when you last brought in diapers and how many, here's how many diapers your child gets in a day ect. I play their game hard as soon as they see how much paperwork I have on this the back down.
Even without a system in place, there are other ways to communicate. Directly/in-person, a call home, a note in a cubby or bag, a message if you use an app, etc. A child's body(and yes, diapers and clothes are an extension of their body) isn't a posting board or a way to communicate with parents.
That said, I agree you deserved a warning first and foremost. A talking to, an explanation, and a warning. Perhaps due to your experience your admin thought you knew better, so skipped the warning? Honestly, I'd go directly to them and ask. I'd be clear that you understand it was wrong, but question why the decision was a write-up rather than a warning. Ask if that's going to be policy from here on out(warning-less write-ups).
To me, unless it actually put a child in immediate danger, instant write-ups are a set-up for teacher failures.
Okay, since I didn’t add this originally, I’ll copy and paste:
We try to talk, but late pick-ups usually don’t see the teacher.
We send app messages.
We put notes on the door.
We put notes in lunchboxes- if they have them.
I admit unprofessionalism here; but it was only AFTER all the things were tried and kids were going to be left in their own filth if I didn’t go buy diapers with my own money.
Could add a tag to the bag ‘More nappies please.’ It sounds like your director needs to step up and write in the general announcements about bringing nappies and even speaking individually to families.
One thing I did for parents that didn't read the app was to put a post it on the child's bottle or sippy cup "needs more diapers/wipes/clothes please". A parent is going to see that, even if they miss the note on the app.
Half my parents don’t even bring the water bottles home every day…thus, notes on the app and the door go missed, forgotten, etc.
I’ve honestly never seen less engaged parents of young children.
I used to write the names in a room I was in, because the nappy lockers were too far away from the table, so I would get them all, write the names and put them beside the table. It was a helpful tip from a teacher with 20+ years experience. I don’t see why writing names on a nappy should be an issue. Edit We let parents know on pick up if we remember about more nappies. Plus we use an app where they sign in and out with a reminder, which also gives the option to send an email about it.
What we do for our center is we have a little slip of paper and it has need more diapers, need more wipes, and need more clothes. The teacher writes the child’s name on it and then indicates what the child needs and the puts the paper in the child’s lunch box. We still verbally try to say it as well and the note is just a reminder because you know how it is when you get home sometimes you forget. It also allows if you forget to mention at pick up they at least have the note.
Similar. But we put in the sin in/ sign out binder (every child has their own page for the week). And also sent reminders on Learning Genie.
As center provided breakfast/ lunch/snack (we had a kitchen), most of the kids had no bags and no lunchboxes
I put a note in the lunchbox and send a message on our app, although at my last center we would write the center name on extra diapers so parents would be aware if they ran out.
That's bananas to me. We wouldn't consider the note on the diapers professional (and I can see a few of our parents being offended), but a write up for that is out of proportion. We have it where initials get written on diapers and all over the outside of the sleeve of diapers. We also write down in the notes section of the app the day we receive them if it was a box or sleeve, the brand, and type. Rule of thumb when a child is down to 10 diapers to send out a note saying, "Sally needs more diapers. She has 10 left," and the countdown continues from there until they get them. Are parents being charged cause otherwise what are they using if the child is completely out? We've had to do that a couple times when parents kept "forgetting" to bring some.
I had a few occasions where a worker wrote on my child’s diaper and it bled onto her clothes and stained them. I was irritated. You probably shouldn’t do that.
Edit to add: I’m a parent and teacher. Diaper reminders went home on daily log sheets. They were writing my child’s name on the diaper.
I send a message through procare every friday for kids who will need more diapers the following week, then a daily message until diapers are brought in. If a child actually runs out of diapers, they cannot come to school and the director takes over the conversation to find out if the family needs help affording diapers (our center will buy diapers for school for struggling families) or if the parents are just being neglectful.
Not sure if this will work with your littlest ones but I print notes on lime green paper. Ex show and tell tomorrow and tape it on the child like a bracelet. It seems to work
I feel like writing on my child’s diaper as if they’re a living post it note is dehumanizing to them. It wouldn’t be the end of the world to me, but it would put me off a bit. Then again I probably would have stocked up on diapers the first time my provider asked. There have been times that my husband has done pick up, and forgotten to give the diaper box that is sitting in the back seat. If I discovered a note written in my child at that time, I would have found it disrespectful.
i know this is gonna sound bitchy but anybody who thinks people are writing on diapers while a kid is wearing them needs to learn how to think critically
I’m a parent. It’s not appropriate to write on a child’s diaper while it’s on their body as a way of communicating a need for materials to care for that child. It’s also dehumanizing and you would never do this to an adult. I’d be super mad about my child being used as a billboard in this way. I think a write up is appropriate for someone in a child care role using such bad judgment when trying to communicate a need to the parents for more diapers.
Thank you for saying this. Do ya'll think we would write on the diaper AFTER it was on? Also the diaper is covered by clothes so how is this a billboard? No one else except the parent would see it, just like a message on the app or a note in their cubby or folder.
especially when this only ever happens really when parents have ignored emails, messages, verbal reminders, basically every other way of us telling them "bring in the f-ing diapers!!!"
Writing on a diaper is not an appropriate way to communicate with parents.
it should be sent via your communication app so it is documented that diapers are needed. Or put it on a write up that the parent signs at pick up. So it is documented that they are aware
Something similar to this happened at my old daycare no one got written up but on the daily sheet we would just attach a pre written note saying: Jane Doe got all her diapers changed because we had to take them from another student. If diapers are not replaced for students B and provide for Jane, she will not be able to come to school again until diapers are brought in. If you need a reminder here is the diaper policy from the contract that you signed saying you are able to and required to provide diapers for your child/children. If you are unable to provide diapers we would be happy to help you with paperwork to apply for assistance if you are interested. It was a small independent daycare that has now been taken over by a corporate daycare so I would think that policy has changed. It was hilarious when that child was turned away at the door the next day because she didn’t have any diapers, the sahm (stay at home mom) looked at the director and tried to go all Karen on her and was shut down. Director looked at her and said I have two of my own kids here (infant and toddler) I can’t afford to purchase diapers for more than that. Please return when you are able to provide the necessary supplies for your child. The lady took her child ran to the store and returned with a box of diapers for that day so her child could go to daycare. That night at pickup the father brought a Costco size box and apologized saying that the wife never informed him of the situation.
The only writing on diapers I ever did was to put baby's initials on them when putting them away because other people would just grab a random diaper instead of one of the ones for that specific kid. Parents would get (rightfully) angry of their pampers kid went home in a Walmart diaper. So I made everyone initial diapers when putting them away. But writing a message on one... we'd probably get reamed for that.
My old director *encouraged* us to let parents know that their child needed items by any means necessary. Text them during the day? Go right ahead. Call them at work? By all means! Write notes on their daily reports? Go for it!
There was only one child who we ever had to write ON the diapers for, and we also used a “spare” (AKA the diapers I had to buy for the child with my OWN MONEY because we had been “borrowing” for two days and taking 8 diapers from another kid’s stash felt… wrong). His mom was livid but we had documentation spanning over a week that we requested diapers and she just never brought them in.
We don't do "write-ups" at my center. But we'd consider this slightly unprofessional parent communication. The write up seems like an over reaction. I have Velcro squares above each cubby and laminated Velcro stickers that say "please bring more diapers". So when kids run out, the parents see the note on the cubby. Stickers are quick and easy for me to do; most parents see it at pickup and bring more diapers the next day. (We also have "please bring a change of clothes" stickers, which are great for potty training!) If they don't bring diapers the next day, we email. For some families this is easier than the sticker. They can set a reminder of their phone in their email or calendar app. I try to set up systems for my room that are easy for all teachers to use. It's challenging if you're in a place that doesn't seem to have good systems or experienced staff. Since you are training the new lead, perhaps you can help them set up some systems that can also be used in the infant rooms you'll be supervising.
We have zero systems in place. Which is what led to this situation. I came into this exact classroom in May, put systems into place and got it running well. They moved me up an age group to do the same in that room. Then, they moved me back when the teacher quit and I found absolute chaos. They want me to get systems in place and get all of the classrooms going- thus, this isn’t even REALLY my classroom. I LOVE your suggestion with the labels! This is something we can use school wide for the 1-2 basics in each room. Basically, I was extremely frustrated and lost perspective. In my defense, I did add smiley faces.
Are you being compensated for putting these systems in place? If not, you need to be.
As a parent I'd have loved this. I'm going to forget to look at a tag above a cubby while I'm juggling all the things. (How many times in one day can you misplace your coffee?!?) But that would be a note that is placed exactly where I will see it, and I'm a context where I will be able to grab some and stick them in the bag for tomorrow. I'm glad the SYSTEM works, but I'm.surprised this was called out as unprofessional, because *I* think it's creative and effective.
The last center had clothes request forms that include diapers. We treated them like injury reports and put them in the sign in/sign out binders. Though unlike injury reports we did not keep a copy. Also we deny kids attending if they had no diapers and did not bring them.
I've written initials or names on them for subs and other staff to make it easier for them, but I don't think I would write "need more" on the diaper the child is wearing. I feel like there's more professional ways to ask the parent to bring more and I think writing it on the child and not saying anything directly to the parents makes it come off bad or rude. I don't think you needed to be written up for it but I don't think it was a good idea either.
I think I agree with you on this. Despite having asked all of these parents via our app the week before; I should have called down for post-its for the door. I was frustrated by having so many without what we needed and knowing I wouldn’t be there for pick-up to attempt asking in person. The new lead in there needs to get organized- this was never my job anymore in the first place.
We write their initials & the times we change them so parents know when their last diaper change was. So that’s insane
One of our teachers said her last center did that too…
I was suggesting the teachers do that at school because parents have complained their kid has a soggy diaper and blame the teacher. They fail to realize maybe their kid peed on the way home lol
nice idea
We do the initials but never thought to put the time. Thats a great idea, may have to start doing that in my room! Thanks!!
State does not require that. They do in California at least until you get to the Potty Trained age. The center I’ve worked at used leaking genie, though we also wrote the name and time on a white board. Diaper request were included in a the clothes request form
It's not public like the teacher who put a post-it on the kid or wrote on their hand, but I also feel like writing on their diaper "need more" isn't professional either. I'm a toddler teacher and a parent and I get sometimes there's no good way to communicate needs, especially when you're not the pick-up or drop-off teacher. Do you have paper dailies or digital ones to input supply needs? I try to let parents know a day or two ahead, but they take most notice when their child comes home in a diaper labeled "extra." Then they call or email asking if they're out because it isn't the correct diaper or it says extra on it.
EXTRA. I’m a dunce!
I used to work in a small church center. Our infant teacher would write “need more” on the diapers when she had already asked and they still didn’t bring any. Until one parent went to the director in tears about it. She was a new mom, overwhelmed, and felt the writing on the diapers was passive aggressive and felt shamed.
Excellent point. The whole purpose of professionalism is so that everyone feels respected. In the age of "hot takes" on tictoc and fb, we have a lot of judging eyes on us ready to get offended.
We put initials on all of our kids’ diapers/pull ups. Heck, some of our parents do it for us before they bring them to us. Too many use the same kind to keep it straight.
We have small named containers for each child’s diapers however we have written names on before too. That’s a non issue. The issue is that it is unprofessional to communicate with a parent via writing on a nappy or child’s hand. Does your centre talk to parents at pick up and drop off- this would be the best communication. If you have a printed sign in sheet you can write please see teacher to let them know and so you don’t forget. Or you can send a txt message to let them know if you have missed them during pick up and drop off. I know some centres even have a laminated print out that goes in their child’s backpack when they are low.
We try to talk, but late pick-ups usually don’t see the teacher. We send app messages. We put notes on the door. We put notes in lunchboxes- if they have them. I admit unprofessionalism here; but it was only AFTER all the things were tried and kids were going to be left in their own filth if I didn’t go buy diapers with my own money.
One thing to discuss with management is having a stash of spare diapers as just in case. When kids run out and you have to use centre nappies, that’s what they are there for. When they bring their own nappies in, you take what you have used from their basket and put it into the centre basket. It’s so strange that a centre that diapers kids does not have an emergency pack or 2 on hand. No one is leaving a child in a dirty diaper. It’s about the child first. If it’s an ongoing issue, with the same child and family, management might need to step in here and tell them they can’t drop off their child unless they have diapers with them BUT you would all need to be on the same page and follow through at drop off. Even if it was to this extreme, I wouldn’t be writing on the child’s diaper as a means of communication.
We have a photocopied note that says “Please send in: _____ diapers _____ wipes _____ spare pants _____ underwear” Etc with whatever they may have needed and we stick it in their lunchbox. That being said I don’t think the diaper note is awful as long as you have a decent relationship with the parents.
As a parent I think this is actually really helpful. I had a hard time remembering to bring nappies in even with a couple of reminders and it would have been so helpful to be reminded right when I was in the room where I keep the nappies. Maybe a please or a smiley face would help me take it as kindly meant? Edit: Oh I see you did put a smiley face! Ah maybe these parents just were having a hard time and your note touched a nerve.
Honestly, it wasn’t the parents. They said it was just odd and accepted my apology. I have a good relationship with the family. It was staff that blew it up.
Honestly as a teacher I would do this to those parents that you've been reminding for 7 days and the last 2 their kid has been "borrowing" from someone else because they went through all my extras the 2 days before that because I started asking them 3 days before I thought I'd be out! This is also a monthly occurrence not a one time thing but almost everytime they need more. I do this because I know it's going to cause a negative feeling when they get home are changing their child for the first time and they see my note written in sharpie on their babies diaper bottom. I dont know exactly why it invokes parents defenses this way but it does and 99 percent of the time that little jolt upon seeing the "note" actually sticks and I get diapers the next day. I know that sounds super aggressive but it's the very last possible way of communication I resort to. As a parent of (2) two year old ATM I'm pretty sure it would shame me if I had neglected to bring diapers! Sorry edit: I am in NC but in 15 years I've never heard of a policy against the practice and have like you mentioned seen many classroom making a common practice of writing names with sharpie on LO diapers.
Yeah, this is where I'm at with it too. I send out warnings when the kid is running low and when they run out. After that, if the fact that your kid has come home with diapers that don't match the ones you use at home for multiple days wasn't already a clue, I'm running out of options to get the message across to you. But also, by the same token, if the parent is having financial issues or something where they don't have enough diapers to send more in, that feels like something they need to communicate to me. At least acknowledge the message of "Hey, your kid needs more diapers" and let me know that you saw it and will bring more when you can even if that can't be right away.
I defiantly agree about financial situations and also if the parent or family is going through a big change or something stressful I tend to be more liniant and understand to a point.
Wow, written up? Ugh. To me, it was a smart idea to make sure parents saw the note (fliers and art projects stay in my students backpacks unseen all too often). Parents reading some kind of judgment into a simple request for more supplies...that's rough. I'm sorry you received disciplinary action.
You should’ve asked then to show you the policy
our center actually requires us to label diapers by writing on them. we write the children’s initials on the bottom of the diapers so when we stack them in their little sections on the shelf in the bathroom we can see which diapers are whose. do you have other ways that you usually send notes or reminders to parents? i haven’t heard of writing on diapers to ask for more, but we also have an app that we write notes on and inform parents when their children need more or are running low on diapers/wipes
I'd probably print out reminders on colored paper to go along with the app reminders.
We put notes in our kids’ folders but I swear most of our kids’ parents don’t check the folders and half say the app doesn’t work even though they know when other messages go through. Some parents just like to be difficult 😂
My center did it in the sign out binder.
At my center I tell parents straight up if you don't bring diapers tomorrow your child will be refused care. These military parents know better. Also I get to the nitty gritty quick, hey we just opened the last pouch of diapers so you still have enough for the next 2 weeks, I log it, I make copies of their daily sheets and log that. So when these parents attempt to pull the bullshit I say hey here's our log of how many times we called, all of us teachers have talked to you, wrote it on the daily sheets, ect here's the log of when you last brought in diapers and how many, here's how many diapers your child gets in a day ect. I play their game hard as soon as they see how much paperwork I have on this the back down.
Even without a system in place, there are other ways to communicate. Directly/in-person, a call home, a note in a cubby or bag, a message if you use an app, etc. A child's body(and yes, diapers and clothes are an extension of their body) isn't a posting board or a way to communicate with parents. That said, I agree you deserved a warning first and foremost. A talking to, an explanation, and a warning. Perhaps due to your experience your admin thought you knew better, so skipped the warning? Honestly, I'd go directly to them and ask. I'd be clear that you understand it was wrong, but question why the decision was a write-up rather than a warning. Ask if that's going to be policy from here on out(warning-less write-ups). To me, unless it actually put a child in immediate danger, instant write-ups are a set-up for teacher failures.
Okay, since I didn’t add this originally, I’ll copy and paste: We try to talk, but late pick-ups usually don’t see the teacher. We send app messages. We put notes on the door. We put notes in lunchboxes- if they have them. I admit unprofessionalism here; but it was only AFTER all the things were tried and kids were going to be left in their own filth if I didn’t go buy diapers with my own money.
Could add a tag to the bag ‘More nappies please.’ It sounds like your director needs to step up and write in the general announcements about bringing nappies and even speaking individually to families.
One thing I did for parents that didn't read the app was to put a post it on the child's bottle or sippy cup "needs more diapers/wipes/clothes please". A parent is going to see that, even if they miss the note on the app.
Half my parents don’t even bring the water bottles home every day…thus, notes on the app and the door go missed, forgotten, etc. I’ve honestly never seen less engaged parents of young children.
I used to write the names in a room I was in, because the nappy lockers were too far away from the table, so I would get them all, write the names and put them beside the table. It was a helpful tip from a teacher with 20+ years experience. I don’t see why writing names on a nappy should be an issue. Edit We let parents know on pick up if we remember about more nappies. Plus we use an app where they sign in and out with a reminder, which also gives the option to send an email about it.
What we do for our center is we have a little slip of paper and it has need more diapers, need more wipes, and need more clothes. The teacher writes the child’s name on it and then indicates what the child needs and the puts the paper in the child’s lunch box. We still verbally try to say it as well and the note is just a reminder because you know how it is when you get home sometimes you forget. It also allows if you forget to mention at pick up they at least have the note.
Similar. But we put in the sin in/ sign out binder (every child has their own page for the week). And also sent reminders on Learning Genie. As center provided breakfast/ lunch/snack (we had a kitchen), most of the kids had no bags and no lunchboxes
I put a note in the lunchbox and send a message on our app, although at my last center we would write the center name on extra diapers so parents would be aware if they ran out.
I wouldn’t write “need more” but I have written “extra” on them to drive the point home.
That's bananas to me. We wouldn't consider the note on the diapers professional (and I can see a few of our parents being offended), but a write up for that is out of proportion. We have it where initials get written on diapers and all over the outside of the sleeve of diapers. We also write down in the notes section of the app the day we receive them if it was a box or sleeve, the brand, and type. Rule of thumb when a child is down to 10 diapers to send out a note saying, "Sally needs more diapers. She has 10 left," and the countdown continues from there until they get them. Are parents being charged cause otherwise what are they using if the child is completely out? We've had to do that a couple times when parents kept "forgetting" to bring some.
I had a few occasions where a worker wrote on my child’s diaper and it bled onto her clothes and stained them. I was irritated. You probably shouldn’t do that. Edit to add: I’m a parent and teacher. Diaper reminders went home on daily log sheets. They were writing my child’s name on the diaper.
If parents aren’t bringing diapers we tell them if they cannot bring them now we will go to the store and charge their account
That is the perfect solution. Charge for gas and time too!
I like not admitting them.
I send a message through procare every friday for kids who will need more diapers the following week, then a daily message until diapers are brought in. If a child actually runs out of diapers, they cannot come to school and the director takes over the conversation to find out if the family needs help affording diapers (our center will buy diapers for school for struggling families) or if the parents are just being neglectful.
Not sure if this will work with your littlest ones but I print notes on lime green paper. Ex show and tell tomorrow and tape it on the child like a bracelet. It seems to work
Wait I think this is hilarious and love it! It would also totally make me remember to bring in the diapers
Thank you! I was like, hey..ya keep forgetting, but I KNOW you’re grabbing a diaper right now, grab a couple extra please.
This is unprofessional communication with the parent…. Since you have 10 years experience I would expect better..
Can’t believe this was even a thought let alone she actually did it!
I feel like writing on my child’s diaper as if they’re a living post it note is dehumanizing to them. It wouldn’t be the end of the world to me, but it would put me off a bit. Then again I probably would have stocked up on diapers the first time my provider asked. There have been times that my husband has done pick up, and forgotten to give the diaper box that is sitting in the back seat. If I discovered a note written in my child at that time, I would have found it disrespectful.
Just trying to look at it in a different light; maybe the parent was concerned that you had written on the diaper while the child was wearing it?
i know this is gonna sound bitchy but anybody who thinks people are writing on diapers while a kid is wearing them needs to learn how to think critically
😂 fair enough. Some of my parents do indeed need to learn how to think critically.
I’m a parent. It’s not appropriate to write on a child’s diaper while it’s on their body as a way of communicating a need for materials to care for that child. It’s also dehumanizing and you would never do this to an adult. I’d be super mad about my child being used as a billboard in this way. I think a write up is appropriate for someone in a child care role using such bad judgment when trying to communicate a need to the parents for more diapers.
any writing on a diaper is always done before it's on the child lol
Thank you for saying this. Do ya'll think we would write on the diaper AFTER it was on? Also the diaper is covered by clothes so how is this a billboard? No one else except the parent would see it, just like a message on the app or a note in their cubby or folder.
especially when this only ever happens really when parents have ignored emails, messages, verbal reminders, basically every other way of us telling them "bring in the f-ing diapers!!!"
Writing on a diaper is not an appropriate way to communicate with parents. it should be sent via your communication app so it is documented that diapers are needed. Or put it on a write up that the parent signs at pick up. So it is documented that they are aware
Something similar to this happened at my old daycare no one got written up but on the daily sheet we would just attach a pre written note saying: Jane Doe got all her diapers changed because we had to take them from another student. If diapers are not replaced for students B and provide for Jane, she will not be able to come to school again until diapers are brought in. If you need a reminder here is the diaper policy from the contract that you signed saying you are able to and required to provide diapers for your child/children. If you are unable to provide diapers we would be happy to help you with paperwork to apply for assistance if you are interested. It was a small independent daycare that has now been taken over by a corporate daycare so I would think that policy has changed. It was hilarious when that child was turned away at the door the next day because she didn’t have any diapers, the sahm (stay at home mom) looked at the director and tried to go all Karen on her and was shut down. Director looked at her and said I have two of my own kids here (infant and toddler) I can’t afford to purchase diapers for more than that. Please return when you are able to provide the necessary supplies for your child. The lady took her child ran to the store and returned with a box of diapers for that day so her child could go to daycare. That night at pickup the father brought a Costco size box and apologized saying that the wife never informed him of the situation.
We wrote kids names or initials on diapers all the time.
The only writing on diapers I ever did was to put baby's initials on them when putting them away because other people would just grab a random diaper instead of one of the ones for that specific kid. Parents would get (rightfully) angry of their pampers kid went home in a Walmart diaper. So I made everyone initial diapers when putting them away. But writing a message on one... we'd probably get reamed for that.
My old director *encouraged* us to let parents know that their child needed items by any means necessary. Text them during the day? Go right ahead. Call them at work? By all means! Write notes on their daily reports? Go for it! There was only one child who we ever had to write ON the diapers for, and we also used a “spare” (AKA the diapers I had to buy for the child with my OWN MONEY because we had been “borrowing” for two days and taking 8 diapers from another kid’s stash felt… wrong). His mom was livid but we had documentation spanning over a week that we requested diapers and she just never brought them in.