I Need HELP Putting Together My Newsletter!

[legomom922]

On my other thread, I asked you what type of things you put in your newsletter, and I had lots of responses and great ideas. However, they were geared toward those of you that watch toddlers, preschoolers, etc with themes, menus, crafts and parties, all of which I don't have. I am STUCK..I can't come up with anything because mine are all infants...and I only have 3 kids, and the one 2 yr old only comes as needed anyway.

I do have a couple of ideas, because these are things I want to get across to parents without singleing anyone out:

1. dressing them for the change of seasons and temps..cooler in am and warmer in pm

2. needing extra seasonal clothes on hand for changes in temps & also when clothes get soiled

3. Picking up late and need to enforce my late pick fee policy, where I have been too lenient.

4.Referal credit for sending me some after school kids

But that does not take up enough space, so I need more ideas so I dont sound like I am bitching at everyone..So what else can I put involving infants? I have a 9 wk old and a 15 mo...

[momofsix]

If you just want to take up space, you could put in a list of recently recalledd infant products. Or a song or fingerplay that you do with the babies, so that they could do it at home too. Or even something from off the internet about infant development or something like that.

[SilverSabre25]

When I did my Summer newsletter, I had mostly infants and a couple young toddlers, so I know what you mean!

I would add in your severe weather policy (if you live in an area that can have severe thunderstorms/tornados in the fall), your policies for going outside (what temps, what weather) as the weather cools down, any holidays/days off/birthdays coming up, maybe a reminder of your payment policy.

[legomom922]

I have never even written one before, so I don't even know how to start it! How will they know its a newsletter? Should I put something on it? Coverpage? Do I use a header? Or just start saying "hi!"...I cant even write the first line...grrr...

[kidkair]

I have some of my newsletters online at kidkair.webs.com. I have older kids but it might give you an idea of what you can put. Sometimes I have extra space so I have the kids draw a picture or I put on one of the daycare especially if we did something neat that can't be taken home (sandcastle, snowman). The main reason I even do a newsletter is to let the parents know about days off.

[legomom922]

I use the "About my day" form to tell parents of any supplies I am in need of or days off coming up, etc, so the only reason I wanted to do the newsletter was to remind them of my late pick up fee, since I have been lax on that, and I want to start to get more strict on that, but I wanted to do it in a way that didnt point someone out, kwim? Otherwise, I probably wouldnt bother with a letter, but its a nice way to remind parents of policies, because they "think" its for all.

[gkids09]

Originally Posted by legomom922

I have never even written one before, so I don't even know how to start it! How will they know its a newsletter? Should I put something on it? Coverpage? Do I use a header? Or just start saying "hi!"...I cant even write the first line...grrr...

When I first started newsletters I didn't know how to start them either so that parents would know what they were. I created a header that looks something like this (except fancy type): "Daycare News" and then the second line, in smaller font, "September 2010" (or whatever month it is, obviously).
In your first one, maybe just have a spot where you inform the parents that you are going to be sending home a newsletter each month (or week, or whenever you are planning on doing it). Then, they know what it is and to expect it regularly. If you need things to take up space, I have used things like recipes for snacks, art, poems, and fun activities. Hope that helps!