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Famly’s Julia Rose reflects on settling into settings from both sides

Having worked in the early years myself, I thought that when it came to dropping my own son off for his first day at nursery, I’d be the parent that all educators dream of. I pictured myself with a bag packed with all the correct spare clothes and nursery-appropriate accessories, meticulously labelled, of course. I would stride in proud and prepared, give my son a confident kiss and walk quickly out of the door, while he ran joyfully to play.

But while my son certainly did toddle off without a backward glance… I was a wreck. What if he couldn’t find his comfort toy (a small yellow car that he clutched in his chubby little hands)? What if his teacher didn’t know that “mumum” meant he was hungry but “uunngghh” meant he wanted a drink? What if she didn’t call me immediately if he so much as whimpered?! It was an unthinkable catastrophe.

Later on, when I collected my son, who by some miracle was not only completely intact but happy to boot, I took some time to reflect. All those parents and carers I’d reassured over the years as they dropped off their whole world with me had – just like me – really only wanted to be sure that their child was cared for, safe, and understood.

And that’s where a tool like Famly comes into its own. Despite my best efforts, my son’s setting do not yet use Famly, but I truly wish they did. As an educator, I can see how Famly would have made my job better, but as a §parent, I can see how Famly would make my life better.

Take signing up and settling in. Famly’s new custom registration forms mean that all the things I had painstakingly documented in an encyclopedia-sized notebook could all have neatly been entered into my son’s child profile on Famly. His teacher would have had all the information she needed about allergies, dietary restrictions, and our contact information. I would have been confident she knew the essential things about my son, without having to give myself repetitive strain injury handwriting a novel about him.

Not only that, but Famly’s new registration forms also allow you to add your setting’s terms and conditions, or other documents, with the option for parents to sign with a digital signature. So when my son’s setting finally does get Famly, they could use this feature to make me agree to stop using them as an example in all of my articles…

But even after enrolling, my son’s teacher could have sent me photos of him on the Famly newsfeed, throughout his first sessions, to show me that he was fine and happy. And I wouldn’t have had to be shooed away from the window and had my binoculars confiscated. Ultimately, knowing that my son was happy by seeing it for myself would have been so much more reassuring than just a passing confirmation from his teacher at an already rushed pick-up time.

And all of those things would be useful for my son’s teachers too (not least because it would keep me out of their hair). Doing the already complex job of caring for and teaching underfives is exponentially easier when you start with all of the correct information about your little ones, presented clearly, and kept up-to-date by the people who know them best.