Leaving your baby with grandparents? Here’s what to set up.
A checklist for grandma's first day, the five things worth writing down, and how to get updates without calling her every hour.
Before grandma's first day: the checklist
- Write down the usual day. Feed times and amounts, nap times, meals and bedtime. Grandparents raised babies differently, so the routine on paper avoids "we always did it this way".
- Put emergency information on the fridge. Your phone numbers, a backup contact, the pediatrician, your address and allergies.
- Explain medicines clearly. What, how much, when, and what not to give. Write it down, don't rely on memory.
- Show safe sleep basics. Baby on their back, in a clear cot, with no pillows or blankets. Advice has changed since our parents' time.
- Agree how updates will work. Calls and texts all day interrupt her and worry you. A simple daily log works better for both of you.
- Walk through the house. Where the bottles, spare clothes, nappies, thermometer and first-aid kit are kept.
- Plan a 10-minute handoff at pickup. What went well, what was different and anything to watch tonight.
What to ask grandma to write down
Keep it short. If the log takes more than a minute, it stops getting filled in. These five cover what most parents want to know:
- How much baby ate, and when
- When they slept, and for how long
- Nappies or potty
- Any medicine or temperature
- What was different today
The last one matters most. It's the line that tells you whether today was a normal day.
Paper log or app?
If grandma prefers paper, our free printable nanny daily log works well on the fridge. The catch is that you only see it when you get home.
If she has a phone, The Handoff Sheet lets you check the day from work. It was designed around grandparents:
- No account and no app store. She types one join code into her phone's browser, once.
- She only notes what changed. You set the usual day; she taps ✓ when it goes to plan.
- It keeps working without signal and syncs when the phone reconnects.
- Both grandparents can use the same code, and so can a nanny on other days.
See what grandma would see
The free demo shows the caregiver's sheet and the summary you get at pickup. It takes about 30 seconds.
Next: What a nanny daily log should include · About the demo
Questions
What should I leave for grandparents watching my baby?
The usual routine written down, emergency contacts and the pediatrician's number on the fridge, clear medicine instructions, and a simple daily log for feeds, naps, nappies and anything different.
How can I get updates without calling grandma all day?
Agree on one daily log instead of calls. With The Handoff Sheet she taps once when things go to plan and notes only what changed, and you can check it from work.
Does grandma need a smartphone?
For the app she needs a phone or tablet with a web browser. If she prefers paper, use the free printable log on the fridge.
Does she need to install an app or make an account?
No. She types a join code into her phone's browser once. There's no account, password or app store download.
Can two grandparents and a nanny share it?
Yes. Anyone you give the household's join code to can log and read the day.