Notes

Short, practical notes about keeping family records. Each one is about one thing you can do today.

• “When did it start?” How to keep the date, not just the eventOne habit: start every note with the day it happened. And how to recover dates you have already forgotten.
• Meltdown vs tantrum: how to tell, and what to write downIn the moment it is often hard to tell a meltdown from a tantrum. A short note after each episode shows the difference over a few weeks.
• What to write down before a doctor’s appointment: three linesNo need to rebuild the whole month. Three lines — what you noticed, when, and what you want to ask — plus your two or three main questions.
• Five questions to ask the school about your child’s dayHow to hear more from a teacher than “all fine”: five calm questions about the setting and communication — and how to write down the answers.

This note is about keeping records, not medical advice. Questions about health and treatment belong with a doctor.