Comparison
The best way to share child care info with a caregiver
Most parents use texting, Google Docs, or a paper sheet. Here is a factual look at how each option handles the things that actually matter: allergy visibility, access control, keeping information current, and knowing if the caregiver actually looked at it.
Texting
Works well for
- +Instant. Everyone already has it.
- +No setup required
Limitations
- −Cannot be revoked after sending
- −Sits in her message history indefinitely
- −No structure. Easy to miss critical details.
- −Allergy info buried below the grocery list
- −You have no idea if she read it
- −Requires re-sending every time something changes
Google Doc or shared note
Works well for
- +Structured and editable
- +Updates automatically when you change it
Limitations
- −Requires the caregiver to have a Google account or know how to open a link
- −Sharing settings are confusing and easy to get wrong
- −No access control. Cannot expire or revoke.
- −No audit trail. No way to know if she looked at it.
- −No mobile-optimized layout. Tiny text on a phone.
- −Allergies mixed in with everything else
Paper sheet or printed list
Works well for
- +Works with no technology
- +She can hold it in her hand
Limitations
- −Cannot be updated. You have to reprint and re-deliver.
- −Easy to lose
- −No expiry. Old copies float around indefinitely.
- −No way to know if she has the current version
- −Medication doses and contacts often go out of date
Baton Pass
Works well for
- +Life-threatening allergies always at the top, in red. Cannot be missed.
- +Time-limited links expire automatically
- +Revoke access instantly from your phone
- +Update profile once. All caregivers see the current version.
- +Audit log shows every view with time and IP
- +No account or download required for the caregiver
- +Mobile-optimized. Built for a babysitter checking her phone.
- +AES-256 encryption at rest for all health fields
- +Medications with a "requires approval" flag show a stop indicator
Limitations
- −Requires the caregiver to have a data connection to open the link
- −Setup takes about 10 minutes the first time
The one thing none of the alternatives do
Every alternative (texting, Google Docs, paper) puts the responsibility on the caregiver to find the right information and interpret it correctly. None of them guarantee that a life-threatening allergy is the first thing she sees.
Baton Pass is built around one constraint: a caregiver in a hurry, checking her phone, must be able to know the most critical information within five seconds of opening the link. That means allergies first, in red, before everything else. Not buried in a list, not mixed in with the bedtime routine.
That is the design decision that makes the difference when it matters.