WHAT TO EXPECT FOR YOUR CHILD- My daycare is a small, family daycare where each child’s individuality is nurtured and encouraged.  Respect for others and manners are demonstrated and taught.  Your child can expect to have regular, healthy meals and snacks.  Your child will participate in inside activities such as coloring, story time, crafts, age appropriate toys and games, music, structured as well as unstructured play, selective television and video games.  Outside activities such as bikes, swings, slides, ball games, going for walks, and community outings are offered.  Please dress your child appropriately for the weather.  Each day will also include a nap or quiet time after lunch.  No violent play, such as guns, knives, swords or wrestling is allowed.  No “potty talk” is allowed.  Your child should arrive at daycare well rested and ready to play.  Open communication between the provider and parents is standard.  If a parent is dissatisfied with some aspect of the daycare, they should discuss this with the provider.

HOURS OF OPERATION- Daycare is open Monday through Friday, 6:30 am to 5:30 pm.  Some exceptions may apply.  Additional hours may be available by special arrangement. A late fee of $5 for the first 15 minutes or portion there of will be assessed if your child is picked up later than 5:30 pm or after more than 10 hours of care.  After the first 15 minutes, a late fee of $1 per minute will be assessed.  This late fee is payable before your child’s next day of attendance.  Please feel free to call or visit your child unannounced during the day.  Summertime care may is not typically available after your child completes First Grade.  Please discuss this option with the provider.

DROP OFF AND PICK UP TIME- Please do not use the doorbell during nap time.  ALL SHOES SHOULD BE REMOVED BEFORE WALKING ON CARPETED AREAS.  This applies to children and parents.  Your child will only be released to adults approved by the enrolling parent(s).  Identification may be required before your child will be released to an alternate pick up person.

NAP OR QUIET TIME- There will be nap or quiet time each day after lunch.  Typically 12:30 pm to 2:45 pm. Infants and toddlers will sleep in a crib or portable playpen.  Toddlers and preschoolers will sleep or rest with a blanket or in a sleeping bag on the floor or on the sofa.  Preschoolers and school-agers who do not nap will still be required to take “quiet time” so all of the children can get the rest they need.  Each child will be provided with their own bedding that will be laundered weekly and as needed.  All infants will be laid down to rest on their backs and no positioning devices will be utilized unless there is a physician order to the contrary.

SUPPLIES- Please bring a seasonally appropriate change of clothing for your child to be left at daycare.  Please dress your child for the weather, as we will plan to spend time outside on most days.  This means coat, hat, mittens, snow pants and snow boots in the winter.  If your child can walk, footwear is required every day (no flip flops please).  Parents are responsible for providing disposable diapers, wipes, diaper rash ointment, bottles, etc. You will be notified when these supplies need to be replenished.  Please refrain from bringing toys and other items from home as they could become lost or damaged, sharing is often difficult, and the item may not be appropriate for all ages that are present.  Supplies from home should be labeled with your child’s name.  Each calendar year (in the spring), each family will provide 1 bottle of sunscreen per child (SPF 30 or higher) for group use.

HEALTHY MEALS- I participate in the Provider’s Choice Food Program.  The Food Program assures you that your child will be provided with nutritious, balanced meals and snacks.  You cannot be charged separately for meals or be asked to provide food.  Breakfast is served at 7:30 am. Lunch is served at 11:00 am.  Afternoon snack is served at 3:00 pm. If your child arrives after a scheduled mealtime, they should be fed prior to arrival.  Infants will be fed on demand unless otherwise specified by the parents. Toddlers will be offered a morning snack as needed.  Please do not bring treats or food from home without prior arrangement.  Other meal arrangements may be available.  For infants, I provide Parents Choice Infant Formula.

SAFETY/TRAINING- My daycare complies with home safety requirements of licensed family daycare.  Fire/storm drills are held monthly.  I have education and background in health care and child development.  At least 8 hours of training are completed annually, including, but not limited to, First Aid, CPR, SIDS, Shaken Baby, Child Passenger Restraint Systems and Nutrition training.

BEHAVIOR GUIDANCE- Guidelines of acceptable behavior will be explained to children to the best of their ability to understand.  Consistency is strived for.  Manners and respect for others are demonstrated and expected.  All children are treated equally and NO corporal punishment is allowed.  If positive reinforcement, redirection and/or distraction are unsuccessful, a time out of up to 1 minute per year of age may be used.  A time out interrupts inappropriate behaviors and gives a child time to reflect on his/her actions.  Before re-joining the group, the misbehaving child and I will discuss appropriate behavior strategies.  Respectful behavior towards people, animals and property is expected.  Parents will be billed for the replacement value of anything that their child willfully damages or destroys.

POTTY LEARNING- I will assist with child directed potty learning once a pattern of consistent success has been established at home.  Children typically have success at home in a one on one situation weeks or months before having success in the highly distracting, multi-age, group setting of daycare.  Some emotional and physical signs that your child might be ready to begin potty learning are: showing an interest in using the potty, ability to stay dry for long periods of time, regular bowel movements, asking to be changed, verbalizing the process and steps of using the potty, ability to manage their own clothing, and the ability to communicate the need to go.  Typical ages for children to begin to be ready to potty learn are 30 to 40 months.  When your child is ready, please dress them in easy to manage clothing (not bibs, suspenders, excessive layers, belts or 1-piece outfits).  This is your child’s accomplishment, not yours, and when your child is ready, potty learning should be relatively easy to establish.  To ensure your child’s success, we will continue to use diapers/pull ups until they have initiated using the potty almost every time and been dry at daycare for 2 consecutive weeks.

BUS STOP SAFETY- It is expected that a school age child will conduct themselves in a safe and appropriate manner at the bus stop without in-sight adult supervision.  If your child is unable to do this or chooses not to do this, the parent will assume responsibility for directly supervising their own child at the bus stop.  The provider will work with the student and parent to develop safety and behavior expectations but cannot be held responsible for the child’s behavior choices at the bus stop.

TRANSPORTATION- Parents are responsible for providing transportation to and from daycare for their child.  We will take walks around the neighborhood and to nearby parks.  We will also take occasional community outings.  Your child will be provided with an appropriate car seat and restrained at all times while in my vehicle for community outings.