What days and hours are you open?

My daycare is open Monday through Friday, from 7:30 am to 5:30 pm. If you have a unique schedule, I will do my best to accommodate it. As of now, I do not have a fee for the occasional early drop off or late pick up, but if it turns into a regular occurrence, then we may need to revisit this policy. I run my daycare in my home, so I do expect a certain level of respect for my family’s time in the evenings.

 

What are your rates? What is your payment policy?

Full-time rate for all ages: $200 per week

Part-time rate for all ages: $40 per day

Before/After school care: please call with specific hours needed

Payments are due in advance on Monday mornings when your child is dropped off. I accept payments on a weekly, biweekly, or monthly basis, to accommodate your family’s budget.

Late payment fee is $10 a day for two days. On the third day, your child will lose their place until payment is made in full.

Returned check fee is $35.

*PLEASE NOTE: You are paying to secure your child’s place in daycare, not just for the days they show up. Therefore, if your child is sick or you take a day off and they stay home, you still pay for the day. If I am given prior notice of a long absence or vacation, you will not be charged. If a holiday falls on a week day and daycare is closed you still pay for the day. If I cancel daycare because of illness or a personal day off, you will not be charged. You will be given as much notice as possible for daycare closings.

 

What is your policy regarding sick kids?

I try to keep my home as sanitary and germ-free as I can so we can stay healthy and happy. We make a point to wash hands several times a day and toys are sterilized regularly. I have no problem wiping runny noses, but children are too sick for daycare if they have any of the following:

  • fever over 100 degrees
  • diarrhea and/or vomiting
  • rash (unless you know for sure it’s not linked to infection)
  • any contagious disease (chicken pox, head lice, strep throat, etc.)
  • Children must be symptom free for 24 hours before returning to daycare.

     

    What supplies do you need me to provide for my child?

    Parents are required to bring:

    • extra clothes, including weather appropriate outer wear as we do go outside often.
    • diapers. I will provide wipes and butt cream.
    • breast milk or formula. I will provide bottles, sippy cups, pacifiers and all other meals and snacks.
    • any special lovey your child needs for nap time. These will stay in their bed during the day unless the child isn’t feeling well or is upset.

    Your child will have their own shelf in my storage closet so you can keep plenty of diapers and clothes at my house to make it easier. (Yay for less stuff to carry!) I will let you know on your child’s daily take home sheet what needs to be replaced.

     

    How do you communicate with parents?

    I encourage interaction with parents! I send home a daily report in your child’s bag letting you know all the particulars about our day (meals, diapers, activities, etc.). Parents are welcome to check in at any time during the day; my phone is always on and accessible. Drop-off is not the ideal time to discuss anything important, but when you pick up your child we can chat or we can schedule a sit down meeting to go over any concerns. We are a team, and communication is crucial!

     

    Do you have any emergency training?

    Yes! I am certified in CPR and First Aid, including infant CPR and choking.

     

    What discipline methods do you use?

    I believe that every situation with a child should be used as a learning opportunity. Even when children misbehave, it is a chance for them to learn unconditional love, self-control, and respect for others.

    Methods of discipline I use:

    • My expectations are individualized, age-appropriate, and easy to understand. We go over the rules and expectations every day during our morning Circle Time.
    • I give a lot of attention and praise to good behavior.
    • I provide many choices and activities throughout the day to prevent negative behavior.
    • I use distraction and redirection as the first means of discipline.
    • If distraction/redirection does not work, the child is given a warning and I explain why the behavior is not acceptable.
    • If the child continues the behavior after a warning, he/she is placed in Time-Out for 1 minute per year of the child's age. The time only starts once the child is calm.
    • Upon completion of Time-Out, the child is to apologize for misbehaving.

    I DO NOT use corporal punishments, soap in mouths, yelling, rejection, abusive language, or punishments associated with food, naps, or toilet training.

     

    What meals are provided?

    I provide breakfast, lunch and nutritious snacks in my daycare, unless your child has specific dietary needs. I try to avoid processed food and instead cook healthy, mostly organic, meals with a variety of fresh ingredients. I also make my own baby food, because it is healthier and cheaper than store-bought brands. We do occasional field trips to local farmer’s markets or U-Pick farms, and the kids have even grown their own small herb garden at my house. Learning where our food comes from is a great way to start making better choices for our bodies.

     

    What potty training methods do you use?

    Working for several years with toddlers, I gained a lot of experience in potty training. Many parents find that this is a very stressful and frustrating time with their children. I believe that it actually can be very fun and exciting. I believe three things are necessary for successful potty training - consistency, praise, and cloth “big kid” underwear.

    Consistency - I take children to the potty often throughout the day, and we have several “potty breaks” in our daily routine so they know when they will be sitting on the potty and will start to learn to “hold it” for a short time. It is also very important for parents to be consistent at home with the potty training.

    Praise - It is so important to praise children for going to the potty, even if they don't actually go. They love to know that grownups are proud of them for trying and the praise will make them want to try again later. When children do go in the potty, I get excited and cheer for them. I let them tell their friends and parents that they used the potty. I make it a celebration. If the parents allow it, I may even give treats, although that's not really even necessary.

    Cloth Underwear - Wearing real “big kid” underwear allows children to feel when they are wet. It is uncomfortable and encourages them to want to stay dry. Pull-ups are just like diapers and therefore useless for potty training. They are fine for naps but during the day they cause children to regress to wetting themselves again.

     

    Do you have references I can call?

    Yes! I encourage you to call my references! I will give you a packet of reference letters along with contact information at our first interview.



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