I believe.....

I believe that children should be loved as much as possible. They learn how the world operates from the adults they spend their time with.

I believe in the importance of meeting the needs of children in a family setting. Family values form the foundation of any child’s life.

I believe that a child should be made to feel secure enough to explore their environment thus gaining independence and confidence.

The power of play is often understated and I wish to reflect the importance of this activity in order to enhance creativity and social interaction between children.

I believe that a person’s childhood is the most memorable and fun-filled phase of their life and I strive to ensure that the memories and lessons learnt at Dandy Daycare will last a lifetime.

It is also very important to me that the parents are 100% comfortable leaving their children in my care. I believe that communication is essential and I want you to feel comfortable talking to me about your child.

Being a parent myself I understand how much your children mean to you. Educating children is a wonderful, exciting opportunity that I take very seriously. Your child will be treated as though they are a part of my family! Your child is precious to you and that means that they are precious to me too!

Thank you for giving me privilege of spending the most inquisitive, enquiring, energetic, loving and exciting part of their lives with them!

Quote of the Week

“You have a lifetime to work, but children are only young once”
I absolutely love this quote. It puts life in perspective. Enjoy your children; spend as much time as you can with them. Every single second is precious, because as each second passes they get seconds older!

Good Family Daycare?

Part of being a good Family Day Care Provider is ensuring that you have a quality program that you can follow. I must admit, the programming aspect of Family Day Care has always overwhelmed me. When I started out I had no idea of how to “officially” portray my program. I wanted to look professional, yet I wasn’t sure exactly how to break the program down. How do you explain to parents that play develops their child’s cognitive skills and the types of exploration they need to develop their fine motor skills?
I put a lot of night effort into creating a curriculum only to be unable to execute it the day after. I couldn’t justify saying “Come children, my curriculum says that today we are going to paint” when Quinn is standing impatiently at the door waiting for his morning walk since the weather is not too cold for him and Qai has commenced building her thousandth bracelet and Ya Ya is bent on playing with the playdoh. You also have no idea how long a little snail crawling in the grass can put an entire curriculum on hold for. We have to watch the snail, all take turns holding it. Sing songs about it. Draw it. Talk about the shapes and colors on it. Read about it and then finally try to make it! None of this can be done in the space of one day because we have to eat, wash hands, have a nap, wash hands,repeat and then get ready to go home. Of course there are a few other things that the children want to do to. We want to read stories, chat to the delivery man who has dropped off the big colorful box and we want to pretend that we are Mommies and Daddies too!!! By that time, the wonderful curriculum that I created has been put on the back-burner to maybe never be revisited again. But that’s okay, because we learnt about caterpillars becoming butterflies today.
So we start leaning all about caterpillars and butterflies, we sing about them, read about them, draw them, examine them, chat about them and while looking for them one of the children notice that the leaves of trees are not on the floor but bright green blowing in the wind, which leads to the discussion of the season we are in, summer!! And so the cycle continues.
I’ve resigned myself to the fact that my curriculum is a Work in Progress. It evolves daily and most importantly revolves around what the children are interested in.

Finally...the much talked about Blog!!

I have had a blog up for the past 2 years, which is beautiful but still empty. I have so many thoughts that flutter through my mind, and articles I wish I had the time to share with my parents. I am constantly talking to Melissa in my mind or make mental notes to remind Vijaya of something and guess what...it never leaves my mind! I just can’t find the time to sit down and put my fingers on the keyboard! So I thought I would add a simple little post with some ramblings and perhaps some pictures ( once I get permission) with the hope that this will lead to the site I always hoped I had to accompany my business. With the beautiful weather we have been really busy taking walks, painting, drawing, playing, cooking food (yes I make my toddlers make their own pizza and paste their sandwiches with relish) and exploring the Empty Garden for snails and the ‘don’t want to grow’ strawberry plants.
Family Day Care is wonderful and it’s hard work! I often look at other child care centers and schools and think how wonderfully organized they are. How great it would be if I had one extra pair of hands to help me out. That one person could make a big difference. If only I can win the lottery (if I start playing) I will have a cook and cleaner to help feed my family and make sure the house was clean. Then all my time would be spent doing what I love and that is caring for children! People laugh and don’t believe that I would still be doing Family Day Care and I can’t understand why they think that I would stop. I absolutely love what I do and hope that I will still be doing it for many years to come.
I am only in my late twenties and I already daydream about possibly having my grandkids in my own daycare.!!!!
It’s been wonderful now that school is out because I’ve been lucky enough to have Qai at home with me who loves to help the other children (and torment her sister). It has been much busier for me and there have been more activities on the go. Qai is 5 years old and loves arts, crafts and construction and wants me to fit her into my program too. The only difficulty is that the younger children love eating her art, thrashing her crafts and claiming her construction toys! With a bit of juggling of sleep times i.e. the removal of Kerryn time we’ve managed to include some of her favorite things into our little world.

Let’s Begin

Family Day Care is not for the faint hearted, but if you have a passion for children it really is the perfect business. Since opening my doors, I’ve had 18 children in my care. I have loved spending so much time with these gorgeous children. It’s an absolute privilege to be with them when they are at their most curious, most passionate and most lively stage of their life. My first entry ends with a
BIG THANK YOU TO ALL THOSE PARENTS WHO HAVE ENTRUSTED ME WITH THEIR CHILDREN!

Daycare Policies

COMMUNICATION:
Good communication is of the utmost importance to me. When I accept a new family into my business, I like to be sure that we can talk openly about any concerns or questions that may arise.  I welcome questions, feedback, or discussions of any kind that are oriented towards a positive outcome for the child(ren). Sensitive issues will be discussed in private outside of regular childcare hours either by telephone or a meeting.


TRIAL PERIOD:
Your child's adjustment is important to all of us. It is, therefore, agreed that the first month (28 calendar days) of the child's enrollment will be considered the trial period.  At the end of this period, the parents and provider will discuss how the child has adjusted to the new setting, realizing that this varies from child to child. At this time either party may terminate care. If care continues after the first month then the trial period is complete and a 2 weeks  written notice is required to terminate the agreement.  All prepaid fees are non refundable.


FEES:
A $30 non-refundable registration fee (per child) applies to all new families. Once this registration fee is paid, you will be given the necessary paperwork to begin enrolling your child at Dandy Daycare. The registration fee helps cover the cost of printing out the handbooks and forms that are required before you start and any supplies that may need to be purchased.
 
HOURS OF OPERATION:
Dandy Daycare  is open 7:30 AM - 5.30 PM Monday thru Friday. We maintain an open door policy for parents during day care hours. This means that parents are always welcome to call or drop in to see their children. I would appreciate your taking into consideration our naptime when dropping in or calling, and remember that visitors usually cause children to react in an excited manner that does not normally occur when I am alone with the children. If you call during the day, please be aware that I may be busy with the children and may not be able to answer the phone. If you would leave a message, I will call you back as soon as possible.


HOLIDAYS/VACATIONS:
The following is a list of the Paid Holidays that I will be taking each year:

• Martin Luther King Jr
• Presidents Day
• Good Friday*
• Memorial Day
• Independence Day
• Columbus Day
• Thanksgiving Day
• Day after Thanksgiving
• Christmas Day
• New Year's Day
I will also be entitled to four paid sick days per year. I take up to three weeks of unpaid vacation time each year.  You are responsible for finding back up childcare during these weeks. I will give you at least four weeks notice of my vacation dates. RATE CHANGES: If at anytime I decide to change my rates you will receive a 4 week advanced notice of all rate changes. At that time you can choose whether to continue enrollment at Dandy Daycare or give me a 2 week withdrawal notice. LATE PAYMENT: Payment is expected on each Monday, or the First day your child attends that week.  If payment is more than 5 days late there will be a $25.00 late fee for the week and your child will not be able to return until tuition is paid in full along with the late fees. If Payment is not received within 10 days, I may terminate services without notice. Please keep in mind that this is part of my family income… You wouldn’t keep your job if you weren’t paid on time, would you ? The success of my business depends upon the prompt payment of tuition/fees in order to take care of day-to-day expenses that are encountered. Tuition and fees are computed with the following factors in mind:
• Food, health supplies, craft/activity/curriculum supplies, toys, play equipment and books provided for the children
• Outside activities
• Business taxes
• Provider/s Social Security, FICA, and self-employment taxes
•  Provider's continuing education
• Energy costs and use of provider's home and equipment
• Additional time spent, each day, on record keeping, parent-provider communication, clean up from day care, and shopping trips for food and supplies.
Although child care tuition and fees may seem high, please keep in mind the amount that is returned directly to your child via food, supplies, and benefits from provider education, etc. The providers wage is the amount that remains after all of the above expenses have been paid.   OVERTIME: Overtime is considered any time outside of the agreed upon time interval. The following charges will be assessed for overtime incurred. Fees will be collected Friday of each week.  $5.00 for every 10 minutes late starting at 6 p.m.  If pick up becomes a big problem termination of services may result. The provider is under no obligation to provide an extension of time if such extension conflicts with the provider's own plans. Late arrival Does Not justify late departure. BOUNCED CHECK CHARGE: A penalty charge of $30.00 will be assessed if a check is returned for insufficient funds. In addition, the parent agrees to pay for all expenses to the provider's account resulting from the returned check. In the event of a second returned check, payment for six months must be made in cash or money order only or the provider may choose to terminate service. FUTURE ENROLLMENT: If care is to begin at a future date, one full week advanced payment will be required to hold a place for your child for up to 3 weeks. Until this deposit is received plus the $30.00 registration fee the spot is not “Saved” and could be given to another child.  The money will not be refunded if enrollment is canceled. ABSENTEEISM: Parents are asked to call me at 301-560-3184 before their scheduled arrival time on the days their children will not attend.  Parents are still responsible for payment even if the child does not attend the group.   If your child is going to be late please call. ARRIVAL AND DEPARTURE: Children will miss their parents and may cry upon departure. It is normal for your child to cry on arrival, especially for the first few weeks. It is a natural occurrence and the crying will stop within a few minutes after the parent leaves. If your child does a significant amount of crying at drop-off time, please make your stay brief. It is harder on the child when you prolong your stay. A smile, cheerful good-bye kiss, and a reassuring word that you will be back is all that is needed. In my experience, children are nearly always quick to get involved in play or activities as soon as parents are gone.  You are encouraged to listen outside of the door if you are concerned, to be sure the crying stops, as it normally does. Children tend to act up a bit at departure times. This is normal since they are excited to see parents, upset about leaving and surrounded by more than one authority figure. Please be in control of your child during drop off and pick up times. This is a time of testing when two different authority figures are present (parent and provider) and this situation will be tested at one time or another to see if the rules still apply. I will remind your child if inappropriate behaviors are being displayed. Children of all ages adjust to transitions from one activity to another differently. Most do not like to be too rushed (sometimes just a quick look at what they have been doing all day will make departure a lot easier for the child and some do not like to wait too long once they are ready to depart. Parents must accompany their child upon arrival and departure. Please hold your child’s hand or carry them out to the car and inside each day.  As cars will be coming in and out of the driveway and may not see your child out there. To provide the best possible care, the parents and the provider are encouraged to keep lines of communication open. This includes any discussions about changing behavior of the child. PLEASE feel free to call and discuss it with me. The best time to reach me would be during naptime (usually about 1 pm would be the best) or else after daycare hours, before 8 pm. It is only through parent/provider interaction that a goal of quality, nurturing care can be achieved. I prefer that there are no pick ups or drop offs during the designated daily quiet time (12:30pm –2: 30pm), but if it is necessary, please be as quiet and brief as possible. Children who arrive during quiet time will be expected to remain quiet (they may play/read quietly) until quiet time is over, so that others will not be disrupted from their naps. EARLY OR LATE ARRIVAL OR DEPARTURE: If you are going to pick up your child earlier or later than usual please call me or let me know that morning or the night before if possible.   If you come early and we are outback you may not be able to reach us.  We are usually here at nap time but if I have only a few children that day I may end up doing an after noon walk and having a late nap time that day.  My schedule is flexible and if it’s a really nice day we take advantage of it. RELEASING YOUR CHILD: My normal procedure is to release the child only to his/her parents or someone else the parents designate. If someone other than the parent is to pick up the child, please notify me ahead of time. A verbal notice is fine on that day if this person is on the list of people who are authorized to pick up your child. If the person is NOT on that list, I MUST have written permission to release your child. Please inform emergency contacts, or people designated to pick up your child, that if I do not know them, then I will need to ask for identification. I do not mean to offend them. This is simply a measure taken for the child's protection. Drop off and picks up times are not good times to discuss serious problems. Little ears and minds hear and understand everything. I am not comfortable discussing child in the presence of anyone, but his or her parents. Topics that concern day-to-day events or light-hearted discussion are fine. CUSTODY ISSUES AND UNAUTHORIZED PERSONS: If only one parent has custody of the child(ren) and the other is not authorized to pickup the child, the parent must instruct the provider of this fact, and must provide a copy of the court order confirming that one parent does not have (or has limited) visitation rights. If there is any change in the legal custody of the child, the parent must provide written documentation confirming the change. The custodial parent will be notified immediately if an unauthorized (someone not on the forms or a non-custodial parent) person arrives to pick up the child. LEAVE OF ABSENCE: Full payment is due regardless if the child(ren) attend the group or not. CLOTHING: Children should arrive dressed for play.  We like to have fun! Having fun involves outdoor play and lots of messy activities, so make sure that your child is dressed appropriately. The children are actively involved in their day, meaning paint will be spilled and puddles may be splashed through. Please don't dress your child in nice clothing and expect them to be spotless when you arrive to pick them up Durable washable clothes are essential, for the provider would much rather see a child freely explore than worry about stains. Clothing should be comfortable and seasonally appropriate for outdoor play. Make sure to include hats, mittens, boots and coats for cold weather.  Each child must have a change of clothing in case of an accident. These clothes need to be labeled with the child name. SUPPLIES (You Need to Provide): Parents will need to provide the following items: Infants: Diapers, wipes, powders/ointments, pacifier, bottles, formula, baby food (until child eats table food), bibs, and a complete change of clothes (replace when soiled). Toddlers & Children: Diapers, pull-ups, wipes, pacifiers, bibs, swimsuit and towel (summertime), and complete change of clothes (replace when soiled). Please write your child's name on all belongings. The provider is not responsible for ANY items brought from home.   DAILY SCHEDULE: Young children, toddlers and babies enjoy a structured schedule that allows for flexibility. A schedule helps the day to flow more smoothly, allow the children to anticipate the coming events, and aids in achieving a variety of goals. We will adhere to our written schedule to the best of our ability, keeping in mind that anything can happen when children are involved. There will be times when we have to make adjustments to the schedule. We appreciate families considering our schedule when picking up or dropping off their children. It is better if arrivals and departures do not occur during quiet time, but when they do, please take note of the fact that children may be sleeping. Come and go as quietly and quickly as possible. Children who arrive during quiet time will be expected to rest or play quietly until the rest period is over. TOYS: I prefer that children DO NOT bring toys from home as this usually causes fights over the toy.  Your child not wanting to share his toy and the other children want to play with the (new to them) toy. Unless it is something that can be shared with the entire group (i.e. books, videos, etc.). Little ones have a difficult time sometimes sharing the toys here with others, and it is even harder with their own special toys.  If toys are brought, please note that they may be put away, if they are the cause of disagreements among the children. Toy weapons (guns, knives, swords, squirt guns, etc.) and not permitted and will be turned away at the door. If your child has a favorite nappy time toy, please bring it and I will get it out of their bag at nap time. I am not responsible for any loss or breakage of personal items. All personal items must be clearly marked with the child's name. TOILET TRAINING: When you feel your child is ready for toilet teaching, I ask that you begin this teaching at home for at least 1 week. I will follow through and encourage your child while in my care. Toilet training will be done in a relaxed manner with the cooperation of the family. I require that the child must be at least 18 months and must be showing signs of readiness. I have a hand out that describes signs of readiness for anyone who is interested. When a child is ready, the process should go pretty quickly. The child must be kept in pull-ups until total bathroom control is reached. Please keep in mind that the activity level here can distract your child from responding to an urge to use the potty, more so than at your home. Therefore, I will continue to use diapers or pull-ups until your child can and will announce that (s)he must use the bathroom (not just at home, but here, as well) and can control his/her bladder and bowels for a few minutes beyond that announcement. Parents need to supply training pants with plastic pants or pull-ups, plus a couple of extra changes of clothing each day (don't forget the socks!). Do not bring your child in panties or underwear until (s)he has naptime and bedtime control established. Plus has had no accidents for at least 2 straight weeks. During potty training the child needs to be dressed in "user friendly" clothing as much as possible. The best items are shorts and pants with elastic waists. Try to avoid really tight clothing, shirts that snap in the crouch, pants with snaps & zippers and overalls as often as you can. Your child will want to help pull pants, etc. up and down, plus clothing with too many "gadgets" makes it harder to get the child on the potty in time. When your child shows readiness for toilet learning, this will be done in a relaxed manner and in cooperation with you. I will only begin helping to potty train a child if you have successfully began training at home for a week prior. Please don’t ask me to begin potty training your child if you haven’t successfully began training at home. I will gladly follow your means of potty training if you just let me know what it is. For example, if your child is rewarded a sticker or an M & M for each potty in the chair, just provide the stickers or M & M’s and I’ll follow your lead. If your child has frequent accidents or is just learning to use the toilet, you will need to provide plenty of extra clothes and training pants with plastic pants or pull-ups. Please keep in mind that the activity level here can distract your child(ren) from responding to an urge to use the potty, more so than at your home. During potty training you are asked to supply me with at least 2 extra full changes of clothing, including socks and training & plastic pants or pull-ups. These are to be left at the day care and replaced as needed. Soiled clothes will be returned in a plastic bag at the end of the day. MEALS: Do not bring your child here in the morning eating pop tarts, donuts, candy, drinking soda, etc.  If your child is eating food not received from my home they must remain in your car until food is gone or it will go in there cubby until pick up time. Its not that I’m being mean but how would your child feel if he saw another child eating a Popsicle or ice cream cone and he couldn’t have one! I prefer that children do not bring food, drinks, etc. from home unless requested. Children tend to think the "grass is greener . . ." when they see someone eating something different from them.  If you would like to bring in a nutritious snack for you child and all the other children that’s fine. But please check with me first to make sure that no one has an allergy to whatever you may like to bring.   UNDER NO CIRCUMSTANCES IS CANDY OR GUM ALLOWED!! Candy ruins there appetites and gum can get stuck on the floor, furniture, hair,  etc. Thank you. Children should be encouraged from an early age to develop good table manners. It is important that mealtime be a relaxed comfortable time and not a time for exuberant play or singing, as this could lead to a choking hazard. A child who is enrolled full-time is getting most of their nutrition in daycare, a responsibility that is taken very seriously. We do not use artificial ingredients, refined sugars. The meals at this daycare are 100% organic. Each full day your child attends he/she will be served breakfast, lunch and a snack. Food is made to be kid-friendly with the use of varieties in flavor, shape, texture and color. The goal is to provide your child with flavorful and healthy food in a pleasant environment. Parents of infants will need to supply all formula and baby food. It is my belief that infants should be fed on demand. If parents have another feeding schedule in mind, we will need to discuss, so that the infant's needs will be adequately met. If your child has allergies or another situation, and requires a modified diet, then you will need to provide what your child is going to eat.  Vegetarian diets (not vegan) can be accommodated.  My menu will be posted on the bulletin board Friday afternoon for the following week. I never force a child to finish what is on his/her plate, but I do encourage each child to try one or two bites of everything. Sometimes they are surprised by what they like! Occasionally, I have problems with children who consistently want to eat only one item, like fruit, etc. When this occurs on a regular basis, I may give the child just the main dish and vegetable on the plate to start, adding the "favored" item when a few bites of the main dish and vegetable have been tried. If a child refuses to eat their meal, there will be no food served until the next designated meal/snack time. All eating patterns will be communicated to the parents. MEAL TIMES: Breakfast - 8:15 A.M. Lunch - 11:30 A.M. Snack - 10.00 A.M and 3:30 P.M. CLEANLINESS/HYGIENE: We do our best to maintain strict cleanliness and hygiene standards. Children's hands are washed before and after meals and after using the toilet. We use paper towels for hygienic reasons. I require parents to provide a toothbrush and toothpaste, teeth will be brushed as well. I wash my hands frequently and also use antibacterial gel. Infants and toddlers sleep in separate cribs or pack and plays. Beginning around 2 years old children are placed on cots. Each child has a separate cot that is sanitized weekly (unless soiled, then they are washed as often as necessary).  You may bring a pillow and blanket from home. MY PRESCHOOL PROGRAM: My goal for the children in my care is to have fun learning and expressing themselves while learning how to form friendships with the other children. I want them to build a positive self-image. I implement an educational and arts program by the Mother Goose Curriculum that all children age 18 months and older participate in.  The cost is included in your weekly tuition. This cost helps to pay for supplies plus learning materials and toys for the month.   Age appropriate activities are scheduled with flexibility allowed to respond to the needs of the individual child and day. I will offer times for free play, art, stories, songs, music, computer time, learning activities, calendar, weather chart, creative movement, and outside play appropriate to the child's ages, interests, and abilities. I will provide your child with tender loving care, understanding, patience and guidance in a happy family setting.       OUT OF HOUSE ACTIVITIES: My program includes neighborhood walks and playground visits. These activities may or may not be preplanned. If preplanned I will notify you in advance .   If a field trip is planned parents will be notified well in advance and a permission slip will need to be signed, QUIET / NAP TIME: All children will have a rest period from 12:30 p.m  – 2:30 p.m. everyday. No child is forced to sleep, however they must remain quiet. The infants and toddlers are placed away from the older children and put into some type of portable crib so they can nap. They must remain on their cots during quite time. Those who wake early will participate in a quiet activity until Rest Time is over. Please try not to schedule pick-ups or visits during this time to lessen disturbance to the resting children.  Infants and toddlers will be placed in cribs or pack n plays. Without rest time, some children are argumentative in the afternoon, short-tempered with others, and not real happy when they go home in the evening. Infants nap at varying times and their schedules will be accommodated. Somewhere between 12 and 18 months, children usually drop down to one nap per day. At this time, I will attempt to put them on the scheduled nap/rest period. Naptime is my only opportunity to take a break, clean up after lunch, do paper work, and plan activities for the next day. OUTDOORS Part of every day will be spent outside weather permitting. We will go for walks, or play outside in my secluded backyard.. The children should be dressed appropriately to stay warm and enjoy being outside. If your child isn’t feeling well enough to play with the other kids or go outside then your child is too sick to be in daycare that day. If your child is brought and they are not able to participate you will be called to come and get them.  Children not feeling well will be much happier to be at home in familiar surroundings. ILLNESS: It should go without saying, but PLEASE do not bring your sick child to daycare. Under no circumstances will parents be allowed to bring a sick child to my home. Sick children expose other children, as well as myself and my family, to the spread of their illness and require additional care and attention that I am unable to give. Moreover, sick children want care from their parents in the comfort of their own homes. If other children become ill due to exposure to your sick child, either because he/she was returned to childcare before full recovery or because he/she was not picked up promptly upon notice of becoming ill, other parents will be unnecessarily inconvenienced. If my family or I become ill due to exposure to a sick child, all of the children may need to arrange alternate care. Because this is disruptive to other children and their families, as well as my own, your cooperation on this issue is extremely important. The following illness policies will be strictly enforced, for the health, well being and safety of all concerned. SYMPTOMS REQUIRING REMOVAL OF CHILD FROM CHILD CARE:
1. Fever (100 F. higher)-Child needs to be fever free for 24 hours
2. Nausea or vomiting
3. Diarrhea: runny or watery stools, or 2 or looser stools within last 4 hours.
4. Sore throat, loss of voice, hacking or continuous coughing, runny nose with colored discharge
5. Runny and/or Crusty Eyes: Watery, matted, and/or red/pink eyes are not acceptable in childcare.
6. Unexplained Rash.
7. Excessive Crankiness: Child is irritable, excessive whining or crying, wants constantly held, or requires more attention than I can provide without jeopardizing the health, safety, or well being of the other children in my care.
8. Lice (may not return child to care until no more nits are spotted).
9. Communicable diseases (chicken pox, roseola, conjunctivitis, mumps, measles, influenza, etc.) This benefits your child and the other children. Your compliance is appreciated, and will be compensated with the assurance that all ill children will be kept home.
Your child will not be accepted into childcare if he/she has had any of the above symptoms within the last 24 hours. A sick child should be allowed to recover fully after an illness so that other children in the group do not risk exposure and so that the child is able to fully participate in childcare activities. If you are unable to remain at home with your sick child it will be necessary for you to make substitute child care arrangements at your own expense. If your child becomes ill while in my care, I will notify you immediately. You are required to pick up your child within 90 minutes of notification. If you cannot be reached then your emergency contact will be called. Parents of children who become ill during the day will be promptly notified. Parents are to make arrangements to pick up or have their children picked up immediately. In order to reduce exposure and risk to other children in my childcare, the sick child will be isolated from other children (if possible) until the arrival of a parent or emergency contact. If the parent cannot be reached, the person designated as the Emergency Contact and then Alternate Contacts will be notified. Children with acute non-infectious illness such as ear or sinus infections may only be brought to Dandy Daycare if fever is not present and they are able to participate in activities. Parents of a child with a diagnosed contagious condition (measles, head lice, pink eye, mumps, chicken pox, etc.) are asked to notify me as soon as possible so that I may alert parents to watch for symptoms in their own children. Please note: This sickness policy applies to me well. If any of the above symptoms are present in my household, I cannot run daycare until the symptoms are gone. MEDICATION: If your child is on medication and it needs to be administered while he/she is at daycare, the medicine must be in the original container and labeled with the child’s name, doctor’s name, name of medication, dosage, and when to be taken. If medication is to be taken only twice a day, i.e. (morning & night) then it will need to be done at home. A medication form will need to be filled out and signed by the child’s physician.  I will not administer medication unless the first dose has already been given by the parent/guardian.. Medication that isn’t prescription medicine, i.e. (Tylenol, cold medicine, etc.)  Needs to be filled out on a medical form and signed by a doctor.  All non-prescription medicine needs to be in original container and not brought to me in Baggies.  Do not leave medicine in cubbies or diaper bags. Please make sure all medicine is handed to me for safe storage. Thank you. INJURIES, IF THE UNTHINKABLE HAPPENS: Every attempt will be made to ensure that your child will be in a safe environment, but no matter how much we monitor conditions, accidents do occur.  Minor cuts and abrasions suffered while at daycare will receive proper care -- specifically, they will be washed with soap and warm water and properly bandaged. In the event of a serious accident, you will be contacted for instructions. Unless doing so endangers the child's life. In that case the provider will take necessary steps, putting the child first (calling hospital, doctor, poison control, etc.). If need be, the provider will take the child to the nearest emergency hospital first, then try to call you when we arrive. If you or your emergency contact person are unable to be reached, emergency actions and/or whatever means are necessary will be taken in order to provide the best care for the health of your child. All incidents and accidents will be documented on an accident report for your signature.  PARENTS: YOU OR YOUR FAMILY INSURANCE IS RESPONSIBLE FOR COST OF MEDICAL HELP OR TREATMENT DUE TO ACCIDENTS OR ILLNESS WHILE AT DANDY DAYCARE. OTHER EMERGENCY PROCEDURES: FIRE: In the event of a fire, we would evacuate the house immediately and gather together outside in the driveway. This will be practiced at least once a month (usually more) so the children are familiar with what to do. TERMINATION OF CARE: The provider reserves the right to terminate any child or family from the program who does not abide by the policies set forth in this handbook. If the provider can no longer watch your child for one reason or another, she will try to give you at least a two-week written notice. If the provider finds it necessary, she reserves the right to terminate all services for any reason without notice. Examples or reasons provider may terminate care include (but not limited to):
• Failure of parent to pay. 
• Failure to complete required forms. 
• Failure to pick up on time. 
• Failure of child to adjust to childcare after a reasonable amount of time. 
• Provider's inability to meet the child's needs. 
• Breach of contractual agreements. 
WITHDRAWAL: After the trial period, if for some reason you decide to stop bringing your child to Lil’ Peanuts Day care a two-week written notice is required. This will allow time to find a child to fill your child's spot. Payment is due for the two-week notice period whether or not the child is brought to day care.  Any outstanding fees must be paid on or before the child's last day. If it becomes necessary for the provider to resort to legal action to collect fees, the parent(s) or guardian(s) will be responsible for legal fees incurred on my part. DISCIPLINE: Active and happy children are the sign of a good childcare. Occasionally discipline problems do arise, and the following methods are utilized: Please keep in mind that there WILL be disagreements between children. Young children, especially, who are not adept at communication, have a hard time expressing their feelings. Sometimes they hit or throw toys, etc. Although teaching children appropriate behavior is what I will be doing, remember that this behavior is normal in most cases My guidance and discipline is preventative- not punishing. There will be no physical discipline.  Methods of discipline may include:
• Redirection of the Child's Behavior: Talk with the child, explain the problem or the inappropriate actions of the child and redirect the child.
• Time Out: The child must sit away from group activities quietly for a period of 2 to 5 minutes, depending on the child's age. One minute per age.
• Removal of Privilege: In order to use a consequence as a learning experience for the child, I will remove a privilege, which is logically in response to an inappropriate or not allowed behavior. For example, if a child continues to ride a tricycle in an unsafe manner after being aware of the safety rules, I may take away the privilege of riding the tricycle for a period of time.
If I feel there is a chronic behavioral issue that needs attention, I will let you know so that you and I are handling it in the same way and your child has continuity in discipline between our homes. These types of behaviors might include such things as biting, use of bad words, chronic hitting, etc. Together, we will try to find a solution. You may be called to remove your child if his/her behavior prevents me from being able to properly care for the other children. If the problem continues, other arrangements for the care of the child will have to be made, for the safety and well being of all. Under NO CIRCUMSTANCES will there be any spanking, physical abuse, verbal abuse, name-calling or isolation used. Neither food nor sleep will ever be withheld from children as a means of punishment. Children are never punished for lapses in toilet training or for accidents (spilled milk, for example). Instead, I will have the child help clean up if possible, not for punishment, but to help teach responsibility. CHILD ABUSE/NEGLECT: I am required by law to report any suspected signs of child abuse and/or neglect. This includes any form of physical punishment by the parents in my home. RECORDS AND FORMS:
The provider must have all forms signed on or before the first day of care. Provider must also have a copy of you child(ren)’s immunization records. Occasionally parents will be given a packet to update all information.
This Policy Handbook is valid through January 01, 2012.

Introduction & Philosophy

INTRODUCTION: 
Welcome to Dandy Daycare. I am a childcare provider, who has over nine years experience caring for children in many different settings. 
For a better understanding between parent(s) and myself I have created this handbook. It covers all of my childcare philosophies, business policies and expectations. Please read this hand book carefully and feel free to discuss with me any questions that you may have. 


MY CHILD CARE PHILOSOPHY: 
My goal is to provide all of the children in my care, a clean, safe, comfortable, loving, environment, where they can play and learn. Respect toward self, others and the environment will be emphasized. I believe in the value of both structured and flexible schedules. Structured activities will include the use of a preschool curriculum, regular reading times, arts and crafts, computer time and musical activities. Outdoor play, free play, birthday parties are some of the more flexible activities we have. The most important priority is to have FUN! Please don't expect my home or your children to be perfectly clean at pickup time. We do lots of activities that are messy and will do our best to maintain cleanliness and order, but fun and the well being of the children will always come first.