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yesmichelle@charter.net)
Extended Family
Home Daycare
Parent Handbook
2007 Calendar Year
Summary
Children are tender, curious, wonderful beings who need a safe and enriching environment to grow and thrive. I will do my best to ensure the safety, comfort, health and happiness of all children in my care at all times and will present them with the opportunity to learn at their own pace.
In order to meet my goals, I will attempt to gain as much continuing education and training possible. I will also strive to keep the lines of communication open between myself and the families that I serve. Please feel free to discuss your needs for improved child care with me at all times.
Table of Contents
Welcome Letter
My Philosophy of Quality Care
Number of Children in My Care
Pre-Enrollment Visits
Tips for Smooth Transition Times
Tuition and Hours of Care
Special Needs Children
Payment Terms
Holidays, Vacation and Sick Days
If I Become Sick
If Your Child Becomes Sick
Administration of Medications
Meals and Snacks
Food Allergies
Naps
Potty Training
Supplies
Field Trips
Visits and Calls During Hours
Pick-Up Policy
Discipline Policy
Birthdays and Other Celebrations
Gift Exchanges
Termination of Care
Contact Information
Welcome!
Thank you for considering my services for your child. While I am new to Kirkwood, I am not new to childcare and have been providing quality service to families for more than 16 years. I started caring for children shortly after a relative needed someone to “watch her child while she worked.” After a brief time, I was running an in-home childcare service for her and her co-workers.
After the birth of my first child, I wanted to continue this service and stay home with my daughter. I enjoyed being home with her and maintaining a great relationship with other parents whom needed quality care that they could count on. I returned to working outside the home after my daughter entered Kindergarten.
The challenge of finding quality, dependable care at a rate that I could afford became a need for me when my son was born. He also needed someone that could deal with his special need, as he as autism. That led me back to my true passion...in-home childcare. I am also an educational consultant. This gives me access to the latest information on learning styles and a the best products to teach children with. Feel free to ask me more about getting the same products for your home to continue the fun at your home too!
My Philosophy of Quality Care
I will strive to provide a safe, comfortable, stimulating, fun, educational environment in my home with a structured day plan. Activities will include center-based free time, structured playtime, circle time, gross and fine motor skill activities, story time, arts and crafts, music, outdoor play, cultural activities and field trips to the local library, Magic House and other community events that are child friendly.
The television will be on only in connection with educationally based activities. All programs will be pre-screened to ensure that they are appropriate for even the youngest child. An IBM-compatible computer will be used as a tool to offer certain skills in a different format. Again, the software used is pre-screened for its educational content. For school-aged children, internet usage is available with written permission from parents and will be closely supervised to ensure that the child does not go into chat rooms or other places that are not appropriate. At no time will any child be able to access email or send messages. The computer will solely be used to work on skill sets and research.
Through a mixture of guided and undirected creative play, children in my care will have the opportunity to learn concrete skills to aid them once they start school. I do not believe in pushing children to learn, but I do offer the opportunity to grow at your own rate. For the school-aged child, I offer the opportunity to hone the skills they are accessing in school and get any assistance in understanding the concepts they are getting in class.
Number of Children in My Care
I follow the state of Missouri regulations for in-home child care, which limits the number of children, not related to the provider to five. If I am caring for a child that needs special attention, I may reduce that number.
I believe that children receive the best possible care when these guidelines are followed. I have a personal policy to not care for more than two infants at a time. My definition of an infant is a child under the age of one. When it comes to filling vacancies or increasing the number of children I will care for (up to four), I will always give preferential consideration to the families that I currently provide care for. I will certainly welcome the opportunity to care for new siblings as they arrive!!!
From time to time, in order to accommodate the families I serve, it may be necessary to accept one or two extra children for a day or two, such as in the case of school closings due to holidays or weather conditions. On such occasions, I reserve the right to accept older children on a temporary care basis at an additional fee. While I offer this as a courtesy to the families I service, I must restrict this policy to ensure that I do not take on more children than I can provide the safest, best and most responsible care for.
Should you know that this need will arise in advance, I will consider your needs and determine if I can accommodate your situation.
Pre-Enrollment Visits
I believe that children, providers, and parents do best when everyone participates in “get-to-know-you” sessions prior to the first day of care. This helps children get used to the provider and allows to the parents plenty of time to ask questions of the provider. It also helps everyone feel more comfortable with the situation. This benefits the child by allowing us to approach the first day of care with ease which reduces the stress for everyone.
Children benefit from a stable, long-term care environment. My hope is that this visit time gives you a true sense of the service and dedication that I offer. I ask that if there are older siblings, they too, have the opportunity to come and visit so that in the event they are to come for care, they know they are welcome and will enjoy being here too.
I will happily schedule your pre-enrollment visit based on the current child care schedule. If the times available do not fit your current schedule, please feel free to ask for a time that I am not providing care for another child. This is to ensure that I am available to answer all of your questions without compromising the care I provide for the children already in my care.
Tips for Smooth Transitions at Drop-Off and Pick-up
Transition times can be stressful for some children. In the morning, they may not want to say good-bye to you and at pick-up time they may not want to go because they are involved in a fun activity. This is natural and may vary with your child’s age and developmental stage.
To ease the situation, I encourage parents to take a few extra minutes to help their child feel comfortable and adjust by offering positive statements. A parent who a reluctance to depart only makes the transition harder for themselves and the child. Although parents should never sneak out without saying goodbye to their child, a brief goodbye with words to remind them that you will be back at a given time works best.
Whether you choose to stay for a while during transition or you prefer to keep transition time short, it is important that you are consistent with your routine. A child will often develop confusion when they cannot predict your departure. It also makes it much harder to predict your return.
When leaving, please do not let your child run to your car while you are still inside. Our safety rule is “no one is allowed outside with out adult supervision.” There may be other cars out and injury could occur.
Tuition and Hours of Care
My services will be available Monday through Friday from 6:30 a.m. until 6:00 p.m. There will be two occasions a month that I will require that pick up be no later than 5:30 p.m. If this will pose a challenge, please communicate with me on alternatives. Please discuss needs outside of these times and I will try to accommodate reasonable requests at a possible additional fee. I define the age of a child as follows: infant (birth thru 1st birthday); toddler (age 1-3rd birthday); preschooler (age 3-5th birthday); school-aged (5 and up). Please refer to the special needs page for rate information for children that require extra services.
2007 Tuition Rates are as follows:
Full-time
Infants (until age one) $150 per week
Toddlers (not potty trained) $140 per week
Toddlers (potty trained) $130 per week
Preschoolers (potty trained) $125 per week
Before & After Care* $75 per week
Supply Fee (Annual).......$50 per year due 1st week
(*This does not include transportation. I reserve the right to set a fee for transportation based on the location of pick-up and drop-off and the cost of gas, car maintenance and the inconvenience of moving other children in care at the time. I do not guarantee that transportation will be available to suit your needs. Please take that into consideration should you have need for this service.)
Part-time
All ages $75 per half-week
Supply Fee (Annual)........$50 per year due 1st week
Occasional
Emergency Care $8 per hour or $40 per full day
All fees are due the Friday prior to need of care, except in an emergency care situation. In those cases fees are paid in advance the day of need. Late fees are assessed at $8 per hour, per child. Grace is given for lateness based on traffic and regular timely pickups.
Care for Special Need Children
I am both proud and excited to offer care for any child. I am also aware that some children need services that I do not offer. Should your child need therapy services, I will gladly open my space to your therapist(s). I ask that you/they work with me to make their time conducive to the typical daily schedule. If special equipment is needed, you (or your therapist) must supply it.
There is a $50 per week additional fee for children who require such specialized services and attention.
Should your child have a behaviorally related issue that requires extra attention (such as hyperactivity), please share this with me and we can work together on this. In such cases I will have to charge an additional fee as I will have do decrease the number of children I care for to ensure that the needs of your child are met.
Payment Terms
All fees for the upcoming week are due on the Friday prior to care. This will enable me to secure all necessary supplies, food and any other items needed for the upcoming weeks care. I understand that financial situations arise, however, I cannot offer a delay in payment of fees as this puts a strain on our working relationship. I want this to remain a positive experience for all involved, so no exceptions for payments will be available.
Acceptable forms of payment are as follows:
Cash
Money Order
Personal Check (drawn on local banks only)
In the unlikely event of a returned check, I require a $25 returned check fee in addition to the fees I incur as a result of inconvenience. Subsequent payments will need to be made in cash or money order. If you prefer, you may pay weekly, bi-weekly or monthly. All fees, again, are due prior to the first day of services rendered.
In order to provide my own family with a stable financial situation, I cannot offer any discounts for days that your child is not in my care, such as when you are on vacation, days when your child is ill, or other days when you choose not to bring your child.
Although I realize that child care is a major expense for most working parents, I also rely on this business to support my family. Since I will be holding your child’s space for you to use at will, I appreciate your cooperation in handling fees appropriately and timely.
Holidays, Vacation and Sick Days
Although I do my very best to be available every business day, it is conceivable that I may be forced to close occasionally due to vacation, illness, or other emergency. If you cannot tolerate rare, but possible lapses in care, you may want to consider placing your child in a daycare center or make other arrangements for backup coverage. I realize your need for reliable daycare and will attempt to give as much notice as possible whenever I must close my home care for any reason.
In order to spend quality time with my own family, I will be closed on the following major holidays:
Good Friday* & Easter Sunday
Memorial Day*
July 4th
Labor Day
The Wednesday* before Thanksgiving Day thru that Friday*
Christmas Day
New Year’s Eve & Day
March 21st
On the dates noted with a star, optional care may be available, but only at my discretion and with additional fees assessed. I will take one (1) week of paid vacation between the Christmas and New Year’s holidays as most parents will be off at this time too. I will also take one to two week(s) of paid vacation in the summer, but it will occur with at least three (3) weeks advanced notice.
I will notify you in the event of one of my family being home ill to allow you to decide if you want to bring your child. No discounts will be given as I will still be available for the care of your child.
If I Become Sick
I will do my best to prevent the spread of illness through good hygiene and housekeeping, but total avoidance of illness is impossible.
I will not close the daycare if I am mildly ill due to a cold. I will, however, notify you as soon as possible should symptoms appear to give you the option of finding alternative care. Regrettably, I cannot discount for days you choose not to bring your child as I will still be available for care.
If I should become ill with more than a standard cold, such as a flu, I will close the daycare until I have been fever-free for 24 hours. I will be paid for up to (5) sick days per calendar year.
Whenever possible, I will attempt to have an alternative caregiver in my home for my own sick days, however I cannot guarantee that this will always be possible. In the event that an alternative caregiver is provided, these days will not count toward the contracted sick days.
If Your Child Becomes Ill
Although I am not a trained medical professional, I have been educated in the recognition of infectious childhood diseases and will attempt to alert you at the first sign of any illness.
In order to protect the health of all children in my care, I will call you at work and request that you pick up your child within one hour if he/she exhibits any of the following symptoms:
Fever over 100 degrees Fahrenheit for more than 1 hour
Excessive diarrhea for more than 2 consecutive diapers or toiletings
Vomiting in excess of typical infant spit-up
Conjunctivitis (“pink eye”)
Persistent complaints of ear or stomach pain
Bleeding other than minor cuts and scrapes
Excessive greenish nasal discharge, indicating possible infection
Head lice
In the event that your child is sent home for any of the above reasons, he/she may not return to until they have been symptom free for a full 24 hours, or until accompanied by a signed note from your child’s doctor. While this policy may seem inconvenient, please remember that you want a healthy atmosphere for your child and that I apply this policy regardless of the child. It is for the benefit of every child that I care for. This policy does not apply to the common cold. You should expect with the introduction of a new child that minor illness will occur until everyone’s immune systems adjust to the new exposures.
Administration of Medications
Since I am not a medical professional, I will not administer any type of medication, including prescription and over-the-counter medications, without a signed consent form. This form can be filled out when you drop your child off and must include:
The child’s name, age and current weight
The name and phone number of your child’s doctor
The name and phone number of the prescribing doctor
The name of the medication
The dosage amount and frequency
Possible side effects
Reason for needing the medication
Instructions for proper storage and preparation of medication
All prescription medications must be prescribed recently. All medications (prescribed and over-the-counter) must be in the original bottle. Also, the medication must be in a clearly labeled child-proof container. I would prefer that you place the medication in a clear plastic storage bag (re-closeable) with your child’s name on it. Please provide any necessary droppers, medicine spoons, or other dosing aids. Epi-pens and inhalers should be in their original outer package (carton), labeled with your child’s name.
As the parent of children with asthma, I am familiar with children needing breathing treatments via nebulizer. You must provide the machine, and all related items to this treatment.
Meals and Snacks
I will provide all meals and snacks, with the exception of infant formula or breast milk. All meals are prepared on-site, in my kitchen. A weekly list of meals and snack will be available the Friday before each week so that if there is an item on the list that your child needs a substitute for, you can provide it. Please inform me of allergic reactions to any food items.
The meal schedule is listed below. Children who are here during those times will be served. Children who choose not to eat during those times will not be served until the next scheduled meal time. The only exception to this is infants, who are served on the schedule set by the parents or on demand, based on your current routine. If your child will be arriving after a scheduled meal time, please arrange to feed him/her prior to arrival. This allows me to focus on the other daily activities and eliminates problems caused by children arriving with food in hand.
Meal Schedule
Breakfast: 8:00 to 8:30 a.m.
Morning Snack: 10:00 to 10:30 a.m.
Lunch: 12:30 to 1:00 p.m.
Afternoon Snack: 4:00 to 4:30 p.m.
If your child is starting on jar/strained food, please share with me the items that you are serving and the brand. I will consistently follow your lead on this staging and provide these foods. If there is a need for food outside of the scheduled list above (such as for medical reasons), please let me know so that I can accommodate that need.
Food Allergies
To avoid triggering allergic reactions, I will not serve the following foods to children under the age of 12 months of age, unless you specifically approve them (in writing) for your child:
Citrus fruits and juices
Tomato products
Nuts, including peanut butter
Soy based products
Eggs
Honey
Dairy products (i.e., cheese, ice cream)
Please alert me to any suspected food sensitivities or allergies so that I may accommodate your child’s dietary needs. Also, if you have cultural/religious concerns related to certain foods, please bring this to my attention so that it is addressed. I will gladly offer alternatives to meat for children that do not eat meat.
All children are welcome to have a second helping of any or all food upon request, after they have eaten all foods on their plate. No child will be required to eat more than one bite of anything. It is my experience that children will eat when they are hungry, and will get all of the nutrients they need when consistently presented with a variety of healthy choices.
Naps
I will offer infants a morning nap, generally between the hours of 10:00 a.m. and noon, or as needed. All children will be offered an afternoon nap shortly after lunch, generally between the hours of 1:00 p.m. and 3:00 p.m.
All children will be expected to sleep or rest quietly during this time, so that the other children who need sleep can do so. The nap time routine will include a story and or music to encourage children to fall asleep.
All bedding and linens will be provided. Please feel free to bring a favorite blanket or comfort object as long as it is something that will not disturb the other children’s rest.
No child will be exempt from naptime. In a group care situation, this would not be in your child’s best interest and would not afford me to do the things needed to continue the day’s schedule.
Also, please refrain from dropping off or picking up your child during these times as this potentially disrupts the entire group. I will attempt to accommodate occasional deviations from this policy, such as for emergencies or other necessary events.
Potty Training
The decision of when to assist your child with potty-training is a personal one and should be made based on your child’s signs of emotional and physical readiness. I will be happy to offer you verbal assistance and can recommend several good ideas and books on the subject. However, please do not request that I begin training your child until he/she has experienced prolong toileting in your own home.
Your child will need to remain in diapers or disposable training pants during daycare hours until he/she has shown the ability to remain accident-free in your home for a period of at least two weeks. This allows them to gain a sense of success and feel more secure in performing this task away from home. Asking me to allow your child to go without diapers before he/she is truly ready would cause unnecessary stress on your child and is highly discouraged.
Once a child demonstrates readiness to take on toileting in the daycare setting, I will provide a choice of a potty chair or a seat to be attached to the toilet. You will need to inform me of which item you use in your home and I will provide a similar item for your child to use. Please provide several changes of clothing for your child during this time as accidents will occur. Clothing needs to be “child friendly” and easily managed by your child. Outfits requiring adult assistance are discouraged as they interfere with the toilet training success.
Supplies
You will be responsible for providing your child’s:
Diapers/Wipes/Ointments or lotions for changing's
Sterilized bottles and nipples (liners if needed)
Infant formula or breast milk
All Prescription and over-the-counter medications
A thermometer (pacifier or under-the-arm style)
Nail clippers (for infants)
Spare clothes appropriate for the season
All other food and supplies will be provided by me. Of course, donations of all sorts of materials are always welcome. Please inform me of your schedule related to introducing foods and I will purchase the foods you request.
In order to purchase a fresh supply of crayons, constructions paper and consumable arts and craft supplies, a supply fee is assessed at the start of your child’s enrollment and is renewed annually. Field trips that charge for admission and the like are additional, but you will receive proper notice of fees related to such events.
Should you choose to bring special toys or bedding, please be aware that I cannot be responsible for damage or loss. I will provide linens and a wide variety of toys and educational products, so beyond a comfort item for napping, there will be no need for bringing personal items.
Field Trips
Many of the field trips we take will be in the Kirkwood area and likely have no fees associated with them. In the event of a fee related to a field trip, you will be notified in advance as to the cost associated with the trip.
Trips to the local library for fun child friendly events and to Fillmore Park (located at the corner of S. Fillmore and E. Clinton Ave.) will occur regularly and you are asked to sign a permission form for this in advance.
During the summer, I ask that a sun-block and insect repellent be provided for each child. We will periodically take play outside and even have “picnics” in the backyard. To ensure that your child is protected, please keep this item in their bag so that it can be applied before we go outside.
Visits & Phone Calls During Regular Care Hours
Parents or guardians are welcome to drop by unannounced at any time during the hours their child is in care. Please be aware, however, that children often do not really benefit from these visits. Many children will cry or act out during pick-up and drop-off times, but will quickly adjust and start playing happily once parents are out of sight. Having such irregular additional visits often serve only to interrupt a child’s comfortable routine, and can lead to increased distress during regular transition times.
Since I am totally devoted to the attention of the children, I seldom answer the phone during care hours. I will answer my cell phone, but please use this service only in the event of an emergency so I can truly be about the business of caring for your child.
Pick-up Policy
I will not under any circumstances release your child into the custody of anyone other than his/her parent or legal guardian, as indicated by the signatures on the contract. If you wish to have someone else pickup your child, you will need to provide a signed consent form in advance, listing the dates on which this person can pick-up your child.
In the event of an emergency, I will attempt to contact you and/or your spouse, or the child’s other legal guardian. If I do not get in contact with you, I will begin to contact the adults listed on your emergency contact list. If I am not already familiar with this person, he/she will have to provide a current, valid photo ID card from an authorized government agency (such as a driver’s license) as proof of identification before I release the child into their custody.
As an additional form of security, I will assign you a code word to be used by persons (other than the parent) when picking up the child. YOU are responsible for informing them of the code word and once the word has been used, a new word must be selected.
Discipline Policy
I am often called upon to discipline children in my care. I structure the form of discipline to match the developmental stage of the child in my care.
For children under the age of 18 months, I find it most effective to remove the child from the situation, and redirect their attention elsewhere. Although I will most likely explain to the child that the offending behavior is inappropriate, children at this age are rarely able to understand what they have done. Fortunately, at this age their attention span is rather short so showing them a different toy or activity usually does the job.
For children of the age 2 and over, I will alert them of the offense and explain that they need to “use their words” to communicate. This process validates their feelings and often helps them change their approach. If the child has a conflict with another child, I ask them to find the words to tell the child how they feel. I ask the other child to tell them what they are feeling too. This dialog teaches conflict resolution and has often aided in resolving issues. If the child cannot/will not cease the offending behavior I remove them from the area and enact a “time out”, where the child is placed in a safe but boring area to calm himself/herself. The child may return to the group when they are calm and can return to the group without inappropriate emotion.
I am a firm believer in the “win-win” approach to discipline. Children like to be valued and are more likely to adjust behavior when they feel appreciated.
Birthdays & Other Celebrations
Please feel free to bring a special treat to share with all of the children in my care on your child’s birthday, but this is certainly not necessary. You may also, if you wish, plan to attend lunch with on this special day in order to celebrate with your child. I ask that you give me one week’s notice to prepare the children for a change in our daily routine. Your child will no doubt enjoy this special day regardless of a celebration (or lack thereof) at daycare, so please do not feel obligated to plan anything elaborate.
While I do teach the children to pray at mealtime, I do not openly celebrate any one religion with the children in my care. I ask that if a holiday is coming up that you want your child to celebrate, please inform me as to how it may impact all the children in my care. I will teach the children about general holidays, but I do not teach things that may conflict with your personal faith. For example, I do not teach about Santa Claus or the “Easter Bunny.”
I service families of all backgrounds and beliefs, so I would prefer to avoid confusion in information. Should your child have a question, I will refer them to discuss it with you.
Gift Exchanges
Due to different religious and cultural practices, gifts will only be exchanged if all of the families I serve would like to participate. Typically, the children enjoy exchanging small, inexpensive gifts during the December holiday. I have been known to give a gift to children in my care before the “winter break”.
I also like to give a gift to each child on his/her birthday. However, I discourage a general exchange of gifts on birthdays because their may be as many as four gifts for the full time children in my care, not to mention children in care on a part-time basis. In addition, children often have birthday parties at their home, so exchange of presents during daycare hours is not really necessary. If parents would like to provide a special treat for the group on their child’s birthday, that would be more appropriate.
Termination of Care
Our contract may be terminated at any time for any reason, by either party with proper notice. According to the contract, proper notice will consist of written notice two weeks prior to the child’s last day. Failure to provide proper notice will forfeit your deposit and any funds that may be due you based on prepayment of services.
If at any time, after consultation with the parent or guardian, I feel it in the best interest of the children in my care to terminate care for your child, I will give you written notice of termination. This action will be reserved for extreme cases only, and I will first attempt to resolve any issues with you before resorting to termination of care. Under these circumstances, forfeiture of the deposit will be solely at my discretion.
Extended Family Home Daycare
Michelle Hamilton, Provider
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Kirkwood, Missouri 63122
Phone: 314-686-8782
Fax: xxxxxxxxxx
extended.family63122@gmail.com
Treating your child like family...
