Parent Handbook and Some Questions                                   Answered.

 Please find here our day-to-day policies that we use in the childcare and the answers to some questions that have come up over the years. And, of course, please feel free to ask us for information anytime.  Please remember: In parenting and childcare, "Big things build on little things." 

Morning Drop Offs:

Your child will handle the drop off as well as you do. Every child who is able, should be holding her parent's hand and walking in. There is a world of difference between being carried in, to be "dumped off" at childcare, and walking into a place where you "belong." As caregivers, we don't want to be the ones to peel a child from her parents every morning while the child is crying. We want your child to feel as if she's walking into a special space where she belongs. The expectation of the child walking in, with the parent securely holding his child's hand has sound reasons behind it. Of course, number one is safety. Children this age should always be holding their parent's hand  when out on the street, walking up a driveway, or in any public place. Secondarily, this expectation supports the "reasonable expectations" part of parenting. It builds on the concept that a parent knows what's best for the child, will keep the child safe, and will expect the child to listen when given a directive. "Okay, hold my hand, and we'll walk in."  This is all a part of Appropriate Developmental Practice." 

Drop offs should be short and sweet, "See ya later, alligator!"  It's perfectly normal for a child to feel sad when a parent leaves. (It indicates an appropriate bond.) Feelings are okay here. We will attend to your child and validate your child's feelings," You didn't want to see him/her go, did you?" And then assure him that, "It's okay to be sad when Mommy/Daddy leaves." (Or "mad," as the case may be.) And then, "When you're finished being sad/mad, we can find you something to do." 

*The longer a parent lingers, the more difficult the separation will be.*

Once a parent has said goodbye, your child will remove her shoes, (with provider help if necessary), and put them in the shoe shelf, and then hang up her outerwear on the hooks. (Building practical life skills is all a part of the "I am lovable and capable philosophy.")

Please tell us if your child hasn't gotten a good night sleep, or hasn't eaten a good breakfast, so we are  aware of a "fatigue factor" or hunger in play with your child's day. 

 

"It's easier to build strong children than to repair broken adults."   

                                                       Frederick Douglass

End of Day and Pickups:

We take seriously the term licensed "family" childcare and encourage a sense of loving community of care. Parents are welcome to spend some time here at the end of the day. Please respect the classroom setting and enter the classroom calmly.  It's perfectly acceptable for a parent to want to quietly observe his child interacting with the classroom environment and parents are welcome to spend some time in the classroom or the playground at the end of the day. 

Please don't park  your car within view of the classroom and delay pickup while finishing a call or email.  It is distressing  for your child to be able to see you, but not have you come get him immediately.

Please don't enter the classroom while on a cel call. Pickups are an important part of your child's day and she needs your full attention.

Please be respectful of the classroom environment when collecting your child. "Inside voices" rule applies to everyone.

Dirty or wet clothes can be found hanging on the line outside the preschool entrance, or in a plastic bag in your child's cubby. Please label your child's clothing with his name for easy end-of- the-day identification.

Shoes should be located in the shoe cubby next to the door or on the shoe shelf out back.

Everyone shops at the same places! Please label your child's clothes or be prepared to sort out whose is who's at pick up. (Especially socks!)

 

"Adam and Eve had many advantages, but the principle one was that they escaped teething."  

                                                                                Mark Twain

Sick Child Policy:

*Parents must tell us if they or a family member has been exposed to Covid or has tested positive for Covid!  Covid is a health hazard to us all!  *

Sick children deserve to be home.

Please keep your child home until he is symptom free for twenty-four hours.

Regarding, coughs, runny-noses, and minor symptoms: we realize that with a young group everyone is building immunities and children's noses will run, they will cough, typically in the damp winter months. As long as your child can successfully navigate our day here, she is welcome. Any signs of fever, ear pain, lethargy and we will call a parent. Please keep all contact numbers current. 

*** All children, parents, and staff must be                                        fully vaccinated! ***

Pacifiers:

We are a pacifier-free zone. Please leave your child's pacifier in the car. Communication skills are a hallmark of  the Developmentally Appropriate Environment. Children are encouraged to "use your words" and are coached in communication skills. A child intent on holding a pacifier between his teeth cannot develop appropriate verbal skills. Additionally, pacifiers are detrimental to good tooth and bite development.

 

White Noise Machines:

If you are using a white noise machine in your child's room, please stop. Using a noise machine deprives your child of the ability to self-soothe, to put herself to sleep, and to adjust to ambient sounds. Additionally, the American Academy of Pediatricians cautions that noise machines turned up over 50 decibels actually harms children's hearing. It will make you child's transition to childcare much smoother if your child is already accustomed to self-soothing at nap time.

Biting:

Biting hurts! Sadly, it happens in a young. pre-verbal group. Younger children have yet to develop a sense of "boundaries," getting too close to each other, taking things from others without asking. It's all part of developing social skills. Children frustrated and unable to express themselves, at times, will bite.  As care givers we endeavor to provide a safe environment for every child and try to prevent the situation before it happens. If that fails, we remove the "biter" from the situation immediately, caution him to "Be gentle!"  and (gently) touch his mouth with our fingers so he understands that is what isn't alright. We never use the word "bite." Even if one tells a child, "No biting!"  what the child hears is "Biting.! And the others hear it as well. It can become contagious. We will work with parents to develop and appropriate paln to alleviate the biting, but if the child is deemd a hazrd to the others' safety, he will have to leave the enrollment.

Of course, the hurt child is immediately tended with ice and hugs. 

 

Typically, as children grow older and more proficient at expressing themselves verbally, the  urge to bite dissipates. If a child is a persistent biter, he/she will have to leave the enrollment. Children who pose a physical hazard to the others are asked to leave and no tuition deposit is refunded

 

Nap Protocol:

Each child will have a dedicated nap mat or porta crib, depending on the age of the child. Most children are out of a porta crib and on a nap mat by eighteen months. We supply all nap linens and wash them once a week, or as necessary, whichever comes first. Infants still in porta cribs are placed in sleep sacks, with nothing else in the crib. Infant nap times are noted on the dry erase board. 

Diapering:

Children are changed regularly, and "as needed" throughout the day. We provide diapers, wipes, ointments, and sunblock for all the children in our care. We will note bowel movements of the infants in our care on the white boards. 

Toileting:

We keep it positive! Typically, we wait for a child to have had some successes at home before we start the process here. Children are encouraged to sit on the toilet at regular intervals while we keep the process positive.  Please keep spare underwear in your child's cubby ! Accidents happen!

 

Every child is an artist. The problem is how to remain an artist once he grows up.”

                                                                                                   Pablo Picasso

It's "process" not "product" here.  Each activity is designed to be attractive and pleasurable to the children, as well as having developmental value. Activities may be messy as children acquire fine motor skills. And, as children learn by doing, we allow the children their "messes." And help and encourage them to tidy them up.

Above all, we endeavor to "keep it loving" with our directives and interactions. No child wants to be "ordered around " or hear "Don't!" all day. And, as care providers, we don't want to be "that person" either.

"Discipline:" 

Loving discipline is a component of learning and, once again, we strive to keep it positive. Emotional support, reasonable limits; logical consequences.

Emotional support: "You sound mad to me. It's okay to be mad. Just let me know when you're finished being mad and we'll work on this together."

 

Reasonable Limit: "Blocks a for building on the floor so no one gets hurt. Blocks are for building, please show me how you can build..."

Logical Consequence: "I've asked you twice to do a good job with the blocks. If you throw the blocks, you'll have to leave the block area."

Meals:

We provide nutritious meals, breakfast, lunch, and afternoon snack. (No need to pack food, daily!) All meals are served family style. Proteins provided include eggs, cheese, PeanutButter, and beans. Our ingredients are high fructose corn syrup, dextrose free. Each meal includes a fruit, vegetable, or both. (Examples: Peanut Butter, honey on whole wheat bread; beans and brown rice, quesadillas, homemade macaroni and cheese, homemade/ child made cheese pizza, eggs and brown rice.) The children frequently participate in meal prep and make home made granola, smoothies, muffins, kale chips, pizza, and other foods.

So much learning and so many skills are acquired at a family style meal: sitting for meals, respect for food, trying different foods, table manners, "minding" their cups, passing food to others, conversation, and clearing their places when finished.

Once a child turns two, he becomes a "no lid kid" and learns to manage a regular, child-sized cup.- -a sometimes messy process. Children are encouraged to wipe up their spills. ("That's okay, spills happen. Just do a good job wiping it up.")

Diapering:

We provide diapers, wipes, ointments, sun block, and face cloths for the children. (No need to pack a diaper bag!)  Diaper checks/changes on all children are done regularly throughout the day, and, of course, "as needed."

Toilet Training:

Toilet training should be a positive experience. We wait until your child has had some successes at home first, before starting it here. There is nothing more frustrating to both parties than trying to toilet train before your child is ready. Our children's bathroom is "downsized " to provide a child-friendly experience and ...have faith. It will happen.

Naps:

We provide porta cribs, mats, sleep sacks, nap linens, and blankets designated for each child. All nap linens and blankets are specific to each child and laundered regularly here. No child will share a mat, nap sheets or blankets with another child. 

***We follow all "Safe Sleep Protocols.***

"We have a designated nap room and designated porta cribs for children who need morning naps or who aren't mat-trained, yet.  Porta-crib children sleep in sleep sacks with nothing else in the porta crib.

Older, one-nap-a-day children, go down on their designated mats after lunch, toileting/diaper checks. Care givers help settle the children in. Children may sleep as long as they need, -- or as long as their parent needs. With the parent, we find a balance so that your child gets enough rest to be able to enjoy his evenings at home, while still getting a good night's sleep.

If you bungle raising your children I don't think that very much else you do matters.                                                                                         

                                                                                                  Jaqueline Kennedy

Typically, when a child isn't being given appropriate boundaries there are three things he/she won't do:

* Eat* Sleep* Use the toilet***

     (Any of them; all of them.)