Denise’s Li’l Dumplins
FAMILY HOME PRESCHOOL
WHEN YOUR CHILD STARTS PRESCHOOL / DAYCARE
It’s normal for a child to have some fears and misgivings about starting day care. Children need time to get used to new situations. Depending on their ages, some children will temporarily “act out” their feelings by clinging to you and refusing to let go. Please work with me on this.
ESTABLISHING A GOOD RELATIONSHIP
You are welcome to spend time at the in-home care before you enroll your child and to ask questions about the program and observe the activities. I will make sure I have all of the information needed about you and your child/family to provide good care. I strongly feel that parental involvement is an important part of a successful experience. Please read all of the materials I provide for you: Notices, Special Requests, Notes, Newsletters, etc.
Feel free to drop in occasionally during the day to observe how your child interacts with me and other children, and get a good picture of the day-to-day activities. Please be careful not to disrupt activities.
Keep your side of the bargain. Pick up your child on time. (I will honor special requests ahead of time)
My main responsibility is caring for your child. It is important to let me know about things at home that may affect how your child is doing in day care. (confidentially)
TALK THINGS OVER WITH YOUR CHILD
Make an opportunity each day to gently ask questions when your child is quiet and feeling secure and protected. Share their excitement about new friends, new skills, and new abilities; listen to their concerns; and give them a chance to boast about their achievements.
ENROLLMENT AND PAYMENT
In-home care hours are 7:00 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Monday-Friday
If you drop off or pick up your child before or after the above hours there will be an additional $1.00 per min. overtime charge except under special prearranged circumstances. Parents will be responsible for late charges immediately. Please don’t ask me if you owe a late charge when you know you have been late, (it is embarrassing for both you and me.)
Three or more days are considered a full week and will be charged the weekly rate.
Deposit Fee: A deposit is required in the amount of one week of child care tuition to be applied to the final week of child care. This deposit will be forfeited if the child does not come for care as agreed.
When terminating child care I require a written notice three weeks in advance with one child in care or four weeks in advance with two children in care. Failure to provide the required notice will result in forfeiture of the deposit fee and parents will be liable for three or four weeks of pay whichever applies.
All fees are due no later than Monday (for the current week) or you can pay the previous Friday. If you are aware that your child will be absent on Monday please pay the Friday before. A late charge of $5.00 per day will be assessed if your fee is not paid on time and your child may not be accepted until your fee is paid.
Checks are accepted. There will be a $25.00 fee charge on any returned checks from the bank. Parents will also be responsible for all fees related to returned checks that the provider incurs. Please do not ask me to hold checks.
Please understand that my 7:00 to 5:30 schedule is only “child care hours” and does not reflect all of the additional hours necessary to provide quality child care. I will try to be here for you in case of emergencies.
VACATION / HOLIDAY AND ABSENCE
Each year I will take two weeks of vacation at no cost to you. Usually one in the Spring and one in the Fall. Parents will be notified at the beginning of the year which weeks these will be. In addition, parents are also allowed one week of vacation at no cost to them. Please inform me of your vacation plans early in the year so that may plan activities around that time. If your child doesn’t take vacation, it can not be carried over into the following year.
If your child is absent for one or more weeks (other than the vacation week allowed) and you wish to hold his/her spot, you must pay half (1/2) of your regular weekly tuition fee. This includes holiday weeks such as Thanksgiving or Christmas. As stated before, Three or more days are considered a full week and will be charged the weekly rate.
Paid Holidays & Day Care Closings: New Years Day, M.L. King Day, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving Day (and the day after), Christmas Eve & Christmas Day.
TERMINATION PROCEDURE
I specialize in child care between 2 years and 5 years of age; this agreement will terminate on the Friday following your child’s fifth birthday unless special temporary arrangements have been made between the parent and provider.
The first thirty (30) days of care are probationary for parent, child and provider. We will use this time to become more familiar and comfortable with one another, to feel things out. If things do not work out, this agreement may be terminated at any time during this period by either party. Otherwise, either parent or I must give written notice three weeks for one child or four weeks for two children in care in advance of ending date.
I will cancel the agreement without notice under certain circumstances; if the parent does not make payment when due, if child requires more care or attention than I’m able to give, or if I do not receive proper cooperation from the parents concerning the child’s needs.
INJURIES, ILLNESS AND EMERGENCIES
Injuries:
Scratches, scrapes, bumps and bruises are inevitable when children play and will be treated. For anything more serious you will be notified at once.
If a child needs medication administered then parents will be required to fill out an administration of medication release and dosage form for each medication; date, time and dosage will be recorded. All medications will need to be in their original container.
Illnesses:
The State of Texas prohibits me from keeping ill children. If your child has a temperature greater than 100.4, diarrhea, vomiting or a contagious or undiagnosed rash, you will be called immediately. Low-grade fever according to age will be called in for verbal advice. If a child is seriously sick or injured while in my care, the parents will be notified immediately. It is important that you pick up your child as soon as possible.
If your child needs immediate medical attention, I must call your child’s physician, take the child to the nearest emergency room or minor emergency clinic, or call for an ambulance then I must have your authorization for emergency medical care.
Should a child have an extended illness (more than a week), the full weekly rate will be payable for the first week with ½ of the weekly rate payable for subsequent weeks to hold the child’s place.
If I or my own child becomes ill (contagious) during day care hours, you will be notified and a decision will be made based on the nature of the illness whether or not the day care will be closed for the duration of the illness.
Emergencies:
Periodically throughout the year a Fire Drill and 911 Emergency Drill will be conducted under my direction. In case of fire, we will vacate to a neighbor’s house.
In case of injury, I will: 1) See to the child first. 2) Apply emergency First Aid or CPR. 3) Call 911 and 4) Contact the parent. Your child will be taken to Medical Center of Plano if that becomes necessary. It is incumbent upon you to check with the Hospital Emergency Room to find out what kind of forms they require to be on file for treatment in case of parental absence. Parents assume all financial responsibility for medical treatment. Denise Payne will not be held responsible for sickness or injury of your child while in her home or in transit to and from her home.
PARENT RESPONSIBILITIES
I must get certain information and records from parents to ensure the child’s health and safety.
Please make sure I keep a current copy of your child’s immunization record on file. Please complete an enrollment form that includes basic information about your child; telephone numbers where you can be reached during the day and authorization for emergency care for your child.
Inform me about any special concerns or needs, including allergies, medical history and current medications.
Please note that your child will only be released to persons other than parents with prearrangements made between parent and me. Inform me in writing about who is permitted to take your child from the in-home care. Identification MUST be shown before I release a child to an adult other than the parent. I will not release a child to school age children (brother or sister).
Please provide me the necessities for your child’s comfort:
Disposable diapers/Pull-ups/Underpants (whichever applies)
Complete change of clothing (suitable for the weather)
Bottles, etc.
All medications
Hair brush, tooth brush and paste (if applicable)
If your child breaks a window or damages property through misconduct, you will be responsible for the replacement or repair of the property. This does not include small toys the children play with daily, but will include larger more expensive toys, equipment and property.
ACTIVITIES
I have varied activities throughout the day ranging from Arts & Crafts, Motor Skills activities, Puzzles, Sing along songs, Dancing, Exercising, Story Time, Learning Time (shapes, colors, numbers, alphabet, etc), and free play (outside if weather permits) to name a few.
NAP and REST TIME
Afternoon naps will be daily between the hours of 12:30 p.m. and 3:00 p.m. All children will nap in the afternoon. If your child doesn’t nap, he or she may rest quietly during nap time.
If your child sleeps with a blanket or a favorite soft toy, they are welcome to bring them along. Children will not be put to bed with a bottle. If the child is tired he/she will not be kept awake for parents convenience.
DISCIPLINE
Children will NOT be spanked, called names or shamed in any way.
Discipline is handled in a positive manner with redirection, encouragement, consistency, explanation and occasionally a time-out. The goal of discipline is to help the child develop appropriate levels of control and constructive behavior while maintaining their positive self image. Always gentle, but firm.
MEAL and FOOD
I make every attempt to provide enjoyable and nutritious meals. I offer a variety of foods. Your child is encouraged to try new things but never forced. Lunch and a Snacks are served each day at no additional charge. Our meal schedule is as follows:
Morning Snack….…….....7:30 a.m. 8:30 a.m.
Lunch……………………11:30 a.m. until 12:30 p.m.
Afternoon Snack…………3:30 p.m. until 4:30 p.m.
POTTY TRAINING
The parent and I have to work together to be successful. 24 to 30 months of age is a good rule of thumb to start checking for signs of readiness.
Potty Trained: The child is capable of using the toilet, but it is the adult who trains the child to go to the bathroom on time. Accidents often occur. It is the first step in the total process.
Potty Learned: The child is not only capable of using the toilet, but has the developmental ability to express the need to go. Accidents occur, but infrequently.
If potty training has begun when your child is ready, the task is quick and easy. If a parent undertakes the task of potty training when they want it to happen, the task is arduous and painful for all concerned.
When you feel your child is ready for toilet teaching, I ask that you begin teaching this at home. After a successful weekend, I will follow through and encourage your child while in my care. Please keep in mind the activity level here can distract your child from responding to an urge to use the potty, more so than at home. Therefore, I will continue to use diapers or Pull-ups until your child is able to announce that he/she must use the bathroom and can control his/her bladder and bowels for a few minutes. When he/she has reached this point, 5-ply training pants will be used and elastic wasted pants ONLY. Anything else sets up your child for failure. In addition, I must have two or three complete changes of clothing and several pairs of thick training pants. If your child does not have immediate success, he/she will be put back into diapers or Pull-ups and after a respite, the process will be attempted again. This does not harm the child in any way; in fact, keeping a child in “grown-ups” pants when they are not successful is harmful.
BACKUP CARE
Parents are responsible for having an emergency backup person to care for their child in the event that I am not able to. I will try to offer names of backup providers for you to use, but I cannot guarantee their availability.
GENERAL INFORMATION
Please let me know if your child will not be in attendance for the day or if he/she will be arriving late or leaving early.
Please let me know if you want to discuss something which has taken place at the daycare, that you would like to see take place or if you would just like to discuss your child. Since it is difficult to spend time talking with parents during business hours and while dropping off or picking up your child, I have set aside some time for parent conferences from the hours of 7:00 – 9:00 p.m. by phone or at my home with advance notice Mondays, Wednesdays or Fridays.
If you are like me with children, I know that your time is valuable and you would rather have your child ready to go when you show up. To make it convenient and pleasant for everyone involved, if you are planning to pick up your child more than 30 minutes earlier than the normal time; please let me know earlier in the day. I take pride in having your child clean and ready to go when you arrive and in the confusion of rushing, things can and do get left behind. This will benefit you and I so that you will not have to wait on your child.
I ask that you please respect my neighbors by not blocking their driveway or double parking. Help me maintain good relations with my neighbors.
REGISTRATION
Before a child can participate in this program the parent(s)/guardian of the child must complete, sign, date and return to me the following forms:
1. Contract Agreement (This form must be notarized)
2. Authorization and Release Agreement
3. Current copy of child’s Immunization Record
4. Authorization For Emergency Medical Care
5. Authorization For Dispensing Medication (if needed)
Copyright © 2006 - Denise Payne - All Rights Reserved