Robin's Nest
A Christian Child Care Home

Robin’s Nest

Policies Revised August 25 2008

Welcome to Robin’s Nest. This policy was written in an effort to better acquaint you with Robin‘s Nest, my goals and commitment to the families I serve.

Encouraging children to be their best!

Robin’s Nest is dedicated to providing a warm and inviting atmosphere that allows children to develop at their own pace. I believe that it is important for a children to have a positive self-image. We have lots of fun through a variety of group activities, individual play and quiet periods. My program is opened ended the process of being creative is what is important not always the end result.

Robin’s Nest is designed to care for a maximum of six children at a time . I provide care for ages infants with no more than two under the age of 24 months. My license allows 3 additional children before and after school. I prefer to keep it to six children with the exception after school I may have seven here for a very short period of time On some days they pass each other by making it six children. Children are accepted up to kindergarten these children may grow up here for before and after school care within my license limits. During the summer only six children.

My name is Robin XXXX, I have been in business since August 18, 1985 when our daughters were 3 and 2 years old. I believe children do better is a small group with their siblings. I believe that children are a precious gift from God I will encourage children to be their best. Jesus has given me the special gift to enjoy caring for children with love, patience and with lots of energy. In the past I have 10 years experience of a Sunday school teacher another six years running a Sunday school as a superintendent.  For over three years I volunteer to give one children’s sermon a month at church. I belong to a childcare providers group in town for education and support, I am certified in first aid and CPR. My hobby is quilting I enjoy spending time with my family. My husband Jeff of over 31 years is supportive of my business. We have two adult daughters. With Gods help it is my sincere desire to bring honor to God in Robin’s Nest until retirement.

Parental Responsibilities

INFO ON CHILD TO BE FILED BEFORE FIRST DAY OF DAYCARE

1. Provide necessary information on all registration forms
2. Insure that the child's immunizations are kept up to date, and provide the immunization information and physicians signature as required by state regulations.

TUITION

1, Fees must be paid on time each Friday on arrival when you drop off your child unless prior arrangements have been made. Or the last day of the workweek if I am closed. Other wise No Pay No Play on Monday.

COMPLY WITH THE PROGRAM RULES

I agree to provide childcare for your children up to a contracted 9.5 hours per day during the hours of 6:30 AM to 5:00 PM Monday thru Friday. Any time over 9.5 hours is considered overtime. All hours are scheduled. In the future I will only be accepting children 7AM-5PM.

After a two-week trial period, I require a two-week written notice.

Standards
I am a licensed provider in the state of Connecticut and I will comply with all the standards put forth by the State. I am licensed to provide care for six children with no more than two under the age of 2 and an additional 3 school age children during the school calendar year. I would like to keep a smaller group so more individual attention can be focused on each child.

Infants: age 8 weeks to 17 months

Toddlers: age 18 months to 35 months

Preschool: ages 3 – 5

School age: 1^st grade and older

This fee includes meals and snacks for ages 12 months and older: breakfast at 8:30, AM snack at 10:00, lunch at 12.00, snack at 3:30, Learning program, Themes apples to zoo, alphabet, numbers, shapes and colors. We cut, glue, paint, play dough, cooking lessons, music, songs and rhymes. We have a Christian program with a bible story and an activity to go with it. Infants I provide snacks starting at 8 months. But not diapers, wipes or a pack-n-play.

Meals: Infants under 12 months of age I feel that is better for parents to provide foods that they are used to eating at home. Please bring bottles of formula, breakfast and lunch already prepared. At 8 months of age I can provide snacks. If you are in need of suggestions I have a sheet of suggested meals for infants I would be happy to give to you.

Is adapted from Creative Curriculum for Family Child Care

The focus is to learn about themselves and the world around them and feel good about themselves and capable as learners.

Adventures in Learning a preschool curriculum

The focus is to be ready for kindergarten.

Christian program adapted from Little Hands to Heaven

The focus is to know that Jesus loves them and cares about them and the world they live in.

Also few of my own ideas and other sources too.

(May to October) or free choice of play

5:00 closed

This is an idea of how we spend our day.

You agree to pick up your child (ren) on time. An additional fee of $5.00 per quarter hour will be charged if you are late and have not notified me. In the event of an emergency, you agree to notify me as soon as possible and let me know what time you will arrive. It is not okay to work late or run errands past my closing time please don’t ask. You will sign a form prior to your child’s first day of care indicating any individuals who are authorized to pick up your child (ren). You will agree to notify me prior to any day one of these individuals (other than yourself) will pick up the child.

The rate for care will be:

FULL TIME: up to a maximum of 9.5 hours per day (47.5 hours per week)

School Age before and after school:

Is reserved only for enrolled families on summer vacation or any other leave

$40.00 between the hours of 8 AM – 4 PM arriving after 8AM pick up is still before 4PM

Please do not regularly extend your child’s day here . Please be consistent with the times you pick up your child they are looking forward to see you as they see other children being picked up. Your child knows the schedule and maybe upset if it changes.

If your child is absent payment is still required unless it is a drop in.

I will be paid for the following holidays:

I will not be providing care on the following personal days you will not be charged for these days.

Day before or after July 4^th, August 21 or about, and the third Friday in September off. Christmas Eve closing at 4PM. If I may have to take other personal days off notice will be given. I will take Friday and the following week off December 29- January 2^nd off charge including New Year’ s Day.

Parents need to have a back up in the event I am sick or closed.

You will not be charged for of two weeks vacation time per year provided you let me know at least two weeks in advance. In weeks not days. I will take three weeks of vacation per year; Christmas week and two weeks in the summer. I will let you know at least one month in advance and you will not be charged for this time.

We will agree on overtime hours in advance with an overtime fee of $12.00 per hour over 9.5 a day with in my business hours. My closing time 5:00 PM and you have failed to inform me in advance a late fee of $5.00 per increments of 1 – 15 minutes on arrival. Repeated offenders maybe terminated.

Fees may be renegotiated on or before and any changes will be effective on the following of that same calendar year with a two-week notice. I may change rates or conditions with a two-week notice.

Each child is required by state regulations to have on file a health statement, which includes a record of up-to-date immunizations and the signature of the child's source of medical care. If a child's health care summary is not complete at the time of enrollment or within thirty days after enrollment, the parents will be asked to withdraw their child from Robin’s Nest until such time as the required documentation is complete. Each child who has not had a physical within the last year must have one before childcare can be provided. A doctor or a public health nurse may do this physical. I must have on file a signed form authorizing emergency care. Emergency numbers for reaching parents or guardian and another authorized person must also be on file.

Mandated reporter
I am a mandated reporter of suspected child abuse.  Your child’s welfare will always come first.  If any child shows evidence of abuse, the Licensing Dept will be notified.  If you ever suspect a child is being abused or neglected here, you may call 1-800-282-6063 to make a report. Please note as a licensed provider I am required to give you this number. When I am inspected they may contact you by a letter with many questions about the care I give. They will ask you if I gave you the telephone number.

In the interest of all children, it is best to keep a sick child at home if they

have any of the following conditions; rash a contagious disease, a fever of 101 or higher, lice or nits or any other illness that requires an excessive amount of individual adult attention. As a parent, you know best when it is more appropriate for your child to be comforted by you at home than being sent to a day care home. We don’t want sick children to share their illness with the other children. Sick children need extra attention and nurturing in doing that I would be shortchanging the other children at the expense of the ill child. When your child is sick, you should notify me by 6:30/7 AM in the morning, or the night before if possible before 8:00 PM. Payment is still required. If I am sick I will notify you by 6:00 AM I will not be paid for the day.

When your child becomes ill in my home, I will notify you as soon as possible to discuss treatment and/or early or immediate pick up. Your child must be picked up within an hour whenever possible, unless a mutually agreed upon time is set. You agree to accept and trust my judgment of how sick your child has become while in my care.

If your child is seen by a doctor for an illness, he/she must return with a note from that doctor indicating the type of illness, expected term of illness, medication child is on, and if illness is contagious. If your child begins taking an antibiotic, he/she must stay home for at least 24 hours after the medication has been started.

As part of this contract, you agree to sign a medical information and permission form for your child (ren) and I will keep the form(s) accessible.

To help prevent sickness children are served healthy meals lots of whole grains, fresh fruit and vegetables a diet low in sugar. We also get outside and get exercise. I also have a small size childcare.

Pets
We have one older cat Salem who is an inside and outside cat and a dog Abbey that is kept separate outside from the children their vaccines are kept up to date. We also have two parakeets named Lemon and Lime. Salem likes to nap on the couch when children are napping on their mats. Abbey at a distance enjoys watching children play in our fenced in play yard. Lemon and Lime enjoy music time with the children they join in and will play their bells.

We go for walks around the neighborhood. I feel the safest place isn’t in a car.

Meals and Snacks
Robin’s Nest provides breakfast, morning snack, lunch and an afternoon snack to all non-infant children over the age of 12 months, I do provide snacks to infants over the age of eight months. If your child has allergies to my menu please provide what is needed. Please do not bring snacks unless you bring enough to share with everyone. I will dispense these at the appropriate time. Food served during the day will include servings from each of the four food groups as defined by the U.S.D.A. You may bring special treats for birthdays as long as you let me know in advance, as we will be celebrating all children's birthdays here. NO GUM ALLOWED.

Parents of infants under 12 months: Please provide formula in two or three bottles daily ready to eat meals in containers or jars. For example if you want me to give your baby breakfast have a container cereal already prepared with fruit in it or a jar of fruit. I will return the containers daily rinsed and let you know how your baby ate.

Meals ages 12 months and older

All breakfast and lunches are served with whole milk for children under the age of two. Breakfast is a light meal most children have already had breakfast or don’t have a good appetite yet.

If you feed your child before arrival it is very much appreciated that that the first ingredient in the meal isn’t sugar. Some children react aggressively with too much sugar in their diet.

We celebrate children’s birthdays on their birthday if their birthday fall on a day that they are not here it will be the next day that they are scheduled here. The birthday child receives a small gift from Robin’s Nest and if their friends would like to give birthday cards. Parents provide the birthday treat. Please see me before hand to see if any children have allergies and so that there is enough for all the children. For Christmas time children may participate in a secret pal gifts of $5.00 to $10.00 gift. They can guess after. All children receive a gift from Robin’s Nest. We have a birthday treat for Jesus and sing Happy Birthday. Parents are welcome to come to our Christmas party.

Toys
Robin’s Nest will provide a lots of toys to play with here. Please do not bring any toys from home as this causes jealousy and fighting among the children. School age (first grade and older) may bring a toy for rest/quiet time.

Naps
Children five and under will take a nap or rest after lunch usually between 12:30 to 3:00. If they are still a sleep after 3PM I will not wake them up. I provide a mat quilt made with love, pillow with sheets, and a book of their choice. Parents of children under the age of two will provide a pack-n-play in good condition until they sleep on mats . Older children will have quiet time during naptime. On Occasionally I have parents ask if their child can skip the nap. They cannot because I have a group of six children it isn’t possible for me to have children follow a different schedule. Infants under 12 months are put to sleep on their backs.

Discipline
Acceptable behavior is encouraged by giving positive verbal rewards. This reinforces a child's good feeling about his/her behavior and serves as an example to the children to act in such a way as to receive this praise. Asking a child to stop and think about their behavior enables the child to work at self-control. Depending on the situation, one warning is usually given and the child reminded of acceptable behavior. The next step would be a timeout. This timeout is not a punishment, but rather a time when the child may calm down, remember what behavior is acceptable, and decide when they are ready to rejoin the group with appropriate behavior. If timeouts are not effective, some sort of consequence will be imposed. This may range from a favorite toy being taken away for a period of time, to being excluded from a favorite activity. Naturally, parents will be advised. Toddlers who don’t have their speaking skills at times at out with hitting, biting etc… I will do all that I can to help them develop self-control. If within a reasonable time I am unable to control a child from hurting others it may be best for the child to leave this childcare. Usually they stop within a couple of weeks. Corporal punishment is not considered to be an accepted method of dealing with young child's behavior.

Rules:

Walk in the house, run outside

Quiet voices inside louder ones outside

Use your hands to be kind never hit only high fives and to be helpful and creative

Use your mouth to be kind, don’t bite, tattle, and no name calling

Sit on furniture, climb and walk on climbers outside

Stay with your parents going to the car

Each month a News Letter
Preschool and school age : You will be given a daily verbal of how your child's day was.

Infants and Two’s: You will have a journal please make any comments, or anything I should be aware of. Please return daily. If I don’t receive it back I tell you how your infant or toddlers day was. Parents are encouraged to visit Robin’s Nest at any time during my business hours. If I am not free to speak with you when you come to visit or call, please understand that the children come first during times of operation. You can always call me.

Please dress your children in clothes that they can play in. No two day’s are completely a like we make snacks, paint, glue, use markers, go for walks sometimes even in puddles. We enjoy our days.

Shoes:

Please dress your child in easy to put on shoes, zipper, Velcro’s, slip on. Tying shoes I feel is something they should learn at home. So they don’t have to wait too long because there are six little ones going out. This is very much appreciated.

Tote bag: please bring only what you need complete change of clothes for your infant to preschooler.

In the winter:

We go out for walks please bring coats for infants I don’t have the drop in car seat stroller. Warm clothes, hat and mittens that fit easily. Fleece with Velcro’s has the best fit for children. We need to get out as quick as we can so they don’t over heat. Children wearing diapers must have their diapers covered with clothing for those messy diapers. We need to keep it sanitary.

Please do not bring your child that isn’t enrolled in Robin’s Nest to stay and play at drop off or pick up. If I don’t have more than five children here they may come in and stay on the blue carpet while waiting or at the fence gate outside. My license limits is six. I am not able to have neighborhood children, friends or childcare providers with their children and enrolled children siblings who are not enrolled.

Potty training is an important milestone for toddlers and young preschoolers. The process of learning to recognize when they have to go, getting to the bathroom on time, unfastening clothes, wiping, refastening clothes, flushing and washing hands is quite long. This is not a simple process. It takes a lot of patience on the part of everyone involved - parent, providers and most importantly, the children.

Signs your child may be ready to use the toilet are an awareness of what is happening, the ability to communicate, and the motivation to be out of diapers. Children should stay in diapers until potty training has progressed to the point of just a few accidents. The more accidents that are in the childcare, the more difficult it is to keep it sanitary.

We will continue to encourage those children beginning toilet training by giving them the opportunity to visit the bathroom. To introduce the children to the potty, I have them sit down on the toilet for a short period of time to get used to the idea of sitting there. I repeat this every so often. Using the toilet is a skill that takes most toddlers several months to figure out.

If your child is consistently using the toilet, please try to avoid "onsies" as these can make it more difficult for children to get out of and can be frustrating if your child is in a hurry. Unless your child is consistently using the toilet and staying dry, please do not use "Pull-ups," the time required to completely undress and redress your child after wetting or soiling takes away from the daily activity and programming. Elastic waist paints, regular t-shirts and beltless pants make toilet training easier and more successful for your child.

Toilet training it is time consuming to undress and redress a child. Following these guidelines will make toilet training a more positive and rewarding experience for your child and allow us adequate time for our activities and outside play. Criteria for wearing underpants is after two weeks of no accidents. Of course a few accidents are expected, but continued accidents will require the return to diapers. Please feel free to call me if you have any questions regarding this policy. Thank you for your anticipated cooperation!

Please inform me of your child's favorite games, things to do, etc. Also inform me if your child has any allergies, special routines for naptime, fears, (i.e.: scared of dark, shut doors, etc.). Or anything else about your child's likes and dislikes (such as foods) that

you feel would be helpful to me. I'd like to do whatever is possible to make your child's time here more comfortable and fun. The more I know about your child, the better I can help him or her adapt to their new daycare.