PARENT HANDBOOK

• encourage verbalization, flash cards, reading to the children and flannel boards.

Dramatic play: Dress up, role playing, puppetry, etc.

Outdoor play(gross motor): climbing, riding toys, running, ball playing, gardening toys, trucks, slide, and water play. In the winter I will be able to bring some gross motor equipment inside for physical play!

Typical Daily Routines
▪ Arrival and Greeting
▪ Breakfast and clean up
▪ Bathroom and/or diaper change and hand washing
▪ Infants usually nap in the morning as well as the afternoon
▪ Circle time (including calendar, songs, finger plays, story time etc.) ▪ Arts and crafts or other learning activity
▪ Bathroom and/or diaper change and hand washing
▪ Outdoor play (weather permitting) or other gross motor activity
▪ Hand washing
▪ Lunch and clean up
▪ Bathroom and/or diaper change and hand washing
▪ Nap time
▪ Bathroom and/or diaper change and hand washing
▪ Snack and clean up
▪ Free play
▪ Parents arrive to pick up children

☺ Note Bathroom and /or diaper change times vary to meet the child’s needs. This is a general schedule and is dictated mostly by the children’s needs and feelings each day. Diapers will be changed every three hours unless they have a bowel movement.

**A quiet/rest/NAPTIME will be required for all children, regardless of age. (Younger toddlers may require 2 naps, as needed) Nap adjustments for older children are at the discretion of the provider and group dynamic. Healthy daytime rest= successful nighttime sleep! Special blanket or stuffed animals welcome! Please avoid dropping off /picking up your child during nap time, as it can be disruptive to the rest of the sleeping group. Please text or call in advance if you cannot avoid a nap time drop off

Policies and Procedures

*Provider will close if too ill to care for your child with as much notice as possible. IF providers own children become ill, you will be notified if provider will remain open or close, & give you the opportunity to choose whether or not you'd like to bring your children. If the provider remains open & you chose not to attend, regular flat weekly rate applies. If the provider closes, you will be credited for that day.

Paid holiday closings: Closing days: paid unless stated otherwise

▪ Monday January 19th Martin Luther King Day ▪ Monday Feb. 16h- Presidents Day
▪ Monday May 25th – Memorial Day
▪ Friday July 4th- Independence Day

▪ Monday September 7st -Labor day
▪ Tuesday November 11th - Veterans day
▪ Thursday November 26th- Thanksgiving
▪ Friday November 27th – Day after Thanksgiving (Free day)
▪ Wednesday & Thursday December 24th & 25- Christmas Eve and Christmas. ▪ I will be taking the week of christmas off you are only required to pay the two

holiday days.
▪ Thursday and Friday January 1st - 2nd – New years(only required to pay Jan 1st)

Vacation closing: You will be consulted if I am to take a vacation so we can work out logistics for care for your child during my absence. You will not pay during the time I take for my vacation.

I do reserve the right to close for any reason in which I cannot operate in a safe manner. i.e. loss of electricity, water, heat or in extreme circumstances loss of air conditioning, and medical epidemics.

Discipline
I express my disapproval (without attaching character). I will redirect in most cases and give other choice. In some cases the child may need some quiet time alone with a book. No physical discipline is ever used in my care. A discipline plan is always discussed before hand with parent approval.

Sick Policy & Health
Parent/guardian must also complete a medical emergency form.

In accordance with the New Hampshire State licensing policy, your child cannot be admitted to daycare with symptoms of illness as specified below; unless written documentation from a licensed physician, or verbal (with written follow up) states the child has been diagnosed and poses no serious health risk to the child or to other children.

Should your child have signs or symptoms requiring exclusion from daycare the parent/guardian or other authorized person by the parent will be notified immediately to pick up your child. There can be no exceptions since illness spreads quickly among children. *Child must be symptom free for at least 24 hours before returning to care.

The symptoms of illness for possible exclusion shall include, but are not limited to any of the following...
A. The illness prevents your child from participating comfortably in the childcare

environment.
B. The illness results in a greater care need than I can provide without

compromising the health and safety of the other children in my care, Or C. The child has any of the following conditions:

• Temperature: temperature 100 degrees or greater;

accompanied by behavior changes or other signs or symptoms of illness- until medical evaluation indicates inclusion in the facility.

• Symptoms and signs of possible severe illness (such as

unusual lethargy, uncontrolled coughing, irritability, persistent crying, difficult breathing, wheezing, or other unusual signs)- until medical evaluation allows inclusion;

• Uncontrolled diarrhea, that is, increased number of stools,

increased stool water, and/or decreased form that is not

contained by the diaper- until diarrhea stops;
• Vomiting illness (one or more episodes of vomiting in the

previous 24 hours) until vomiting resolves or until a health care provider determines the illness to be non- communicable, and the child is not in danger of dehydration;

• Mouth sores with drooling, unless a health care provider or health official determines the condition is noninfectious;

• Rash with fever or behavior change, until a health care

provider determines that these symptoms do not indicate a

communicable disease;
• Conjunctivitis/pink eye , until 24 hours after treatment has

been initiated;

viii. Scabies, head lice, or other infestation, until 24 hours after treatment has been initiated;

• Tuberculosis, until a health care provider or health official states that the child can attend child care;

• Strep throat or other streptococcal infection, until 24 hours after initial antibiotic treatment and cessation of

fever;
• Chicken pox, until at least 6 days after onset of rash or until all

sores have dried and crusted;
• Measles, until 6 days after onset of rash and a licensed

physician states in writing the child may return;
• Rubella, until 6 days after onset of rash and a licensed

physician states in writing the child may return;
• Unspecified respiratory illness if it limits the child's comfortable

participation in activities or if it results in a need for greater care than can be provided without compromising the health and safety of other children

Any of the following communicable diseases must be also be reported to the

division of public health

RESPIRATORY

GASTRO-INTESTINAL

Diphtheria
German Measles
Hemophilus Influenza Disease Measles (rubeola)
Bacterial (spinal) Meningitis Mumps
Pertussis (whooping cough) Rubella
Tuberculosis

Giardiasis Hepatitis A Salmonellosis Shigellosis

*Provider reserves the right to determine whether or not a child is well enough to return to care and may refuse care to any child, if seemingly too ill to attend or participate.

Injuries: I will supervise your child closely in an attempt to prevent injuries, but accidents resulting in injury do occur. I have been trained in first aid and CPR and will follow my training. If the injury is minor (requiring only a band-aid or ice) I will tell you about it when you pick up your child. If it is serious, I will call you and may even suggest that you take your child to the doctor or emergency room. If an injury is very severe, I will call 911 for assistance before I call you. If I can not reach you, I will call the emergency contacts listed on your emergency form.

Child’s Medication:

1. Prescription medicine must:
a. be dated with in the past 30 days
b. have child’s name printed clearly on the label c. have dosage amount and times

Days/Hours of Operation:
Childcare is available Monday through Friday with the exception of closings as referred to in this handbook.
Actual days and hours are determined by the parent/guardian’s individual needs.

Late Drop Off and Pick Up:
▪ Please understand that the contracted drop-off time is important because I plan

our day around the collective time frame of each child as well as each other phase of our morning routine – please call/text me if you know that you will be more than 30 minutes late.

I’m sure you agree, personal time is precious; it becomes extremely difficult and stressful to have an appointment or other plans scheduled if I cannot depend on the mutually agreed pick up time. I do understand that there may be an occasion of major traffic congestion or bad weather conditions causing a delay in your travel – please call me and we can work out a contingency plan. Consistent tardiness could be cause for termination. My late fee is 10.00 per 15 minutes.

▪ Nutrition:
Breakfast and lunch are provided by parent/guardian. If you bring in the meals I will prepare them. Formula and milk will need to be provided by the parent/guardian.

▪ POTTY TRAINING: Potty training is to be done initially within the guidance of parent & home environment. Provider will ASSIST and support potty training once established successfully at home. Child must come in diaper/or remain in a pull-up until shown to be fully potty trained w/minimal accidents while in the daycare setting. Provider reserves the right to require a pull-up if accidents become excessive as this is a sanitation issue in a home setting/daycare space

Release of Children:
It is important that I protect your child by ensuring that your child does not leave my home with a person you have not authorized on your emergency form. Also please tell me when someone else that you have authorized on you emergency form will be picking up your child. Even if it is an emergency, I must have your permission to release your child to someone other than you. I will need the person’s name and a description of what he or she looks like.

Supplies:
Parent/guardian will provide diapers, diaper wipes, powder, any ointment, and bottles. To eliminate the daily bundle of items to carry you may bring me a package of each item to leave at here. I will notify you if items are running low. All items will be marked with the child’s name.

Parent/guardian will provide two changes of clothes on a daily basis or keep a change of clothes at childcare until needed. An infant may require more than two change of clothing daily; please provide a few changes of clothing based on your own experiences with your infant.

I will supply sleeping mats, portable cribs/playpens, blankets and sheets for your child. If your child has a favorite sleeping blanket or stuffed toy, he/she may bring them to sleep with.

Fee Payment Guidelines:
Childcare fees are paid in advance on a weekly basis or bi weekly bases – the Friday before the week begins or the last scheduled day of attendance for the week. Payment obligation is based on the hours in your contract, not on actual attendance. There is no change in fee due to your child’s absences. You will be given a flat rate based on contracted hours.

Early drop off
Any care needed prior to my normal opening time will need be scheduled at least by the Friday prior to the week care is needed. Payment may need to be adjusted dependent on added hours.

▪ TERMINATION/NOTICE POLICY
▪ *2 full business weeks documented notice is required if childcare is no longer

needed. 2 full business weeks fees (including any Holidays that fall within) may be paid in lieu of attendance to close out the childcare agreement if desired. The 2 full business weeks notice time period begins on the day it is given.

*Whenever possible, the Provider will give 2 full business weeks notice before terminating care or closing daycare-under normal circumstances. Provider reserves the right to terminate care at will, immediately/without notice in the event deemed emergent situation, blatant disrespect of rules/policies, violence/threats, bullying, destruction of property or failure to pay, no show or in the best interest of the child. There are no refunds for money already paid in a termination situation from either party.

If you are terminated by the provider-for any reason, payment is still required for 2 full weeks of care. If you chose to leave earlier than your last day as specified closure by the Provider, you will still be obligated to pay for your normally contracted days during these 2 wks of care through that date; your child is always welcome to remain in attendance.

Trial Period:
There is a trial period of 2 weeks from the date child care begins. If the child care arrangements is not mutually satisfactory, either party can terminate this agreement with a one day notice – any moneys already paid are non refundable.