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All children must be signed in and out daily. Children must arrive before 10:00 am. After 10:00 am child/children will not be allowed unless previous arrangements were made, or you provide a doctor’s note.
Children will only be released to persons listed on the enrollment form. If anyone other than the child’s parent or someone who is listed on the enrollment form is to pick up a child(ren), we need to be notified in writing or by a telephone call in advance. The person picking the child(ren) up will need to show a driver’s license or other picture ID.
Children must be picked up on time. If a parent/guardian is late, a fee of $1.00 per minute after 6:00 pm will be charged. This fee is charged even if you notify us that you will be late. The fee will be charged to your account and is due with your next tuition payment.
Children will only be released to persons listed on the enrollment form. If anyone other than the child’s parent or someone who is listed on the enrollment form is to pick up a child(ren), we need to be notified in writing or by a telephone call in advance. The person picking the child(ren) up will need to show a driver’s license or other picture ID.
Children must be picked up on time. If a parent/guardian is late, a fee of $1.00 per minute after 6:00 pm will be charged. This fee is charged even if you notify us that you will be late. The fee will be charged to your account and is due with your next tuition payment.
I participate in the USDA Food Program. I provide nutritionally balanced meals and snacks. The registration form must be filled out and dated before your child’s first day. Please do not send any food or drinks with your child without prior approval from the provider. If your child arrives after a meal or snack has been served, you will be responsible for the child’s meal/snack. Meals and snacks are served family-style. Children are encouraged to use this time to share their experiences. Manners are taught and practiced during this time as well. Please list on the medical report any food allergies your child may have. If your child has a special diet, the parent must furnish these foods.
Children younger than 12 months must be served formula or breast milk unless the written direction is on file from the child’s health care professional. We will not provide formula. All bottles and commercial baby food must be labeled with your child’s name.
Meal Times:
Breakfast: 8:00 a.m.- 8:30 a.m.
Lunch: 11:00a.m.- 12:00 p.m.
Snack: 3:00 p.m.-3:30 p.m.
A. CHILD ILLNESS/INJURIES
Children who are ill are not to be brought to the center. The following are examples of children who are ill:
• A temperature of 100.4 degrees F or higher
• Vomiting or diarrhea has occurred more than once in the past 24 hours
• A contagious disease such as chickenpox, strep throat or pink eye
• An unidentified rash
• A constant, thick, colored nasal discharge and/or a continuous productive cough
• The child has not been on prescribed medication for 24 hours or continues to have symptoms of illness.
If a child should become ill or seriously injured while at the center, parents will be contacted immediately. Sick children will be isolated and supervised and made as comfortable as possible. Child(ren) should be picked up within one hour of when the provider contacted you. If the child is not picked up within that time frame, other emergency contact persons on the child’s enrollment form will be called.
Children may return to the center when they are symptom-free, have been appropriately treated, or have been given medical approval to return to child care. We will follow procedures on personal cleanliness and communicable diseases following licensing rules and the guidelines for the exclusion of children from child care as adapted from the Department of Health. We will report all communicable diseases, when required, to the local health department and parents of all enrolled children. Parents of all enrolled children will be notified when their child has been exposed to illness other than a communicable disease.
B. Medications – I am permitted to only give one dose of medication per illness.
We may administer routine simple medications. Prescriptive and non-prescriptive medication will only be given to children if parents have completed the authorization form provided. All medication must be in its original container bearing the label with the child’s name, dosage, and administration directions. I will not administer the first dose of any new medication to your child. The first dose is to be administered by you at home for parental observation of a possible allergy.
***We reserve the right to exercise our discretion regarding any health issues. ***
Children who are ill are not to be brought to the center. The following are examples of children who are ill:
• A temperature of 100.4 degrees F or higher
• Vomiting or diarrhea has occurred more than once in the past 24 hours
• A contagious disease such as chickenpox, strep throat or pink eye
• An unidentified rash
• A constant, thick, colored nasal discharge and/or a continuous productive cough
• The child has not been on prescribed medication for 24 hours or continues to have symptoms of illness.
If a child should become ill or seriously injured while at the center, parents will be contacted immediately. Sick children will be isolated and supervised and made as comfortable as possible. Child(ren) should be picked up within one hour of when the provider contacted you. If the child is not picked up within that time frame, other emergency contact persons on the child’s enrollment form will be called.
Children may return to the center when they are symptom-free, have been appropriately treated, or have been given medical approval to return to child care. We will follow procedures on personal cleanliness and communicable diseases following licensing rules and the guidelines for the exclusion of children from child care as adapted from the Department of Health. We will report all communicable diseases, when required, to the local health department and parents of all enrolled children. Parents of all enrolled children will be notified when their child has been exposed to illness other than a communicable disease.
B. Medications – I am permitted to only give one dose of medication per illness.
We may administer routine simple medications. Prescriptive and non-prescriptive medication will only be given to children if parents have completed the authorization form provided. All medication must be in its original container bearing the label with the child’s name, dosage, and administration directions. I will not administer the first dose of any new medication to your child. The first dose is to be administered by you at home for parental observation of a possible allergy.
***We reserve the right to exercise our discretion regarding any health issues. ***
Discipline must be:
1. Individualized and consistent for each child;
2. Appropriate to the child’s level of understanding; and
3. Directed toward teaching the child acceptable behavior and self-control.
A caregiver may only use positive methods of discipline and guidance that encourage self-esteem, self-control, and self-direction, which include at least the following:
1. Using praise and encouragement of good behavior instead of focusing only upon unacceptable behavior;
2. Reminding a child of behavior expectations daily by using clear, positive statements;
3. Redirecting behavior using positive statements; and
4. Using brief supervised separation or time out from the group, when appropriate for the child’s age and development, which is limited to no more than one minute per year of the child’s age. There must be no harsh, cruel, or unusual treatment of any child.
The following types of discipline and guidance are prohibited:
1. Corporal punishment or threats of corporal punishment;
2. The punishment associated with food, naps, or toilet training;
3. Pinching, shaking or biting a child;
4. Hitting a child with a hand or instrument;
5. Putting anything in or on a child’s mouth;
6. Humiliating, ridiculing, rejecting, or yelling at a child;
7. Subjecting a child to harsh, abusive, or profane language;
8. Placing a child in a locked or darkroom, bathroom, or closet with the door closed or open; and
9. Requiring a child to remain silent or inactive for inappropriately long periods for the child’s age.
1. Individualized and consistent for each child;
2. Appropriate to the child’s level of understanding; and
3. Directed toward teaching the child acceptable behavior and self-control.
A caregiver may only use positive methods of discipline and guidance that encourage self-esteem, self-control, and self-direction, which include at least the following:
1. Using praise and encouragement of good behavior instead of focusing only upon unacceptable behavior;
2. Reminding a child of behavior expectations daily by using clear, positive statements;
3. Redirecting behavior using positive statements; and
4. Using brief supervised separation or time out from the group, when appropriate for the child’s age and development, which is limited to no more than one minute per year of the child’s age. There must be no harsh, cruel, or unusual treatment of any child.
The following types of discipline and guidance are prohibited:
1. Corporal punishment or threats of corporal punishment;
2. The punishment associated with food, naps, or toilet training;
3. Pinching, shaking or biting a child;
4. Hitting a child with a hand or instrument;
5. Putting anything in or on a child’s mouth;
6. Humiliating, ridiculing, rejecting, or yelling at a child;
7. Subjecting a child to harsh, abusive, or profane language;
8. Placing a child in a locked or darkroom, bathroom, or closet with the door closed or open; and
9. Requiring a child to remain silent or inactive for inappropriately long periods for the child’s age.
Please dress your child appropriately. The activities may be messy. Do not send your child in clothing you do not want stained. Weather permitting; we will spend a lot of times outdoors. You also need to supply a complete change of clothing in case of an accident; I do not supply clothing for daycare children. If your child has no spare clothing, the parent will be called to bring some.
I have one puppy. Her name is Coco. She has been vaccinated. Prior to adding new pets to the center, parents will be notified in writing. If your child has pet allergies, please inform us.
Children’s behavior will be guided by setting clear limits or rules for children. We will talk with the children about expected behaviors and model those behaviors consistently for them. We will state positively what children can do, using specific terms (e.g. “you need to walk” rather than “don’t run”). Undesirable behavior will be redirected to another activity. Children will be given a wide variety of age-appropriate activities to choose from and will be given the attention they need before they demand it. Behavior management will be for the purpose of helping children develop self-control, self-esteem, and respect for the rights of others.
A “time-out” or “take a break” may be used when other techniques have not been successful. A time-out will be used to remove a child from a situation that has gotten out of control before a child could hurt themselves or others. Time outs are given according to their age ex. 3-years-old = 3 minutes. When used, the time-out will immediately follow the behavior. We will stay with the child and talk about what behavior was unacceptable, and what else he/she might have done or said instead. The child will be praised after completing the time-out and will be helped to rejoin the group.
We recognize that no single technique will work with children every time. If a child exhibits unacceptable behavior, we will request a conference with parents to consider how to deal with the behavior. If the behavior continues, the next steps may include referrals to appropriate community resources, and/or discharge the child from care.
In accordance to the state of Maryland’s licensing rules, cruel or humiliating actions that may be psychologically, emotionally, or physically painful, discomforting, dangerous or potentially injurious are prohibited. Prohibited actions include spanking, hitting, pinching, shaking, slapping, twisting, or inflicting any other form of corporal punishment on the child; verbal abuse, threats, or derogatory remarks about the child or the child’s family; physical restraint binding or tying the child to restrict the child’s movement; enclosing the child in a confined space such as a closet, locked room, box, or smaller cubicle; withholding or forcing meals, snacks, or naps; or punishing a child for lapses in toilet training. These forms of punishment will never be used, even at a parent’s request.
Touch Policy
It is the policy to inform parents of the nature and type of routine physical contact their child(ren) will experience while in my care. There is NO physical punishment at my daycare at any time. It is my belief and practice that children need nurturing, adult physical contact for their care and healthy development. This can be described in three ways:
1) Nurturing: This includes hugs and non-intimate kisses, hand holding and gentle tickling, caring, and cuddling. This type of contact is never made against the expressed wishes of the children.
2) Safety and Guidance: This includes restraining children from harmful situations, separating physically conflicting children, directing children by leading or guiding them and administering first aid to injuries.
3) Hygienic: This includes face and hand washing, assisting with bathroom duties (as appropriate to the age of the child), diaper changes, examining rashes and unusual marks, nose blowing, applying sun screen and assisting with or conducting necessary clothing changes.
It is also my belief that it is normal and healthy for children to express affection with their peers. This includes hugs and non-intimate kisses and hand holding. This type of contact is never made against the expressed wishes of the children.
Toilet training is best achieved when a child is physically, socially, emotionally and intellectually ready. To attempt toilet training before these milestones are reached would prove stressful for all parties involved in the process. When the child has reached these milestones, we will work with you and your child by offering our encouragement and support. Please remember to dress your child in clothing which he/she can easily manage. Also, provide at least 3 complete changes of clothing. Dawn’s Family Tree does not provide a change of clothes for toileting accidents. If a change of clothes is used please supply another change of clothes the following day. Label all personal belongings.
We will plan activities and provide children with a variety of experiences. Some of the activities will include:
Language development: Books, music, story time, finger plays, flannel board stories
Large muscle skills: Balls, hula hoops, bean bags, swinging, outdoor play
Small muscle skills: Arts/ crafts, stringing beads, pegboards, blocks
Creative Expression: Dramatic play, puppets, music/instruments, flannel board
Self-Help Skills: Assist with mealtime preparation, dress self for outdoors
PLAY is the major component of our program. Enough time, materials and space will be provided for children to actively explore the world around them. Children will have an opportunity to use a variety of art materials and manipulative and housekeeping equipment.
Children, including infants and toddlers, will go outdoors daily when weather permits. The children may be kept indoors during inclement weathers.
The children will have a flexible schedule which reflects the child’s individual needs. They will be given individual attention including lots of time for talking. We will provide safe, open spaces for children who are creeping and crawling. Infants and toddlers will be encouraged to play with a wide variety of safe toys and objects.
All children under the age of 5 will have a rest period. No child is forced to sleep; however, they must remain quiet. Older children and those who awaken early will participate in a quiet activity until rest time is over. Please try not to schedule pick-ups or visits during this time to lessen disturbance to the resting children. All children will rest on their cots with individual linens.
A pack & play will be provided for a child less than 18 months of age. Children 18 months and older will sleep on a cot.
Tuition is due Friday by 12:00 pm before each care week. A fee of $25.00 per day will be charged to your account if tuition is not received on time.
• Parent/guardian will be responsible for paying regular tuition for all scheduled closings and five unscheduled emergency closings & vacation.
• An annual registration fee of $80.00 is due upon signing of the day care agreement. Account statements and receipts will be given upon request.
• Parent/guardian will be responsible for paying regular tuition for all scheduled closings and five unscheduled emergency closings & vacation.
• An annual registration fee of $80.00 is due upon signing of the day care agreement. Account statements and receipts will be given upon request.
