Waddling Duck Daycare

ADMISSION REQUIREMENTS & ENROLLMENT 

Parents must provide the following prior to your first day of care:

• A Completed Registration (Agreement) Form

• Child Information Sheet and Medical Form

• All Permission Forms (if applicable)

• Two week security deposit

   

TRIAL PERIOD

Because I am dedicated to providing only quality care, and because I care deeply for all children, there may be times, unfortunately, when the care I provide is not suitable for certain children or families. Therefore, I must be very stringent in imposing a trial period of three weeks, after which, if I deem the care inappropriate for the child for whatever reasons, I will decline from providing that care. If, regrettably, I must decline the provision of care, I will do what I can to find alternative care. However, the responsibility of finding alternative care rests solely with the parents.

Parents will be given three weeks’ notice of termination of care to allow them to search for alternative care.

Conversely, if parents feel the care I provide is not suited to their child or their family, they also have the right, after or during the three-week trial period, to terminate the care. The same three-week notice of termination is needed in this case as well.

MEALS & SNACKS

A morning snack, Lunch, and an afternoon snack are served each day at no additional charge. Should your child arrive later than a mealtime, you will be responsible for feeding him or her. Please do not send food with your child (unless required for a special diet). This includes but is not limited to gum, candy, chips, cookies, and cereal. Arrangements can be made for special days.

Meals and snacks will be nutritional and the daily menu will follow the guidelines recommended by the Canadian Food Guide. A monthly menu plan will be handed out and a weekly menu will be posted. Children are picky eaters, if there is anything nutritious your child loves please let me know and we will try and work it into the menu.

ACTIVITIES

Creativity is the basis for all activities at Waddling Duck Daycare. Creativity integrates physical, mental, social, and emotional growth. Creativity is fostered by a free, flexible, accepting, and open environment and by openly discovering, inventing, and creating. In addition to having the opportunity for self-expression, children are practising small motor skills, eye-hand coordination, left-to-right progression, and whole part relationships. Every week or two will have a different theme; we will explore this theme in songs, stories and various crafts and activities throughout the week. 

FIELDTRIPS & TRANSPORTATION

We all love getting outside and enjoying the weather with a nice walk.  We also like to have a monthly field trip.  (Weather permitting)

Parents will therefore be notified in writing of any planned field trips and extra cost, and will be required to complete and sign the FIELD TRIP FORM, for each outing. Failure to do so will mean the child will not be permitted to take part in this activity and you will need to seek alternative care. On any of our field trip outings I will have at least one other adult present to help.

My Mother, Marie Nichols, will be stopping in from time to time helping with activities and getting to know your children so they will feel more comfortable around her.  If I should become sick it might be possible to have her step in for me to make things easier on you.

If there is any field trip on which you would like to join us please feel free to let me know, as they say the more the merrier.

POTTY TRAINING

Potty-learning: The child is capable of using the toilet, but it is the adult who is trained to get the child to the bathroom on time. Accidents occur often. It is the first step in the total process.

Potty-trained: 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.

When we agree that the time is right for your child and until he or she is totally successful in his or her toileting, please wear pants with an elastic waist only. It is usually last minute when children realise they have to “go” and messing with overalls or clothes with suspenders, snaps, buckles, belts, or zippers waists valuable time. In addition, your child’s bin must have two complete changes of clothes.

Thirty months of age is a good rule of thumb to start checking for signs of readiness.

EMERGENCIES

All possible care is taken to provide a safe and healthy environment; however, children do have accidents. I am certified in CPR and have First Aid Training and have daycare liability insurance. In the event of a serious accident or illness, where your child needs medical help, an ambulance will be called (at your expense). The parent will be contacted immediately. If the parent is not available we will notify the emergency contact person of the problem. A complete first aid kit, ice packs and emergency numbers are readily available.

Parents MUST fill out a CHILD MEDICAL REPORT and an EMERGENCY MEDICAL CARE PERMISSION FORM.

Any child who receives a minor cut or bruise will be tended to and parents will be notified at the time of pick up and it will be wrote in their daily communication journal. 

ILLNESS

If your child is ill to the extent that it interrupts the care of or endangers the health of the other children, it will be necessary for you to make other arrangements for his or her care. If your child will be missing a day due to illness please notify me the previous evening or morning of before your usual drop off time. You may email or phone me to let me know.

Should your child become ill during his or her stay here, you will be notified and we will determine the best course of action concerning appropriate care, which may include the child being taken home. Parents will be notified and required to pick up the child immediately if the child exhibits any of the following symptoms:

• Fever of 101°F (38.3°C)
• Persistent diarrhea
• Sever coughing
• Difficult or rapid breathing
• Conjunctivitis (Pink Eye)
• Unusual spots or rashes
• Vomiting
• Difficulty swallowing

Any other symptoms, which, I feel could indicate the possible presence of a contagious disease such as chicken pox, measles, etc.

Parents will be notified of contagious diseases affecting the children in my care. A child with a communicable disease will NOT be readmitted into care until the period of contamination has passed or until the child has fully recovered from his or her illness.

There are times when a child is not seriously ill but is terribly uncomfortable and really needs some “one on one” that I cannot provide and be fair to the other children. At those times I will strongly urge you to consider keeping your child at home.

When medications, either prescription or over-the-counter, are involved in the child’s care, the parents MUST fill out, sign, and date a PERMISSION TO ADMINISTER MEDICATION FORM.  A separate form is to be filled out for each medicine. Any medication to be given must come in a labelled prescription bottle with the child’s name.

BEHAVIOUR MANAGEMENT

I believe that children need guidance, understanding, and a few easy to follow rules in order to learn appropriate behaviour. By setting clear limits, explaining those limits in a positive way to understand why the limit is there.

We have a “quiet time” chair we will use for aggressive and destructive behaviour, for children two or older. I believe one minute per the child’s age is a sufficient time-out period. When time is over we will have a brief talk on why the child had some quiet time. Children less than two will be distracted and guided to other activities.

Children whom cannot be managed using these measures and are consistently presenting a discipline problem will be required to withdraw from care.

PHOTOGRAPH

I am a person that loves to photograph my son’s accomplishments. I would also like to include your child with his or her work as well. I feel it is a great way to hang on to those memories. If you are in agreement with me taking pictures please fill out a PERMISSION TO PHOTOGRAPH FORM. Pictures might be posted around the classroom, as well as on our “current families”  tab on our website.

RELEASING A CHILD FROM CARE

Waddling Duck Daycare will only release a child to the following persons: (1) the child’s parent(s), (2) the emergency contact person, and (3) guardian to whom the parent allows me to release the child.

I reserve the right to keep a child at the daycare if I am not completely certain about any person who has come to pick up the child.

In the case of an unforeseen emergency a phone call from you will suffice as long as the person picking up the child shows identification.

PARENT PARTICIPATION

Parents have free access to all areas of my house and yard that are used by their children.

Parents are free to call at any time to see how their child is doing. An answering machine will be used, at times, to avoid interruption, but I will return your call as soon as possible.

To facilitate parent involvement, I offer the following: (1) A Parent Information board for sharing thoughts and ideas, (2) Schedules, and agendas are posted (or handed-out) and (3) Daily communication journal. Parents are encouraged to discuss their child with me at any time; good communication is essential to good daycare and happy children

IMPORTANT EXTRAS

• No smoking is allowed in the daycare house or play yard at any time.

• Any changes in personal address or phone numbers will be given to provider as soon as possible. Names and phone numbers on emergency forms will be kept current.

• Television watching will be kept to a minimum and will vary depending on the weather, mood of the children, etc. Only PBS, Treehouse, Disney, and some children’s videos will be watched.

• This is NOT a peanut free facility.

• I cannot be responsible for any personal toys that are broken or lost.

• There are no pickups or drop offs between our quiet time hours of 1pm-3pm, as some children are light sleepers

• Individual bedding, towels, washcloths, cups, etc., will be used to minimize spreading of infections.

• Children learn by doing and “doing” is often messy. Please remember that when dressing your child for the day. An extra set of clothing or two (including socks and underwear, if applicable) should be kept in your child’s bin at daycare NOTE: all articles of clothing must be labelled with the child’s name; it is amazing how many children have a similar article of clothing.

• Your child’s bin should have at least a weekly supply of diapers, and aids such as wipes/cream

• We love going outside to play! Please make sure your child has appropriate outdoor clothing so we can enjoy the fresh air.

• Please supply a blanket, stuffed animal if desired and pacifier (if needed) for naptime. Bedding will be laundered here as needed or bi weekly