• Step #1: Tour and Interview. This 1st meeting is scheduled after business hours. The purpose is so you can get a chance to see the setup and address concerns that you may have; this is when intent to contract form and brochure are given 
• Step #2 Fees & Packet. Once a parent has signed an Intent to Contract form and paid the one week deposit (FT & PT), you will be given the rest of the required paperwork... this must be returned filled out at least 48 hours prior to the start of care .

What does the weekly fee cover

for infants under 12 months of age - Huggies unscented wipes, Generic Organic formula (parents preferring different formula need to provide their brand) – if breast fed a 12 oz supply of milk is to be kept in my freezer plus daily feedings to be brought by parent- Sprout or Earths Best food and cereal (backup for the homemade infant food), NUK bottles, Pack n Plays, Organic Blankets and sheets, bouncers, Play mats, age appropriate Toys

for children 1 year and older - Morning snack, Lunch/Dinner, Afternoon Snack, NUK Sippy Cups, Plates, Bowls and Utensils, Sleeping mattress, Organic Blanket and sheet, Age appropriate activities and toys (inc a loose literature based curriculum)

For all children - Verbal Daily Information, personal bin to keep extra clothing and belongings, Winter Holiday gifts and a small cake on birthdays

What happens if I can't make my interview?  If for any reason you can't make your scheduled interview appointment, please call to cancel or reschedule. I will do the same if I am unable to keep the appointment. If an interview is not canceled and the parent fails to show up, another interview may or may not be granted depending on circumstances; (if the baby comes early that is one heck of a good excuse)

 

Why do you have contracted hours? For one, because of past experiences - if everybody comes at any time they wanted it is extremely hard to keep babies asleep or do activities with them because of the interruptions. Two, I have to keep within state ratios at all times - if I have a PT family then scheduling is a must. Reason three; The National Association for the Education of Young Children recommends a restriction of ten (10) hours per day for a child in day care for the welfare of that child - even the state has set a limit of 9.5-10 hours. 

 

Why do I have to pay upfront? I require advance payment for two reasons: 

 

1) To protect myself from families who choose to terminate service without notice and not pay for childcare already given. 

2) To buy supplies needed for the childcare for the following week (food, and other care related expenses that are needed upfront). 

 

Why is your overtime fee so high? I figure it this way...

1) That your child could possibly be the only one here depending on the time of day  OR

2) If you really need to work or use more than 45 hrs weekly, you are either getting time & a half to double time already or you make a decent salary, it's only fair that I too should be compensated appropriately for my over time.

3) I am taking care of babies, not older kids that can fend for themselves... It's not like I sit and watch TV - I DON'T

 

Do you offer part time? I do offer part-time. It's charged  one flat rate just like FT, with a limit of 24 hrs week (1, 2 or 3 days) otherwise I require a full-time contract. This is due to space limits... The requirement also helps keeps stability and consistency in the home and in the children's lives. 

 

 I "hired" you... shouldn't I be able to tell you how I want you to raise my kid? I'm independent contractor that offers a service, I am not your employee (if that was the case, you would be paying me minimum wage due to federal labor laws). Some parents think that because they chose me over someone else that they can tell me how to do things, it doesn't work that way; This is my business and I make the policies - parents make the choice to accept them or not. 

Do you accept children with state paid daycare?  No. I choose not to participate in the program and as such I only have private contracts. Dealing with state is more hassle than good for my small childcare since it imposes additional requirements that do not fit with my policies or business structure.

Parents aren't always informed how the process works and often assume that the state will pay the entire amount. That is NEVER the case and I would not be allowed to ask the difference of what they pay and what I actually charge. It can easily take 2 or 3 months before the first payment is even received. It is in my best interest not to take state subsidy at this time.

 

Can I pay by check or does the fee have to be cash? Checks are fine for weekly & monthly payments, however I accept Cash or Credit cards only for Drop-in situations because they aren't regular. Receipts are always given. A $30 fee will be charged for NSF and parent will be requested to pay cash from then on. Parents are also responsible for additional fees my bank charges me if I end up bouncing checks due to their check bouncing. 

 

Cash payments give me the option of a quick trip to the market early in the morning to pick-up items like veggies or organic milk if I run out and It saves everyone from the headaches a bounced check can cause. And yes, I do have parents that prefer to pay in Cash every month.

 

What is "By the Day" (Drop-in)? Think of it as free time off, a permission slip to do parental things, A three or four hour breather... A Parent’s Dream Come True! In reality, I'm a reasonably priced, professional childminding service for those days that you just need some "ME" time. This service is not always available - bookings are done if a space is open for the time requested.

 

Why does daycare cost so much? Parents ask that all the time... I have plenty of overhead expenses that parents don't take into consideration and nothing about kids is cheap is it!  Do you know that many parents are willing to spend more on an auto payment  or vacations than they are for quality child care. And yet, they are trusting us with their most precious possession - their child. BTW, My rates are set at what the state considered 75% of fair market rate to be for Washington County back in 2006.

 

There are also SO many categories of expenses to keeping a safe, clean, compliant home, serving a healthy menu (organic), keeping babies happy & meeting their needs. In fact a specialized tax lady is needed to sort it all out! I am running a business, this is not just babysitting for extra cash. 

Why do you close for vacation time? Well for one, I am not a center with employees to cover time off...

two, it's in both parties interest for me to take vacations in order to prevent "Burn-out".  Home providers can work 60 or more hours each week and it can cause a stressed atmosphere when there are NO BREAKS planned every now and then (I'm a single mom paying all the bills). 

I take 10 unpaid days off each year and even that is split up into 2 different times periods; one is in late Spring the other alternates between Thanksgiving and Christmas. The six Holidays are ones the state would pay me if I were taking voucher clients and most of the families here get those days off too; the Four personal days are just in case - heaven forbid we all get sick sometimes and I have state trainings that are required.

Do you really provide diapers and formula?   I do if you want me too (additional fee for diapers or specialized formula). It is much easier for me to have all supplies here at my fingertips when I need them rather than rifle thru all the different diaper bags fifty times a day! I buy my supplies in bulk to keep costs down. I also don't do your normal jar food... we eat a variety of foods here, most of it Ethnic (light on spices) - YES, that's right. Babies around the world have eaten this way for hundreds of years why should we treat our children differently; for more info visit http://www.wholesomebabyfood.com/tipcurry.htm

 

Do you allow mothers to stop in to nurse their children? I am very much a breast-feeding supporter, in fact I nursed my own children years ago. I encourage breast-feeding mothers to send expressed breast milk and if possible, stop by on a lunch break to nurse their child.

 

What about playpens and highchairs? This is a family home... I provide a playpen or floor mattress for each child for Sleeping time and they all sit @ the dinner table for meals; NO HIGHCHAIRS. I own 4 specially made wood boosters (Minui Handysitts) that are good for ages 7 months to 5 years. Babies 7 months and younger are always held while being fed bottles or beginner foods.

 

Do you give sibling discounts? NO, it does not cost less to care for 2 siblings than it does taking care of 2 kids from different families. I give quality care, not quantity. 

 

Do you offer "Your baby can read" or other similar program? NO and I will tell you why...

 

• I offer TV free childcare; music is played on my laptop

• Reading is not developmentally appropriate for a baby. It leads to "rote learning" rather than true comprehension.

• Babies should be playing with 3 dimensional toys, being outside, and interacting with human beings.

• Little ones should not watch TV until age 2 according to AAP. This includes Baby Einstein & other "educational"  DVD's 

 

NOTE: Under newly proposed AR regulations for 2012, registered and licensed homes cannot offer TV, Videos, or Educational DVD's more than one hour daily to children 2 and under.

 

I heard you call the children Bubala's... what's that? I grew up with many Jewish friends in Montgomery County, MD; Bubala is a Yiddish word, traditionally used by Grandmothers,  that references children. Essentially, the babies are my "Little loves".

 

What if my child is sick? Keep your child at home and notify me ASAP. The best way to prevent the spread of infection is by limiting contact... A child should not be in care if he or she has any of the following:

 

• Temp of 100.5 degrees or above in the past 24 hrs

• Severe nasal and chest congestion 

•  A sore throat 

• Diarrhea or Vomiting 

• Severe coughing 

• Red, watery or oozy eyes 

• Undiagnosed rash 

• Evidence of flu or other communicable disease such as strep, impetigo, chicken pox, pink eye, scabies, ring worm, or lice 

• Consistently runny nose/nasal discharge that's not clear 

 

Do you charge for absences? Yes, because I fulfilled my commitment to you: I set aside the designated time & reserved a position just for your child, to the point of turning others away. Also, I will have shopped and otherwise prepared behind the scenes to receive your child -- that's space, time & preparation which cannot be returned, re-sold, or filled by the next person in line. 

 

"Why do I need to give a 30-day written notice? " There are several reasons why I need  4 weeks notice. As with most things, people learn from their mistakes and I'm no exception. The written notice is to ensure that there is no misunderstanding when your child's last day will be and that you will not be responsible for any tuition beyond that date. This also protects me by letting me know that I will lose a child in my care after a specific date. It gives me a head start to advertise, interview and fill the position, hopefully with no loss in income. In this economy it has taken at least 30 days to complete the turnover process.