| Frequently Asked Questions |
| What are your hours? I am open Monday to Friday 7:00 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. What is the total capacity? I am permitted to care for 5 children under the age of ten at any given time (this does not include my own children) What ages do you accept? I accept children from 6 months to 12 yrs. Are you licensed? No, I am not a licensed daycare however I do voluntarily follow many of the regulations as defined in the Day Nurseries Act. What is your vacation policy? I take up to 3 weeks of unpaid vacation per year. Parents may take as much vacation as they wish, however these days are paid to secure your child's space. I am also closed for all statutory holidays. Fees are still required for those days. What is your illness policy? Children will not be accepted into care if they are displaying any symptoms of a communicable disease or are feeling ill to the point that they can not participate in our program. Each family is allowed 5 unpaid sick days per child per contract year. I am also allowed 5 paid sick days per year. Beyond these 5 days, parents pay for any days their children are off sick and do not pay for any days I am closed due to illness. What are your fees? Fees are based on the child's age and days care is required. For further information please contact me. When are fees due? Fees are due in advance on Monday or on the first day of attendance for the week. Late fees will be subject to a $5.00 per pay charge as well as refusal of care until fees are paid in full. NSF cheques will be subject to a $25 charge. Is there a charge if I am late picking my child up? Yes, late fees are charged at a rate of $1.00 per minute that a parent is late based on their contracted pick up time. Habitual lateness is grounds for termination of care. Do you provide receipts? Yes, receipts are provided at the end of January for tax purposes. Are parents permitted to drop in unannounced and/or participate in activities? Parents are always welcome to drop by during regular business hours. No phone call is necessary. I prefer however that parents respect our need to stay on schedule with regards to school drop offs and pick ups as well as nap/quiet time. I also discourage parents from 'dropping in' when their child is new to care. Often times new children will become confused by Mom or Dad coming at random times and leaving again and this in turn makes adjustment to care more difficult for them. What feedback will I recieve about my child at the end of the day? Each child has his/her own communication book. It will list your childs activities for the day as well as any other pertinent information. For children under 2 it also includes what the child ate as well as how much and diaper for the day. Parents are also encouraged to make notes in the book if there is anything they feel I should know that will affect the childs day at daycare. What type of records do you maintain concerning my childs behaviour? I keep a personal daily log of the days events. Also, once a year I evaluate the children using the Brigance Diagnostic Inventory of Early Development. This is a developmental checklist I use that enables me to develop my program plans so that each child can benefit from it fully. Who else has access to the children? My huband Sean is home during the day quite often. He does accompany us on field trips as well as being involved in the day to day routine of the daycare (helping to prep lunches, drop offs and pick ups from school) My parents also live with us. My mother, Carolyn (or Nana Lyn as the children know her) provides back up care for me in the event that I am unavailable or ill. My father, Mike (Papa Mike) is the one who dishes out the jelly beans. We are a very close family and it reflects on the care that is provided here. Every child at Little Chickadee becomes like a member of the family. How long have you been providing care? I have been providing daycare since 2003. What are your qualifications? I received my diploma in Early Childhood Education from Seneca College in 1994. I have worked in the field of childcare ever since. I have attended many workshops through the years involving everything from behaviour management to program planning. I am also certified in Infant/Child CPR and first aid. Do you smoke? I do not smoke and there is no smoking permitted in my home at any time. Do you have pets? We have one cat, Snickers. She is an outdoor cat. Her shots are always up to date. She is very friendly. Do you take the children out in the car? Yes, we go in the car for field trips and school pick ups. All children are in the required child restraint seat. Why did you become an Early Childhood Educator? I firmly believe in the value and necessity of early education for children. The years from birth to 5 are so very important and I can truly not imagine anything more rewarding than helping little ones learn a new skill or make a new discovery about their worlds. How will my child be disciplined? Various behaviour management techniques are used based on each child's age and developmental level and are appropriate to the situation. Most often children are re directed to a different activity and are enouraged to 'use their words' to express anger, frustration or sadness. Time outs are occasionally used but only as a last resort. Corporal punishment is never used. If a child's behaviour becomes extreme I will ask for a meeting with the parents in order for us to decide on a mutually agreeable course of action in which to deal the undesired behaviour. The children in my care are taught that we use our words, hands are for helping and feet are for walking. We use "I care" language. |
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