Hello Parents, Grandparents, Caregivers, fellow Childcare providers and those who love children. I hope you will find fun ideas and information regarding young children.

About me: My name is Tara and I am a Family Child Care Provider in Ohio. I have had the pleasure of working with children for 24 years. I have been a Family Child Care provider for 11 years; Nanny for 2 years; An Infant Teacher in a Day Care Center for 1 year; and baby- sat for 10 years. I am a Child Passenger Safety Technician with National Safe Kids Campaign

I graduated with my Associates of Applied Science in Early Childhood Education in 2004. I am perusing my State Accreditation through (NAFCC).National Association for Family Child Care

My philosophy: I believe in a safe, secure, loving and stimulating environment where children will experience success and develop a sense of self worth. A developmentally appropriate program fosters emotional, social, physical and intellectual growth.

My role is to extend, reinforce and compliment a child's home and family. Structured activities are planned and a lot of love and attention is given.

"I believe every child is precious and unique, that dignity and self worth are rights, and a loving environment nurtures growth." Author is unknown.

Through age appropriate creative play a child learns a sense of wonder and expands discovery of their world.

I will provide a learning center, which will have a comprehensive concern for children embracing all their experiences here and at home. Your child's stay with me will be a fun and an enriching time. I am not an elaborate baby sitting service. My home is an extension of your home, a fun and pleasant path to full time school.

Daily schedule: Flexibility is key. Schedule may change periodically according to children's age and needs. Infants are on their own feeding and napping schedules. This is just to show you what our day might be like:
 

6:00 - 8:00	Arrival, breakfast and structured free play
8:00 - 10:00	Preschool activities
10:00 - 10:30	Morning snack
10:30 - 11:30	Outside Play
11:30 - 12:00	Story time, quiet time activities puzzles, blocks and some crafts
12:00 - 12:30	Hot lunch
12:30 - 2:30	Nap time
2:30 - 3:00	Snack
3:00 - 5:00	Outside play, group activities and music and movement
5:00 - 6:00	Clean up & free play till parents come

I am a member of the Child Care Food Program. It is part of the National School Lunch Act. This program helps me to provide free, nutritious, hot meals and snacks to all children and infants in my care. Your child will never be forced to eat anything. He/she will be encouraged to taste many kinds of foods. Through this process, they may learn to like and try new foods. Below is a sample of my menu:
 

	Monday	Tuesday	Wednesday	Thursday	Friday
Breakfast	Milk, banana, jelly toast and oats	Milk, cantaloupe, p-butter crackers and corn flakes	Milk, raisins, muffin and scrambled egg	Milk, grapes, pancake and sausage link	Milk, peaches, crackers and Cheerios
Lunch	Chicken peaches Peas Bread & Butter Milk	Fish Sticks French Fries Mixed Vegetables cheese & crackers Milk Fruit Cocktail	Soft beef Tacos, peas Milk Bananas	Macaroni and Cheese hamburger Milk Applesauce	Homemade vegetable Soup turkey sandwiches Milk apple
P.M. Snack	Yogurt, crackers, Milk Juice	Trail Mix orange, milk	grapes p- butter crackers, Milk	graham crackers watermelon milk	Apple Wedges and Cinnamon Milk, cheese and crackers

Infants:

(Asterisk) means optional item. Mothers who are nursing are encouraged to continue to nurse. I will hold to bottle feed all infants. I feel this is a great time to bond with a baby. No bottles are ever propped, as this is unsafe for many reasons. All bottles are prepared according to instructions on formula. They are always heated on stovetop in a pan of water. Microwaving is dangerous because bottle may have hot spots and burn an infant.

Breakfast:
0-3 months 4-6 oz. formula or breast milk
4-7 months 4-8 oz. formula or breast milk
0-3 Tbs. infant cereal*
8-11 months 6-8 oz. Formula or breast milk
2-4 Tbs. infant cereal
small jar fruit/vegetable

Lunch:
0-3 months 4-6 oz. formula or breast milk
4-7 months 4-8 oz. formula or breast milk
0-3 Tbs. infant cereal*
small jar fruit/vegetable*
8-11 months 6-8 oz. formula or breast milk
2-4 Tbs. infant cereal* or small jar meat, fish, poultry/meat alternate or 1/2 - 2 oz. cheese or 1-4 oz. cottage cheese
small jar fruit/vegetable

Snacks:
0-7 months 4-6 oz. formula or breast milk
8-11 months 2-4 oz. formula or breast milk
full strength 100% juice
0-2 enriched or whole grain bread or crackers

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for the graphics on this page.

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