Welcome to ADVENTURES AT HOME Day Care!
ABOUT ME
AND MY PROGRAM
My name is Diana Valdivia Rivera and I look
forward to working with you and your little ones in my home daycare. This
policy is my way of letting you know what you can expect from me, and what I need
from you.
MY LICENSING:
I am licensed by
Sherburne County as a Class C2 provider under Minnesota Rule 9502.0315 through
9502.0445 (summary attached). With this license I am allowed to have a total of
twelve (12) children in my care at any one time, of which ten (10) can be under
school age and no more than two (2) may be infants and toddlers. One of my own
two children, age 8 will count as part of that total whenever he is present.
MY
TRAINING AND QUALIFICATIONS:
In order to be licensed,
I am required to be trained in CPR and First Aid. If I care for infants, I am
required to have SIDS-reduction training, and if I care for children up to age
5, I am required to have Shaken Baby Syndrome-reduction training. I have
completed the Child Passenger Safety Course, so that I may safely transport
children in my care. I am required to attend at least eight hours of additional
training each year as part of being licensed. I will post my training
certificates on my daycare bulletin board so you will be aware of the training
I am receiving throughout the year.
I graduated from Western
Kentucky University in 2008 and have a bachelor’s degree in Psychology/Social
Work. I have training in Early Child Development, Family Relationships, and Human
Behavior.
MY CHILD CARE PHILOSOPHY:
I operate a child-centered program that focuses on the individual needs
of each child.
I
AM A MANDATED REPORTER:
I am a state-mandated reporter of suspected physical, sexual, or
emotional abuse, as well as child neglect. If I have reason to believe that any
child in my care has been neglected or abused in any way, I am required by
state law to report this to my licensor and to the local child protection
authorities. If you suspect that any child in my program is being abused or
neglected in any way, please talk to me immediately. If you wish to report
suspected child abuse or neglect, you may contact my licensor or the local
child protection agency at (763) 241-2600.
NONDISCRIMINATION:
Under no circumstances
will I discriminate based on religion, sex, race, national origin, creed, or
color. My home is not equipped to handle a child in a wheelchair and I am not
prepared to regularly carry a child who weighs more than 40 pounds, but I will
make reasonable effort to accommodate other special needs.
THE RULES OF MY HOME:
Please remove your shoes
in my entryway before entering my home. Under no circumstances will children be
allowed to access carpeted area with outside shoes. Your children may bring
slippers to wear in my home. Please refrain from smoking on my premises. Please
don’t allow your child to use force on walls, doors, windows, or other parts of
my home. Please operate door handles yourself. Day care property is to be
treated respectfully.
GETTING
STARTED:
I am required to keep
records regarding each of your children. I will provide the forms to you when
you decide to enroll in ADVENTURES AT HOME Daycare.
All information remains private, except for sharing with my licensing worker
and any reports of maltreatment I might have to make as a mandated reporter.
Please have all your required paperwork completed before your child begins.
Each family begins on a
two-week trial basis. During the first two weeks, either of us could decide
that we are not a good “match” and discontinue care with only 24 hours’ notice,
so long as you pay for each day of actual care given. I would prefer to try to
work out the problems, so please talk with me about any concerns you have, and
I will do the same. This way we may be able to adjust so your child won’t have
to experience yet another new daycare change.
MY RECORDS FOR YOUR CHILD:
I will keep the
following records for each child in my program:
- Phone numbers for the child’s parents, doctor, dentist, and
emergency contacts
- A list of all persons authorized to drop off and pick up the child
- A signed and completed admission form
- Any special instructions from the child’s parents
- Immunization records that are updated;
- Every 6 months for infants
- Every year for preschoolers
- Every 3 years for school-aged children
- A signed consent form to obtain emergency medical care or emergency
dental treatment
- Written permission to transport the child
- Both signed contract and provider policy
- A signed overnight policy
You must notify me as
soon as possible if any of this information needs to be updated.
BACKUP CHILD CARE ARRANGEMENTS:
You are responsible for
finding backup care for your child when I go on vacation, become ill, or must
close for any reason. You are also responsible for finding backup care if your
child is ill. If you need the names of some caregivers who may be able to
provide backup care, please contact me.
INCLEMENT WEATHER:
You must notify me as
soon as possible if your work closes early or is closed for the day. I will
notify you as soon as possible if my program is closing or will be closed due
to inclement weather.
CHILD CARE
PROGRAM:
ACTIVITIES/CURRICULUM:
I will conduct a vast
variety of curriculum-based activities with your child, including: language
development; introduction to foreign languages and sign language; reading; sensory
art activities; health, safety, and nutrition projects; puzzles; games; outdoor
play; large muscle development and activities; free play; dramatic play; field
trips; and much more.
All children’s
activities will be age appropriate and tailored to each individual child to
build on and expand their current abilities.
Children will be allowed
limited amounts of television time, which will only include age-appropriate,
educational programs.
BIRTHDAYS AND HOLIDAY CELEBRATIONS:
I celebrate the
birthdays of the children in my care on or near the date of their birthdays. I
ask that you not bring presents for these celebrations. We will also have
holiday parties to celebrate Easter, Halloween, Thanksgiving, Christmas/Hanukkah/Kwanzaa,
and Valentine’s Day each year. You may be asked to provide a small gift,
treats, or other supplies to contribute to the parties.
CLOTHING:
Please bring an extra
set of clothing for your child each day, including shirt, pants, skirt, underwear,
and socks. If your child is being toilet-trained, please bring two extra sets
of clothing. Children being potty-trained must wear training pants (pull-ups,
diapers, etc.) at all times while in care (no regular underwear until child is
fully potty-trained please). All clothing must be labeled with your child’s
name. During the winter season, please bring clothes for outdoor play,
including a jacket, hat, scarf, mittens/gloves, a snowsuit or snow pants, and
snow boots. During the summer season, please bring a swimsuit, towel, and
sunscreen.
NUTRITION AND FOOD:
I participate in the
Child Care & Nutrition, Inc. (CCNI) Food Program. I serve the following
meals:
Breakfast: 06:30-08:00
Lunch: 11:30
Afternoon Snack: 2:30-3:30
If your child arrives
after any specified meal time, it is your responsibility to feed them first.
You may bring a snack
from home for your child to enjoy between meals as well.
If you provide infant
formula or breast milk and infant food, please label all infant formula,
bottles with breast milk, and unopened infant food jars with your child’s name
and the date of preparation. I offer “Parent’s Choice” formula as part of my
food program participation. If you choose to use a different formula, you will
need to provide it. I don’t keep the “Parent’s Choice” formula in stock, due to
risk of expiration, so please inform me in advance if you would like me to
provide the formula for your infant.
I will offer different
foods to the children, but will not require them to eat it. Children are
encouraged to try new foods. Most of the food items on our menus will be fresh,
natural, and homemade. I will inform you if I notice any change in your child’s
eating habits. I will accommodate special dietary requests as well as possible.
If your child has an allergy to a certain type of food or drink, please notify
me in writing immediately. Children over age 1 will be served whole milk with
their meals. Children over age 2 will be served 1% milk with their meals. If
your child needs a milk replacement (such as almond milk, rice milk, soy milk),
please provide this item for your child on a regular basis, since I won’t have
any of these on hand.
NAPS AND QUIET TIME:
All the children will
take a nap or observe a quiet time after lunch, at approximately 1:00 pm.
All the children will
lie down during quiet time. Quiet/Nap time will last from approximately 1:00 to
2:30 pm and will be adjusted to the resting needs of each child. Naptimes may
be subject to slight changes, depending on the day’s activities. I will allow
your child to nap longer if he/she appears overly tired during the day. Each
child will have his/her own clean and separate sleeping mat or playpen, and you
may bring a special blanket or other security item for your child during this
time. Please bring a pillow, a small blanket, and a large towel labeled with
your child’s name for your child that can be used for quiet or nap time.
Children ages 0-4 years
will be required to nap, as our days tend to get very long and children can get
easily overwhelmed when operating under a lack of sleep. Older children will be
expected to rest or do a quiet activity while the younger ones sleep.
Children under age one
year will be put to sleep on their back to reduce the risk of Sudden Infant
Death Syndrome (SIDS). Naptimes for infants will vary until the infant has
adapted to a sleeping schedule. Infants may enjoy more than one nap during
daycare hours.
TOILET TRAINING:
I will use the following
methods to help your child learn to use the toilet:
- Giving the child incentives
- Bringing the child to the toilet instead of asking if she has to go
- Using different methods to help the child get excited about using
the toilet
- Reading books and watching videos/DVDs about learning to use the
toilet
- Creating a book for the child about their experiences
CHILDREN WITH SPECIAL NEEDS:
Children with special
needs are welcome in my program. If your child has a special need, please
provide me with written instructions for providing special therapy, an
individualized program of instruction, or behavior guidance. These instructions
may come from you, a physician, a therapist, or another qualified person.
BEHAVIOR GUIDANCE:
I will not use any form
of corporal punishment in my program. I will only use a “time-out” if it is
age-appropriate for your child, and when I do, I will limit it to one minute
per year of age. No time-outs will be given to infants. I will reinforce
appropriate behavior by identifying the desired behavior rather than punishing
negative behavior. I will use behavior guidance that is fair, reasonable, and
suited to the age of your child. If your child exhibits a severe behavioral
problem (such as regular biting, hitting, or breaking of toys and other items
in my program or home), I will discuss this with you and ask for your
cooperation in solving the problem.
PERSONAL
ITEMS:
Please keep a change of
clothing here in your child’s cubby at all times, for use in case of an
accident or after outdoor play. Always dress your child appropriately to go
outside each day, including boots, mittens and snow pants for winter outdoor
play and a swimsuit for summer water activities. Please provide a blanket for
nap/rest time use, labeling them all clearly with the child’s name.
All personal items
brought to daycare must be labeled. Toys from home should not be brought to the
program. If a toy from home is brought along, your child will be required to
share this item with the other children unless it is put in his cubby after
showing it at circle time. Please limit toys to only one item per child. I assume no responsibility for lost or broken
toys, etc. Please do not bring guns, gum, videos that are not “G” rated, or
live animals to daycare. Your child will be taught to help pick up toys at the
end of play time.
You will need to provide
bottles, diapers, wipes, and any diapering products you want me to use on your
child. You must also provide sunscreen and insect repellant if you give me your
written permission to use these items on your child.
OUR
ROUTINE:
We plan time each day
for the curriculum I provide, outdoor active play, quiet time, meals, reading,
and individual attention, though we may make adjustments as necessary in order
to respond to individual needs and special circumstances. Activities occur
daily that are geared to each age group in my care, including child-directed
free-play time and activities that I direct (games, crafts, etc.). TV time is
limited to an age-appropriate program that may be viewed occasionally while I
am preparing meals or prior to naptime and an occasional video or taped
children’s program on days when the weather prohibits outdoor play time.
It is my policy to
abstain from the abuse of any prescription medication or be under the influence
of a chemical that could impair ability to provide care during daycare hours.
Any substitute caregiver that I use will also be required to follow this
policy.
DISCIPLINE:
I practice positive,
age-appropriate discipline to help your child develop internal controls for
good social skills and everyone’s safety. I begin by making my expectations
clear, then give reminders and positive reinforcement for good behavior before
resorting to time outs, taking away a privilege or other consequences. No
corporal punishment, shaming or isolation will be used.
We always discuss what
appropriate behavior would have been, with encouragement to do better next
time. You will be informed if problems persist or if I need your cooperation so
we can both be consistent in what we expect, but routine problems will be
handled without making a big deal of them.
COMMUNICATION:
If you have questions or
concerns about your child’s development or learning progress, please contact me
at 763-744-7232 (call or text) or email me at
adventuresathomebiglake@yahoo.com.
ILLNESS,
HEALTH, AND SAFETY POLICIES:
SICK
CHILD POLICY:
To protect everyone’s health
and well-being, it is important that contagious children remain at home to
prevent sharing their medical condition with the other children in care or me,
and to assure that they get the TLC they deserve when they do not feel well.
If a child becomes ill
during daycare, I will call you. I expect you to pick up your child when called
if they are vomiting, having unexplained diarrhea or an unexplained rash, or
have a temperature of 100.4 F or more.
No child may be brought
to daycare if they have shown any of these symptoms within the previous 24
hours:
1. a fever of 100.4 F or higher;
2. vomiting two or more
times in a day;
3. diarrhea (increased
number and water content of stools that cannot be contained within the child’s
diaper);
4. a skin rash, other
than mild diaper rash or heat-related rash. The child will not be allowed to
return to care without a written statement from a doctor that the rash is not a
communicable condition;
5. any parasitic
infection, such as head lice or scabies;
6. pinkeye, discharge
from eyes or ears;
7. ringworm or other contagious
diseases or conditions;
8. chicken pox (The
child may not return until all blisters have dried and formed scabs, usually
about 6 days after the onset of the rash);
9. any other
communicable or contagious disease.
If you are not sure
about bringing your child, CALL ME
FIRST.
Please let me know if
your child has been exposed to contagious diseases or diagnosed with any
serious illness or medical condition so I can alert other parents. I will
inform you if my own children become ill so you may take necessary precautions.
I will take the day off, if I have any of the symptoms noted above. I reserve
three (3) paid sick days each calendar year. If more are needed, they will be
free of charge to you and the weekly rate will be adjusted accordingly. You
MUST have a plan for alternate care in place in the event that I need to take a
day off for such illnesses. Please ensure that your child is indeed
symptom-free for 24 hours before introducing him/her back into daycare.
ADMINISTERING MEDICATION:
I will take children who
are on prescribed medication when their doctor indicates that they are no
longer contagious. Before I will dispense medication, I require a signed
release from the doctor and a written request from you for each medical
prescription. The medicine must be in its original container, labeled with the
directions and the child’s name.
IMMUNIZATIONS:
You are required to keep
your child’s immunizations current and give me a copy of the immunization
records for your child. I will notify you immediately if I learn that a child
in my program does not have the proper immunizations. You must update my
immunization records yearly.
EMERGENCY POLICY:
I will call 911
immediately for life-threatening emergencies. I will call you as soon as
possible for all emergencies, whether life-threatening or not. If I cannot
reach you, I will call the persons you have listed to call when you cannot be
reached. I will post all emergency phone numbers near my telephone. To reduce
the risk of fire, I follow the fire safety rules and state laws and I have
smoke detectors, carbon monoxide detectors, and a fire extinguisher installed
my home. My home has been inspected for fire safety and I have a written plan
for dealing with fire or storm emergencies. We conduct fire and storm drills on
a monthly basis. My goal is to teach children how to respond to different
situations, so they can effectively cooperate with me if a real fire or storm
occurs. I will notify you when we have conducted the fire and storm drills. In
case of a power outage, I keep a first aid kit, flashlights, and extra blankets
on the main floor.
In the case of an
emergency that incapacitates me or requires me to accompany a child in my care
to emergency care, I have a substitute provider who will be available to come
to my home within 10 minutes if necessary and sit with the children until you
arrive to pick up your children. I will report any accident requiring treatment
by a physician to the proper agency.
You must keep me
informed at all times of how I can reach you in case of an emergency (by email,
cell phone, etc.) and check your messages often. If you will be leaving work
early, be at another location for the day, or vary your normal routine, you
must inform me.
In the unlikely event
that there was an accident at the Monticello Nuclear Power Plant, I would evacuate
all of my childcare children directly from my home to Princeton Middle School
according to state and local civil defense procedures. This is the designated
location for the Big Lake School District.
OTHER
HEALTH AND SAFETY ISSUES:
PETS:
We have a 7-year-old Pomeranian
named Nina that will remain in our daycare home during hours of operation. Any
potential interactions between the children and our dog will be fully
supervised, for their mutual safety. Nina has a current rabies vaccination and
participates in annual health checkups.
SMOKING:
As provided in the
licensing Rule, smoking is prohibited in my home at all times. No members of
our family smoke. Please do not smoke on my property or extinguish your
cigarettes in my yard or driveway.
WATER HAZARDS:
There is no swimming
pool on my property and my home is not near a lake, river, or body of water. I
do let the children play in a wading pool in the summer. You will be required
to sign a consent form for wading pool use.
DRUG AND ALCOHOL:
I, and any other
caregiver (if applicable) directly responsible for children in my care,
will abstain from abuse of prescription drugs, illegal drugs, or alcohol during
the active hours of family child care.
TRANSPORTATION
POLICY:
TRANSPORTATION:
I have taken the Child
Passenger Safety training required by the Department of Safety. Therefore, I am
legally allowed to transport child care children.
FIELD TRIPS:
I offer field trips as
part of the educational program and we may walk or drive on these trips. If I
transport your child in a car, I will follow state law and properly secure your
child. On each field trip I will carry a first aid kit and emergency contact
information for all children participating in the field trip. I will provide
you with detailed information on these field trips in advance. I may also need
to take your children along by vehicle for personal errands or appointments
occasionally. If this is necessary, I will inform you of the purpose at least
one day in advance. I will ask you to sign a written permission form, so that I
may transport your child by car when necessary.
PERSONS AUTHORIZED TO DROP OFF OR PICK UP YOUR CHILD:
You must provide me with
the name and a photo (clearly visible photocopy of driver’s license is
acceptable) of each person who is authorized to pick up your child. You must
notify me beforehand if an authorized person will be coming to drop off or pick
up your child. Authorized persons who drop off or pick up your child must have
identification available. I reserve the right to take anyone off the authorized
pickup list for any reason. If a court order limits the rights of one of the
parents, you must give me a copy of this court order.
PICKUP AND DROP-OFF POLICY:
In operating my child
care business, my primary responsibility is to protect the health and safety of
the children in my care. Children will not be allowed to leave my program on
their own; they must be picked up by a parent or other authorized person. When
you drop off and pick up your child, I want to ensure that the child is being
transported safely. Transporting a child while under the influence of alcohol
or drugs or without using an appropriate car seat (child restraint) creates an
unsafe situation for the child.
If in my opinion a child
cannot be safely transported to or from my home, I will ask you not to
transport the child and will propose the alternatives listed below. If you
refuse to agree to one of these alternatives and insist on transporting your
child, I will immediately notify the police and report the unsafe situation.
- I will call someone to pick up your child from the list of people
who are authorized to do so.
- I will call a cab to pick up you and the child. You will have to
pay the cab fare.
- If you fail to bring an appropriate car seat for your child, I will
ask you to drive home without the child and return with the appropriate
car seat installed in the car. Under these circumstances, I will charge a
late pickup fee if your child’s stay would extend regular scheduled hours
or if stay is past closing time.
TRANSPORTING SCHOOL AGE CHILDREN:
I will not pick up a school-age
child from school due to illness. I cannot be listed as a contact in case of
illness or injury during your child’s school day. I will not drop off and pick
up children from school with my personal vehicle. I will walk children to and
pick them up from the bus stop closest to my home (if applicable) that will
take them to their school.
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