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Frequently Asked Questions & their answers:
JUST WHAT IS FAMILY/CHILD DAY CARE?
It is home-style care for your child, but in my home. "OK, I get it! You're a babysitter!" Well...
not quite. The British term "child-minder" is really a much more accurate description of what I do: I keep very busy minding everyone's basic daily needs which includes
LOTS of loving & nurturing and chasing little ones around (who has time to "sit"?!). We
laugh & play together indoors and out. TV is limited to Baby Einstein, Dora, Blue, and PBS. And we eat around
a real kitchen table in a normal family atmosphere. So you
see, Family Day Care really IS home-style care, just the way you would give it.
HOW DOES DAY CARE WORK?
ARE YOU MY EMPLOYEE OR AN INDEPENDENT CONTRACTOR?
I
am definitely independent!! In general, Daycare has a 'co-op'-like principle in that I am not exclusive
or on personal stand-by to any one parent. I have a base salary of $X per week and I depend on it just like you do your weekly
paycheck. The difference is this amount is not paid by one source (like your employer) -- rather it is split up between
all the parents who share my services. By sharing services and splitting the cost, everyone benefits!
WHY SHOULD I CHOOSE DAY CARE OVER A LARGE CENTER?
One of the major benefits family
day care offers that center-based care simply cannot is that mom/family setting. A home atmosphere fosters an overall feeling
of satisfaction, contentment & security. Homes are comfy and cozy, never cafeteria-style or institutional-feeling. At
home, children get nurtured the way they should be, and deserve.
Small groups are less stressful to children. In them,
children can foster closer social bonds and get closer attention to even their smallest details.
And Family Day Care is
just as safe, if not safer! than a Center. Licensed providers must adhere to County, State and sometimes Federal, guidelines.
Personally, I am regularly visited by DSS/Licensing, the Food Program, DCFS, & CCRC.
Health is another reason to choose
FDC. Parents know that the fewer people their child is exposed to--the less likely they are to become ill. ESPECIALLY
DURING FLU SEASON!! Center-based care may offer separate rooms for different age groups, but the fact remains that large
numbers of people (children, parents, employees & visitors) walk through a center's doors--often over 100 people each
day.
Finally, in centers children are passed hand-to-hand during the day. They don't allow their staff to work overtime,
so generally three (3!) part time shifts are used on a normal business day. In contrast, your provider runs her business from
her home, so generally you can rest assured your child can go from infancy to kindergarten and beyond with the same caregiver.
YOU DON'T "DO" PRE-SCHOOL, SO WON'T MY CHILD LEARN MORE IN A CENTER?
Commercial society tends to de-value free play in the lives of pre-schoolers and more parents today think their
children "need" to get involved in formal games, educational classes, and organized sports. But more and more research
suggests that free play may be actually healthier! than these heavily structured activities, in fact according to
Maria Montessori & Jean Piaget, play is the 'primary occupation' of a child because they learn SO MUCH
from it and thru it.
* Pretend play allows kids to develop and test their ideas about the world and modify them as they
go along.
* Play provides children with a way to work out emotional conflicts in creative ways.
* Play offers a miniature world within which they can learn about social interactions and interpersonal
relationships.
* Finally, not having a formal program does NOT mean that we don't "do" our colors, numbers & ABC's!
We simply sneak them into our activities when the kids aren't looking!!
Be assured, family day care will give your child a fully-rounded learning experience.
ARE YOU ACCREDITED?
No, I am not. NAEYC accreditation can only be achieved by those that serve
10 or more children -- I much prefer the small group environment (my license is for 8).
I am however a NAEYC association member and have adapted many of their general policies to my program. I'M HAVING A HARD TIME RECONCILING WITH THE FACT THAT YOU'RE HOME ALL DAY...
Home is a pretty important
place to be. Even the State of California thinks it's pretty important for kids to be home! Consider this quote from the Health
& Safety Code 1597.40... "(a) It is the intent of the Legislature that family day care homes for children must be
situated in normal residential surroundings so as to give children the home environment which is conducive to healthy and
safe development. It is the public policy of this state to provide children...the same home environment as provided in a traditional
home setting." (text style edited for emphasis). WHY DO I HAVE TO SIGN A CONTRACT?
ALL
money exchanges and transfers of important/valuable goods require a clear understanding of the transaction taking place. Think
about it-- Just getting your car tires rotated requires a service agreement!! So why not Child Care--aren't children
valuable goods? And we both have certain responsibilities & obligations to them. So i t
is simply good business sense and responsible parenting to spell out the costs, limits, terms
& conditions of their Care (i.e. your and my responsibilities, State & local laws, etc.)
DO YOU TAKE WALK-INS? (OR: DROP-INS?)
For safety/security reasons, and to protect our routine, all Care is
by appointment or pre-schedule ONLY as time/space permit.
WHY DO YOU WANT A SCHEDULE OR APPOINTMENT?
To give as best & personal a service
as possible while maintaining good time & money management, not to mention sanity! With so many kids to keep track
of, I MUST know in advance who will or won't be here on which days and at what time --otherwise
there is no way I can adequately plan & prepare for the day OR properly meet your child's needs. (That's
why Licensing has such strict capacity regulations!)
Finally, giving advance knowledge is a simple courtesy with a great
return -- it enables me to keep YOUR costs down thru minimized food waste & unnecessary supply purchases.
CAN I POP-IN WHEN I NEED TO (OR: AT DIFFERENT TIMES?)
To
visit your child while he's in my Care, SURE! But to drop him off any ol' time? NO -- again, to protect our routine
& other reasons, all Care is by appointment or pre-schedule only.
I DON'T NEED REGULAR CARE, MY KIDS ARE ON A TRACKING (OR CUSTODY/VISITATION) SCHEDULE. HOW DOES
THAT WORK?
I have no problem with occasional or temporary Care -- single days, weeks or months are fine with me. In
most instances, a simple phone call a few days or a week ahead to ask if I have openings on XYZ days is all it takes!!
Be assured I WILL accomodate you, if I can.
DO YOU ACCEPT SPECIAL-NEEDS KIDS?
As much as I am able to. My experience has been with asthmatics, speech-and developmental-delays, mild autistism,
special diets, and ADHD. I am happy to work with physical conditions, but I will not accept willful behavior & attitude
problems.
DO YOU ACCEPT SICK CHILDREN?
No, I am not allowed to -- Family Child
Care licenses are issued only for non-medical, well-child care. Licensing is very clear on the fact that this
is a family day care home and not a clinic-- in fact during their inspections, they actually
check the health of all children present in addition to the safety of my facility! Illness exclusion and return criteria
are listed in your Handbook.
** 10/07** DIRECT FROM LICENSING--HERE'S THE FINAL WORD ON SICK-CARE: The
California Health and Safety Code (HSC), is the law upon which all of the Title 22 Child Care Regulations are based. HSC Section
1596.750 defines child care facilities as facilities that provide non-medical care to children under the age of 18. Allowing
a licensed child care provider to provide medical services...would be a violation of the HSC, as well as The Business and
Professions Code (B&PC), which governs the Medical Practices Act and the Board of Registered Nursing. (note:since
my hubby is a IBEW Union man, I HAVE to honor the Nurse's Union too!)
WILL YOU CHARGE FOR MY CHILD'S ABSENCES?
Yes, because I fulfilled
my commitment to you: I will have specifically set aside the designated time & reserved a roster position just for you,
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.
Charging a flat fee regardless of attendance is what gives me my budget, from which bills are paid and I make a modest
living.
WHAT HAPPENS WHEN YOU ARE SICK OR OTHERWISE CAN'T WORK?
I usually plan my personal
time for a Friday and/or Monday (only twice have I taken a full week) and I always post my intentions
well in advance in our monthly calendar newsletter. In the event I should become too sick to work or need emergency
time off, I will notify you ASAP, so you can put your back-up plan in motion.
Note: All of my parents are required to have a back-up plan at all times, ie: another provider. a
family member or you may choose to stay home too. Be assured your fee will be adjusted for my sick/
personal days (but recognized Holidays or parent/child sick or personal days are not included in this exception).
WHAT ABOUT YOUR BACK-UP? WHY DOESN'T SHE STEP UP WHEN YOU'RE OFF?
I don't keep an outside back-up
person on retainer because it's simply not cost effective. Also, Licensing considers the choice of caregiver to be a
PARENT CHOICE & RESPONSIBILITY issue. What I can do is refer you to different people for you to interview in
advance but ultimately, all arrangements are your responsibility.
BUT THERE IS GOOD NEWS! Over the last 15 years, I've caught cooties bad enough to have
to stay in bed only two dozen times. And every time I called & let everyone know ASAP and they all were able
to put their back-up plans in motion without a hitch, and I adjusted their fee the following week.
WHY DOES DAY CARE COST SO MUCH? WHAT EXPENSES COULD YOU REALLY POSSIBLY HAVE?
Nothin'
about kids is cheap, is it?! (~grin~) There is so much more to daycare than meets the eye, and the cost of
caregiving doesn't change when a child is absent. Please rest assured I am setting the best price possible.
Here's
a partial peek at what affects your cost...
** I work 11 or more hours a day including actual Care time, cleanup,
paperwork & maintenance.
** I give quality Care, not quantity--I don't pack my house full or go over my limit. I plan
specifically according to the number of children enrolled & their contracted hours. I'm here, I'm ready, & I'm waiting.
** With a few exceptions, my personal life is juggled around the day care schedule, not vice versa.
** There are SO
many categories of expenses to keeping a safe, clean, compliant home, serving a well balanced menu, keeping children busy
& meeting their needs. In fact a specialized accountant is needed to sort it all out! A few of those categories are: ...
... diapers, wipes, powder, general utilities, food, field trips, toys, books & games, craft supplies, office supplies,
advertising, license compliance & training, car gas & maintenance, cleaning supplies & paper goods, general property
safety maintenance and repair or improvements (we upgraded the entire playground surface in 2004).
* FYI-- I
used to buy 12 packs of toilet paper/year from Costco @ 36 rolls per pack, that's 432 rolls or 8.3 rolls/week! In
2005 that increased to 14 packs (504 rolls, 9.6 rolls/week!)
WHY AREN'T YOUR RATES POSTED?
Rates are given at our interview
as they are determined by the days and hours of care needed. Be assured I set them as fairly as
possible and are within the averages of the State RMR (regional market rate).
DO YOU GIVE SIBLING DISCOUNTS?
Sorry, but no -- every roster spot counts fully since I do not give discounted Care nor does Licensing
make any capacity allowance for siblings.
WHAT IS 'CCRC'?
That's the Child Care Resource Center, the primary administrator for CalWORKS,
GAIN, Federal Stage II and III, and Family Child Care Network assistance programs in this area. SUPER NICE PEOPLE!! They
also have a public toy-lending library and free public referrals to local licensed providers. You can learn more about
them at: www.ccrcla.org
DO YOU REALLY PROVIDE ALL DIAPERS?!...
Yes
I do. It is SO much easier for me to have all supplies here at my fingertips when I need them rather than rifle thru
umpteen diaper bags fifty times a day! Of course you must understand that I use generic diapers/wipes &
buy in bulk to keep costs down
AND FORMULA, BOTTLES, ETC?!!...
Yup!... Again, it's easier for me to be stocked at all times, plus I have better control over freshness. I prefer
SOY because it's gentlest on babies' tummies (thereby my nerves! <grin>) but I can give milk-based Organic
if you prefer.
IF YOU SUPPLY IT ALL, WHAT DO I BRING?
You provide the
check, the child, and change of clothes-- which you can even leave here til it's needed... no need to pack or shlep a
clunky diaper bag every day. Is that too cool, or what!?
WHAT IS YOUR POLICY ON MEALS?
Everything is served on a set timetable, serving and cut-off
times are listed in your Handbook -- children due to arrive after a scheduled meal OR who choose not to eat, must eat before
they arrive or wait until our next scheduled serving.
I require everyone to sit together family style-- no roaming
around or exclusion.
Finally, I really prefer that NO perishable outside food be brought in UNLESS! your child is
on a special diet OR in the case of donuts, you bring enough for everyone (dry & canned goods are not considered perishable--
but pizza, homemade soup, and fast food are).
THOSE RULES ARE KIND OF 'ANAL' AREN'T THEY?
It's
true, someone really asked me this question!
1) I am NOT being 'anal retentive' --- I am a member of, (and in subsidy cases I am actually bound
to), the Federal CACFP (Child And Adult Care Food Program) and I am just doing my job by following their schedules
& policies. Also, I am required to have training in safe food handling & preparation practices--by keeping all perishable
food under my control, their temperature, freshness & quality are assured
2) I am a Caregiver, not short-order cook.
I realize food is a big part of child care but the operative word is "part"-- there is SO much more to caring for kids than
just feeding them! I cannot offer a fully rounded program, AND meet daily school, nap and other schedules if I am always preparing
something to eat or cleaning up after a meal! Besides, it's just not healthy nor does it teach self-control if kids nosh or
munch at will all day long. And frankly, it's just too expensive!
... a) CACFP guidelines say at least 3 hours must pass
between breakfast & lunch, or 4 hours if snack is served. It is YOUR choice & responsibility to make sure your child
is here at the correct time if you want me to feed him/her.
3) And there's nothing wrong with rules-- they keep us out
of trouble and make everything run smoooooth. I am working in your child's best interests by feeding him well and
setting a good example.
I'VE NEVER HEARD OF THAT PROGRAM--TELL ME MORE...
The
CACFP is a Federal Child Nutrition program that is regulated by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) under the National
School Lunch Act, and is administered thru several State sources. Their goal is to educate & encourage healthy eating
habits and ensure all kids in school or day care eat regularly and healthfully. I follow the CACFP for 2 reasons...
1) CCRC
requires me to participate in the CACFP. I participate as a requirement of my contract. If I don't
follow CACFP rules, I am dropped as an approved subsidized-Care Provider.
2) DCFS/DSS Licensing considers irregular or
inconsistent meals to be a Negligence issue -- by offering and following the CACFP, I am fully compliant in that area. In
fact my meals always exceed minimum Federal standards!!!
... a) By law, children are NOT
required to eat everything on their plates, the food is simply made available for them and they are encouraged to at least
taste everything. ~ but what your child ultimately eats or doesn't eat is up to him or her. Your help in this area
is appreciated because sadly, a lot of it gets thrown away... You can learn more at: http://www.nal.usda.gov/childcare/
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WHEN SHOULD I START POTTY TRAINING?
Potty
training should be done once your child is off the bottle, wakes up dry from naps, can pull his own pants up & down, has reasonable pee & poo holding control, AND can express his need to go before it’s too late—This
generally happens at about 30 months of age.
WHAT IS YOUR POLICY ON POTTY-TRAINING?
Honestly in all my years as a mom and Caregiver, I have found PT'ing to be most successful if done
at home--simply because many children cannot focus on toilet training in a group environment and become frustrated
or even experience anxiety. However you do choose to PT, I will back you up BUT ya gotta work on it consistently at home or I will
not work with him here.
A note from personal experience--If done at the right time, you can
knock it out over a long holiday weekend (www.3daypottytraining.com ) My parents LOVE this program!!
SPECIAL NOTE ON TIPS & GIFTS:
Every year on Christmas Eve, "Santa" fills the kids' stockings during naptime -- just another service
she offers(!) This is paid for by the elves, I do NOT put out a tip jar or gouge my parents thru annual
materials fees. We do Santa for the kids because their joy makes us happy,
not for the loot!!
* * * End of FAQ's * * *
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