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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....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 family style 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. The easiest
way to explain is 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 toddlers 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, and they don't burn out from 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!! (kinda like veggies & liver)
(** Another
author [unknown] also says "the fundamental job of a toddler is to rule the universe"!!!! so stinkin'
true...)
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 it 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. So if you need just once in a while, call me ahead and we can book it.
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! In fact
you have the legal right to. 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 accommodate you, if I can.
DO YOU ACCEPT SPECIAL-NEEDS
KIDS? As much as I am able to. My experience
has been with asthmatics, some speech-and developmental-delays, special diets, and mild ADHD. I am happy to work with
physical conditions, but I will not accept willful behavior or 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.
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 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 19 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. DO YOU DO SCHOOL-AGE DROP-OFFS & PICK-UPS? Sorry, no. It just
way too hard with all the other kids especially infants.
WHY DOES DAY CARE COST SO MUCH? WHAT EXPENSES COULD YOU REALLY POSSIBLY HAVE?
Nothin'
about kids is cheap, is it?! (~grin~) Please rest assured I am setting the best price possible.
Here's a partial peek at what affects your cost...
** I actually work 11 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 they are within the averages of
the State RMR (regional market rate). DO YOU GIVE SIBLING DISCOUNTS? Sorry,
but no -- every roster spot counts fully -- 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, TANF, 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!... The Food Program requires me to offer a house formula --
of course you can opt out if you prefer to supply your own brand or breastmilk. And again, it's easier for me to be stocked
with all necessary supplies ready at my fingertips. 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. The only exception is
bottle-fed infants-- they are served on demand. Be aware that
meals/snacks served in this facility, whether prepared from scratch or pre-packaged, may contain traces of eggs, soy,
nuts, and/or milk.
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 store bought donuts or McDonald's, you will need to bring enough for everyone. 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/ . 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/or become frustrated & 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!!
NEW!!
YOU NOW WORK EVES??
Yes,
more parents are taking evening classes at the college so effective summer 2010 I will work a bit later, but the rate will
be slightly higher, due to premium hours. Dinner will be included in the fee.
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* * End of FAQ's * * *
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