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Daycare Center and Family Home Forum>What Are Your 'Favorite' Policies?
daycarediva 11:19 AM 12-29-2014
I'm updating my handbook for 2015, looking for inspiration!
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Shell 11:34 AM 12-29-2014
I have three simple policies: pick up/drop off on time, pay on time, and don't bring your kid in sick. The family I am terming can't seem to get these very simple rules. But when it comes down to it, these 3 rules make me happy and are pretty easy. I do love the 24/48 hr rule some providers have, and would love to add that one!
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daycare 11:48 AM 12-29-2014
no drop off after 9am...................you are not here by then you are not here at all................

no refunds no credits


Oh and of course BC rule of 48 hour exclusion if I have to send home sick
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SignMeUp 12:03 PM 12-29-2014
"Provider can terminate at will."

Really, just kidding
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permanentvacation 12:35 PM 12-29-2014
An adult must enter the daycare to drop off and pick your child up. You can not drop your child off at my gate. (A parent of a 2 year old literally put the child inside the gate and told them to go knock on my door!!!) Anyone picking your child up must be over 18 years old and on the pick up list. No drop off after 8:30, no pay, no stay, I have an open door policy, however, if you come at nap time, it often wakes all the children up. Since they truly need their rest, I ask that you try not to come at nap time (I can't legally tell them they are not allowed to have access to their child, but I can discourage it happening at certain times), child has to be home healthy for 24 hours after being ill. Child has to be on medicine at home for 24 hours, no refunds, drop off on time and pick up on time, which shows respect for my time, I provide everything for the children; baby food, formula, meals, snacks, and drinks. That way, I know the children are eating healthy, non-sugary foods, and have enough of the proper foods to fill them up (You might have read about posts about the mother not sending enough food for her baby.) I have always provided everything for children over age 1, but 2015's contract includes me providing formula and baby food. I also require that I provide all diapers, wipes, and pull-ups so I'm not sitting here with only 1 diaper for the day.

I also have it in my contract that their child, parents, and anyone who enters my home with their family must be respectful of the people in my home/daycare, of the home, and my pets or they will be immediately terminated.

I have a dress code in my handbook. It includes that the child must be recently bathed, hair brushed, teeth brushed, and clean clothes that are proper for the weather on. One of the requirements is closed toe shoes.

Make sure to close my gate so my dog won't get out.

My family's privacy - It states which rooms are for daycare and that the other rooms are off limits. It tells them not to enter the rooms that are off limits as they are solely for my family's use. ( I added that when one mother insisted on opening my older daughter's bedroom door for her daughter to tell her 'bye' even though I repeatedly demanded that they not open her door as she was changing her clothes to get ready for Karate. The little girl opened her door and my daughter screamed, I yelled like crazy at the mother telling her I had TOLD her not to have the child open the door)

I have that my house and cell phone are not for public use. (I added that after the same lady who opened my daughter's door just picked up my cell phone and called her boyfriend to tell him she was on her way home! I was working with a daycare kid and had no clue she had picked up my cell phone until I heard her talking!)

I would suggest that you think for a while about issues that have come up with your parents. Has anyone wondered through your house? Has anyone used your phone without your permission? Has anyone constantly used your bathroom? Think about things that your parents have done that have irritated you. And think about things that they might do that would irritate you or cause problems/dangerous situations. (Like not closing your gate which could result in your dog getting out in the road and hit by a car)

After 25 years, my one page contract has grown to a 25 page handbook with the 'contact signature page' as the last page.

You asked for our favorite ones. All of them are my favorite ones!
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daycare 12:38 PM 12-29-2014
one I could not live without

no pay no stay
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Blackcat31 12:58 PM 12-29-2014
Originally Posted by daycarediva:
I'm updating my handbook for 2015, looking for inspiration!
My favorite policy?

"Don't piss off your provider."

Oh, wait...that's not actually a written policy in my handbook...but some days I think it should be.

In all seriousness though, my favorite policy is "Payment is due IN FULL on xx day. NO exceptions".

If you are interested in seeing my "novel" of a handbook, let me know...
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Learning Daycare 02:52 PM 12-29-2014
Originally Posted by permanentvacation:
An adult must enter the daycare to drop off and pick your child up. You can not drop your child off at my gate. (A parent of a 2 year old literally put the child inside the gate and told them to go knock on my door!!!) Anyone picking your child up must be over 18 years old and on the pick up list. No drop off after 8:30, no pay, no stay, I have an open door policy, however, if you come at nap time, it often wakes all the children up. Since they truly need their rest, I ask that you try not to come at nap time (I can't legally tell them they are not allowed to have access to their child, but I can discourage it happening at certain times), child has to be home healthy for 24 hours after being ill. Child has to be on medicine at home for 24 hours, no refunds, drop off on time and pick up on time, which shows respect for my time, I provide everything for the children; baby food, formula, meals, snacks, and drinks. That way, I know the children are eating healthy, non-sugary foods, and have enough of the proper foods to fill them up (You might have read about posts about the mother not sending enough food for her baby.) I have always provided everything for children over age 1, but 2015's contract includes me providing formula and baby food. I also require that I provide all diapers, wipes, and pull-ups so I'm not sitting here with only 1 diaper for the day.

I also have it in my contract that their child, parents, and anyone who enters my home with their family must be respectful of the people in my home/daycare, of the home, and my pets or they will be immediately terminated.

I have a dress code in my handbook. It includes that the child must be recently bathed, hair brushed, teeth brushed, and clean clothes that are proper for the weather on. One of the requirements is closed toe shoes.

Make sure to close my gate so my dog won't get out.

My family's privacy - It states which rooms are for daycare and that the other rooms are off limits. It tells them not to enter the rooms that are off limits as they are solely for my family's use. ( I added that when one mother insisted on opening my older daughter's bedroom door for her daughter to tell her 'bye' even though I repeatedly demanded that they not open her door as she was changing her clothes to get ready for Karate. The little girl opened her door and my daughter screamed, I yelled like crazy at the mother telling her I had TOLD her not to have the child open the door)

I have that my house and cell phone are not for public use. (I added that after the same lady who opened my daughter's door just picked up my cell phone and called her boyfriend to tell him she was on her way home! I was working with a daycare kid and had no clue she had picked up my cell phone until I heard her talking!)

I would suggest that you think for a while about issues that have come up with your parents. Has anyone wondered through your house? Has anyone used your phone without your permission? Has anyone constantly used your bathroom? Think about things that your parents have done that have irritated you. And think about things that they might do that would irritate you or cause problems/dangerous situations. (Like not closing your gate which could result in your dog getting out in the road and hit by a car)

After 25 years, my one page contract has grown to a 25 page handbook with the 'contact signature page' as the last page.

You asked for our favorite ones. All of them are my favorite ones!
I want to include EVERYTHING as well,when I open. How much are you increasing your tuition to cover the costs of being all inclusive? Sorry didn't mean to hijack!
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Learning Daycare 02:58 PM 12-29-2014
I think it's a good idea to have a document on your computer with changes you'd like to make based on something that's happened to you, someone on here or something you've heard about on the news. I don't have a policy,handbook or contract yet as I haven't opened and won't until later in the year. I'm also anticipating the policies everyone comes up with.
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permanentvacation 03:44 PM 12-29-2014
Learning Daycare,

A quick answer to your question is...

I'm not raising my rates because of providing more things, I'm raising my rates to be closer to the going rate in my area. My infant rate is $60 less per week than the going rate and my rate for 2-5 year olds is $20-40 less/week than the going rate. So I am going to raise my rates just to be closer to the going rates in my area.

The longer answer is...

If you want to adjust your rates to include everything, you can look online and get the prices of the items that you want to provide; baby formula, baby food, diapers, wipes, and estimate how much it will cost you in groceries to buy extra to feed the daycare kids. Add in a little for your extra shopping time and time of cooking their meals. Then you will have the amount it would cost you to provide those items.

Honestly, I am not raising my rates because of providing the baby items. I am raising my rates because for a few years now, I have been on the lower end of the going rates in the area. I keep getting the parents with the sob stories or who bold faced demand that daycare rates are too high.

The going rates for home daycares here are $160-180/wk for under age 2 and $100-140 for 2-5 year olds. I had been $100-120 for under age 2 and $80-100 for 2-5 year olds. I'm tired of others getting a higher rate when I know I do more than many of them do with the kids. I am going to stop listening to their sob stories and simply tell them that this is my rate. Either pay it or find someone else. I had been feeling sorry for them and understanding their situation because of my situation, I could relate to theirs. So I put myself in their shoes and lowered my rates so they were more affordable for people like me, single moms, having trouble making ends meet, etc. However, all it's done is land me broke! I recently realized that in 17 months, my ex will not have to pay child support - which pays my entire rent! and I won't be able to support myself if I don't make drastic changes immediately. So, no more feeling sorry for people, it's time to put my financial needs ahead of theirs.

I have provided everything other than the baby formula and baby food for years. This year, because of the problem I just had with my one baby's family, I am also going to provide baby formula and food.

I provide everything for the kids, I teach them a preschool educational program, I've worked in 3 daycare centers that call themselves preschools and I teach more here than any of them do. I call the local school each year and speak with a kindergarten teacher to make sure that what I plan to teach the kids will have them prepared for school, I am told each year that what I teach will actually have them ready for 1st grade. I create progress reports for the kids and hold parent-teacher meetings when I distribute them.

A lot of the daycares around here just plop the kids in front of the tv and put Spongebob on and make much more than I do!

I am finally going to try to get what I am actually worth.
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permanentvacation 03:48 PM 12-29-2014
When I first moved back up here from Florida, my ex put us in a 1 bedroom basement apartment. I lowered my rates considerably then to charge what I would pay someone in a basement apartment. Taking into consideration that honestly, I wouldn't have even interviewed a daycare provider in a basement apartment. Since I moved out of that apartment to a townhouse, I just kept my rates low. I know a lot of people around here really can't afford daycare and I felt the need to offer affordable, quality care to those who were struggling.

Now, though, I can't afford to help others, I have to start really helping myself financially. So I'm raising my rates.
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AuntTami 10:12 AM 12-30-2014
I'm very lax on most of my policies after I establish my relationships. But, the two that I'm ALWAYS strict on is payment and illnesses. I let them get by with being late, early drop offs, changing days, changing schedules, all sorts of stuff. But, Monday morning is payday and if I'm not paid, your kids don't stay. And after having a kiddo for a very short time who would get herself worked up enough that she would puke at the lunch table, I've really hammered down with my illness policy. Puking, no matter the reason, they go home. More than 1 loose stool they go home. Fever over 100 they go home. I'm not a doctor, or their mother. It's not my responsibility to clean up puke and diarrhea, nor is it my responsibility to give them the snuggles and extra attention they need. Not that I don't want to, but I physically can't with other kiddos to care for.
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Shell 10:25 AM 12-30-2014
Originally Posted by AuntTami:
I'm very lax on most of my policies after I establish my relationships. But, the two that I'm ALWAYS strict on is payment and illnesses. I let them get by with being late, early drop offs, changing days, changing schedules, all sorts of stuff. But, Monday morning is payday and if I'm not paid, your kids don't stay. And after having a kiddo for a very short time who would get herself worked up enough that she would puke at the lunch table, I've really hammered down with my illness policy. Puking, no matter the reason, they go home. More than 1 loose stool they go home. Fever over 100 they go home. I'm not a doctor, or their mother. It's not my responsibility to clean up puke and diarrhea, nor is it my responsibility to give them the snuggles and extra attention they need. Not that I don't want to, but I physically can't with other kiddos to care for.
sounds good!
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DaveA 11:26 AM 12-30-2014
Originally Posted by Blackcat31:

"Don't piss off your provider."
It should be in EVERY policy.

Aside from payment policy spelled out, my favorite is counting my Birthday and Anniversary as paid holidays. It's only 2 days a year, but having my birthday to myself and our anniversary off together (or at very least she does an early shift so done by 2) is worth its weight in gold for sanity points.
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