Sonlight Childcare

Parent Handbook












My name is Bethany Dragoo. I live in Murfreesboro,TN with my husband Steven and our four children
Melissa, Skyler, Shaun and Kiera. We recently moved here from Ohio where I ran a successful home
childcare business. I believe that all children are a gift from God and that helping to raise and nurture
them is an important honor.
The children in my daycare spend most of their time in free group play. This includes a lot of outdoor time
(weather permitting) and creative play (ie. Arts and crafts, dress up, music and dancing) A child will never
be forced to participate in an activity but will be given the opportunity to pick another activity of their
choice. Our daily schedule is as follows:

Daily schedule
7:30am: drop off
7:30 -8:30: Breakfast
8:30 9: Breakfast clean up, potty time, diaper changes
9am- 11am- Free play (may include arts and crafts, outdoor play, a small amount of child appropriate tv or
computer time)
11am- lunch
11:30a-12p lunch clean up, outdoor play
12p potty time, diaper changes, quite play to get settled down for nap
1p-3p Nap/ quiet time
3:30p- 4p snack time
4p- 430p- clean up, potty and diaper changes
4:30p-530p- free play
5:30p pick up and closing of daycare.

This is a general schedule and is changed to meet the needs of the children in the daycare.

Open door policy:
I have an open door policy and welcome parents to drop in at any time. The door will be locked for the
safety of the children but knock and I will let you in. Please keep in mind the following: Seeing a parent in
the middle of the day may be upsetting to some children as is may make them think that its time to go
home. Be prepared to take your child with you if they become too distressed. Please refrain from visiting
or calling between the hours of 1p-3p. This is our rest time and rest is important to little bodies and minds.

Hours:
My business hours are 7:30a-6:00p Monday through Friday on a year round basis- except for holidays
(listed below). I ask that you strictly adhere to drop off and pick up times. On top of being your childcare
provider I am also a mother. I need to be able to schedule activities for my own children outside of
daycare hours and when children are dropped off early or picked up late this becomes a challenge. I will
charge $5 per child for every 15 minutes that you are late to pick your child/children up. I will give you a 5
minute grace period but anything after that will be charged. This fee is not an attempt to raise my income.
It is put in place to stress the importance of picking your child up on time. I try to stick to my 7:30 opening
time but I understand that everyones jobs and schedules are different and I will attempt to accommodate
any reasonable drop off requests.
Holidays:
The following days are the holidays which my child care home will be closed:
Memorial Day
Fourth of July Labor Day
Thanksgiving Day Christmas Day
The Friday after Thanks giving Christmas Eve
New Years Day
If the holiday falls on a Saturday I will take the previous Friday off, If it falls on a Sunday I will take the
following Monday off. You will be responsible for finding care during these holidays.
Rates and fees:
I chose to keep my childcare small, never going over 4 full time children, in order to ensure that each child
is getting the best care possible. Because of this I do charge more than providers who may accept
upwards of 7 full time children. I believe that the extra time and attention your child receives will be worth
it.
My child care rates are as follows:
Part time:
$20 for anything under 5 hours a day
$30 for a full day (5 hours or more a day)
Full time:
$125 a week for a newborn to 3 (or until potty trained, whichever comes first)
$120 a week for 3-5
$10 a day for before and after school care
Payment for the week is due on the first day of the week that you receive childcare services. While I
understand that parents have hectic lives, I do expect to be paid in a timely manner. More than one late
payment in a month will result in a $20 fee. Returned checks will incur a $35 fee. Any other fees that I
incur through my bank will also be expected to be paid.
If your child is scheduled to come to the daycare and for any reason they do not come, you are
still required to pay for that day. This includes: parent or child illness, dr. appts, or any other activity
that takes place during childcare hours. If you need to remove your child from the daycare early you will
still be charged for the full day(if full day services were scheduled). This is in no way meant to discourage
you from spending time with your child.
There will be times when I or one of my children becomes ill. If I believe I am still able to provide care, but
you chose not to send your child, payment is still required.
If I am too ill to provide childcare services or my children are too ill then I will close the daycare for the
day. You will not be charged for those days. I do have a backup provider but ultimately you will be
responsible for finding an alternate childcare provider if she is not available.
Pick ups and drop offs:
Transitions can be challenging for little ones. A child who is crying during a drop off is often smiling and
playing a few minutes later. With this in mind I ask that parents keep drop offs short (5 minutes max).
Please hug and kiss your child, reassure them that you will be back later to pick them up then calmly
leave. I will stay with an upset child until they are calm and ready to join everyone else.
During pick ups and drop offs children often test to see whos really in charge, the parent or myself.
Once the child is in the home, our house rules apply and will be enforced. This consistency ultimately
helps these transitions go smoother.
Meals:
I strive to always serve healthy balanced meals. Each day I will serve breakfast, lunch and an afternoon
snack. Infants will be fed according to their own schedule. If you bring your child after the stated meal
time please make sure you have already fed them.
Please make sure you inform me of any sensitivities you child may have to food as well as their
likes/dislikes. When I serve a meal your child will be encouraged to try it, no child will be forced to eat
what is served. If they choose not to finish a meal they will have to wait until the next meal/snack to eat.
Infants will eat on their own schedule. You are required to provide formula or breast milk as needed.
Solids will be introduced only when you and the childs doctor decide it is time. During this time
communication is critical so that we are on the same page about your childs new diet. I will not introduce
any foods in the daycare that have not been tried at home at least three times.
Deposit & Termination
A deposit is required to hold your childs spot and during their enrollment period with me. The deposit is
equal to your payment to the childcare home for two weeks. This deposit is non-refundable. I ask that
Parents/guardians give me a written notice of termination 30 days before the child is to leave the
childcare home. I understand that a thirty day notice is not always available. A minimum of a two week
notice is required. Once your notice is given, your deposit will be applied to pay for the last 2 weeks of
child care in my home.
Illness
For the protection of all the children and myself, you must keep your child at home if any of the following
applies to them:
The illness prevents child from participation in all regular activities.
The illness results in greater care than provider can comfortably provide.
The child has a fever(101 or over); lethargy; irritability; persistent crying; difficulty breathing
The child has an intestinal disturbance accompanied by diarrhea or vomiting. (until 24 hours
without an episode of vomiting or diarrhea)
Rash with fever or behavior change
Any discharge from eyes, ears or profuse nasal discharge.
Tuberculosis until not infectious (bacterial respiratory)
Strep Throat (until 24hrs. after treatment begins and no fever for 24hrs.-w/out suppressant)
Head lice (until child is checked and free of lice)
Scabies (mites) until after treatment is completed)
Chicken pox until 6 days after onset of rash and all lesions are dried and crusted
Pertussis until 5 days of appropriate antibiotic are completed ( respiratory bacterial)
Impetigo ( until 24-48 hrs. after meds begin)
Mumps until 9 days after onset of parotid gland swelling
Hepatitis A until one week after onset or until immune globulin is given to all children/staff
Hepatitis B
Infection with shigella; E-coli; salmonella
Infections with Hemophilus flu; meningitides; streptococcus pneumonia until adequately treated
or any other possible symptoms of a communicable disease
If your child shows signs of any contagious disease, please keep them at home and report their condition
to myself immediately. The child must be free from all symptoms 24 hours before they will be
admitted back into the child care home. If any of the above symptoms are present when you bring the
child to the center the child will not be permitted to stay. If these symptoms arise while the child is in my
care I will call you to come pick the child up. If you cannot be reached I will call the person you have listed
down for emergencies to come get the child. In the meantime the child will be isolated from the other
children until you arrive. Admission is at the discretion of myself.
Discipline
I believe in positive proactive discipline. Children are learning and discovering their worlds and often
situations come up that they do not know how to handle. During this time I will be support them in working
thorugh this situation appropriately. Children will review the rules of the home daily and be assisted
whenever they struggle to follow them. I have found that most situations can be handled with simple
redirection and an I will not let you. Or we do not. statement.
If a child is not responding to redirection they will be placed in time-out, not as a form of punishment but
as an opportunity for them to calm, reset and prepare to rejoin the group. The length of the time out will
be dependent upon the childs age. Usually one minute for every year of their age. (2 minutes for a 2yo, 3
minutes for a 3yo, ect.)
Children, who are too young to understand the concept of "time-out", are distracted from the situation by
offering them a more appropriate activity.
Your child will NEVER be hit, pushed, grabbed or verbally abused in any way.
House Rules:
The house rules are as follows:
Use a kind voice. No yelling, or name calling
Use gentle hands. No hitting, punching, slapping, grabbing, kicking or biting. No taking other childrens
things
Stay in the safe areas. No going outside without an adult. No going upstairs without an adult.
Slow down. No running in the home.
Accidents & Emergencies
Despite a very watchful eye sometimes accidents do happen, especially with children, its just a fact of
life. So should the unthinkable arise, I want you to know that I have already thought ahead of time of
what my actions would be, so to be prepared to serve your child to the best of my ability.
In case of an injured child such as but not limited to: Small bumps, scrapes and cuts I will administer first
aid (soapy water and band aid per the Department of Social Services) and the parent/guardian will be
notified at pick up time as to what happened. For more severe injuries, I will call a parent/guardian, or if
needed 911 and then notify the parents/guardians. Should the child need to be transported, I will relay
the parents/guardians choice of hospital as indicated by intake records. Should I be unable to contact a
parent/guardian I will call the person or persons listed on your emergency form. I am certified in both
CPR and First Aid.
If ever I could not locate a child I would contact the police and the childs parents/guardians immediately.
If a child is lost, all children will be gathered in one area while I check the remainder of the childcare area
and house for the lost child. I will then also check outdoors and neighboring homes.
In case of an accidental poisoning I will call the poison control center, determine what the child got into,
follow the poison centers recommendations, call 911 if needed and alert one of the parents/guardians of
the incident.
Items from home:
Please do not allow your child to bring in toys or other items from home unless they are a comfort item.
Children often have a hard time sharing things from home. If you child does bring something in it will be
put away until you return to pick them up. Comfort items will be placed in their cubby until nap time. I am
not responsible for damaged or lost toys brought into my home.
If a child wants to bring a snack to share please check with me first. I will make sure the item they want to
bring is something everyone can have. You will be expected to bring enough for the whole daycare.
I will be happy to accept toys, books, nursery or child furniture/equipment or clothing that your child has
outgrown. Contributions of art and craft supplies are always welcome.
If needed, I ask that you bring a package of diapers, wipes and a change of clothes. When the diapers
and wipes are starting to get low I will let you know so you can bring more.
Rest Periods
There will be quiet time each afternoon from 1:00-3:00 pm. for all children. Infants follow their own
schedule. Depending upon their age, children are expected to rest quietly or to engage in quiet activities,
allowing those who need to sleep the opportunity to do so.
If you will be picking up your child within these hours, prior notice would be appreciated. This way
special arrangement will be made so that the other children will not be disturbed during their much-
needed time of rest. I can also be sure your child is ready for his/her trip home (diaper changing, hair
brushed, face washed, use the bathroom, etc.). Unless you absolutely cant, please avoid picking
up/dropping off your child during this time. Thank you.
Field Trips
Once in awhile I will take the children on field trips to such places as the Zoo, Children's Museum, and the
like. I will give you prior notice of our field trip and you will be required to sign a field trip permission form.
If you do not want your child to participate in the field trip then your child will not be watched on that day
and you will have to make other arrangements for child care. However your childcare payment will still be
required for that day.
In addition, parents/guardians may be asked to provide the admission cost or any other fee associated
with the field trip. I will provide snacks, drinks and, when needed, a sack lunch for all the children.
Outdoor Play
Each day, weather permitting, the children will have outdoor playtime. Occasionally on nice days we will
go on walks. Please make sure to dress your children appropriately for the weather. This includes jackets,
mittens, hats, boots, etc. for winter days. Walks and trips to the park will be taken at the discretion of
myself. I request that you supply a pair of rubber boots that will stay at my home. If you do not supply
them your child will still go outside but may ruin their shoes.
Prior to outside play, sunscreen will be applied to all children with the exception of infants. Please let me
know if you have applied sunscreen to your child prior to arriving to the childcare home. Sunscreen will be
reapplied as needed throughout the day. You will need to supply a bottle of sunscreen with your childs
name clearly written on it in permanent marker.

Repairs and/or Replacement of Personal Property
When children play, equipment and toys may be accidentally broken. That is expected in a childcare
home. However, if your child purposely damages any childcare property, or personal property of mine, my
family or of another childs such as toys, books, equipment, or furnishings, you will be expected to replace
the item or pay for the replacement or repair.
Changes
If there are changes occurring in your family such as a new baby, a move, an illness, a separation or
divorce, please advise me so that I can work with your child more successfully during times of insecurity
and transition.

If you have any questions or concerns please contact me.
My cell phone number is (937) 524-4246
My E-mail address is Bethanydragoo@gmail.com