Come on in, sit down in a chair

and take some time to look over my child care program.

Your child might be soon be apart of our “extended” family and we are looking forward to discovering their hidden qualities, talents, skills that make them wonderfully unique.

My Philosophy, like a nurse, counselor or teacher, I consider my time spent with children as a professional. I assume your child, like my own are a bright and beautiful treasure in your life and am concerned about creating a comfortable, safe, healthy educational environment for them.

Policy effective ***Updating now
Current policy booklet is always under revision as issues, situations and parent suggestions come up. This policy is NOT a contact, it is a frame work of expectations. It includes county and state regulations, general child care policies and information on how different situations are handled. It’s a means of communicating what is to be expected between the provider and families. It also can be use as a starting point in understanding the type of environment I've tried to create for your child. There will be times when goals are put on hold, times when we slide away from policy and need a reminder to get back on track. Good communication is the key here. Policies are not set in stone. If you have an issue or question about something please talk to me, I maybe able to handle that the situation in a way you prefer. If I can’t, at the very least I will explain my view point about it. Flipping the coin, if I have a concern I want to be free to speak to you and we can work together.

My Qualifications

The past affects the present

My background is filled with a variety of experiences with children in different settings. In my teens I did evening, weekend and full-time babysitting. In my twenties I worked as a Nanny on the East Coast, before finely earning my BS degree in Elementary Education from MSUM, Moorhead in 1988. Before becoming a Licensed Family Child Care provider I worked for the Fargo School System for two years in the ILC (individual Learning Center) department at South High. When I began to start my own family I began to understand that as much as I enjoyed teaching, I wanted to stay at home with my own children. Since I started my Child Care business I have discovered the joys of watching the little minds grow and learn under my care. To help me continue to work with children I have taken a number of formal and informal classes.

I've been doing licensed family child care for 16 years. My husband Mark works for the Fargo Public School System and my two teenagers, go to Moorhead High School. My background includes a B. S. from Moorhead State in Elementary Education and several extra courses through MSUM, the County/State, daycare conventions and seminars.

My favorite class showed me how children learn to read and write, ages 0 to 5. It's amazing how important each developmental milestone is. This class showed me how to provide the type of environment that encourages children to be good readers and writers in the future.

Another favorite class dealt with using a very creative curriculum, giving a child a chance to experience different processes without having pre-set outcomes. Your child needs time to enjoy pouring sand and feeling it tickle the toes. Children can color trees purple just because they like that color.

My third favorite dealt with the importance of children learning in a natural setting. This means that your child gets individual mini lessons throughout their day. For instance, when a child catches a ladybug I encourage him/her to try to count the spots before it flies away, or we'll talk about it's color and what it might like to eat. Engaging the child in learning while they are involved in an activity of their interest, makes these teachable moments more interesting and meaningful to the child.

I try to adapt these ideas and methods into a year long program that will encourage your child's growth & development while providing an environment your child wants to come back to.

What kind of families and children are here? As parents you want a certain kind of provider and daycare setting for your child. Provider's also have certain concerns when enrolling families/children.

My allergies dictate that the children should be from non-smoking families. Little ones need lots of hugs and the chance to sit in someone's lap for a story. I can not do this if my system is having a reaction. While this is an issue for me, my having allergies should not be an issue for you. Only twice in 16 years have I closed down because of an allergy and both times it was only for one day.

My child care is in my HOME so it's my hope that families would respect not only my home, but my family members in it. I'm really BIG on communication. My policy book is fairly flexible and used as a conversation point. If we get together and create a positive understanding, we will develop a great working relationship that will make it easier to get on with our jobs.

Normally children come and stay for 2 to 4 years. I LOVE having kids for more than one year. It allows for great routines, activities and friendship building.

On the flip side, children do grown up and out of my program, between that and moving this last summer this last 6 months I've been facing turn over of children. , I have more openings than I normally do. It's so sad to see kids leave, but a real joy when they come back to visit or I see them around town.

Our home
We moved from North Moorhead to the South Side's, Moonlite Addition in 2007. This is a wonderful area just south of I-94 and just a few minutes walk away from Regal Estates Park and in the Reinertson's school district. The park has an awesome hill for kids to roll down and lots and lots of green grass for kids to run. The city has also installed some new playground equipment and walking path to make it more fun.

Our home is a bi-level, with a "daycare" room on the lower level and the kitchen on the upper level. We've found that doing different activities in different settings break up our day and make us feel good. This is very useful during this last winter when outside fun was limited.

Please come down into the daycare room for a minute or two at least twice a week. I’m so pleased with it and your child would love to show you some of their favorite areas, toys and art work.

We have a very nice back yard that we fenced in. It makes the back yard safer and gives the children more freedom to room around without me trying to keep them together in a smaller area. We have a large wooden swing set, with multiple swings and slides. We also have a variety of little tyke yard toys and garden areas. Throughout the summer your kids will be watching plants grow & mature and be able to pick food for their lunch. There is something special in having the kids being able to eat food they picked from the garden themselves.

NOTE From January 25, 2010
  Today our area schools are closed because of the weather and I've been getting a number of phone calls from parents wondering if I'm open.
 My basic policy is if any of the major roads (29, 94, if Hwy 10 - Moorhead to Dilworth) or if your activity (business, class, event) is closed,  you should NOT bring your child.   If these roads are closed at 8 AM in the morning and yet open up during the day, I am still closed.   My road and driveway needs time to be dug out.  If they close during the day, you should call me about picking up your child.
   If both parents, or single parent is emergency personal I will be open for your family.   I do not want you or the children to be out and about when there is bad road conditions.
   According to my contract I get 5 emergency days paid for a year paid for.  Weather related closings are considered an emergency, so this is a paid day.
  I hope this clears up everything.

PS   I'm sorry about the weather.  I must have ordered the day off while I was sleeping, because it's my Birthday. LOL   I hope to see everyone on Tuesday.