Question 1

Can my child attend if they are unwell?

Accepted Answer

The short answer is yes and no.

There are many symptoms that a child may not attend child care with, from something seemingly minor like a new rash, to something more complex and potentially serious like a recent head injury.  Children need to be healthy, well rested and able to keep up with their peers and the schedule.  The needs of the group for supervision and safety also need to be taken into account; if an educator is spending their time wiping a nose that's constantly running, and then washing hands, supervision of the group at large could be compromised to a degree.  Not only that, but these things can spread like wildfire amongst a group too young to properly cover coughs and sneezes, and adequately wash their hands.  However, mild cold symptoms are generally not a problem, so long as children are still happy, playing, eating and resting as normal.  The brass tacks of it is, if your child is too unwell to participate fully and happily in the day home routine, they need to be at home to rest and recover.

The goal is to keep everyone as healthy as possible within the program. It is inconvenient to have to take time from work when your child is unwell.  I have endless empathy for this situation.  It must be made known though, that exclusionary symptoms for children in care also require that I close the program if I or a family member who lives here become afflicted.  This shuts down everyone's access to child care.  Therefore, keeping your child home for a day or 2 to prevent spread at the onset of illness will actually aid in securing your childcare in the near future, by preventing me and others from becoming ill and having to close temporarily as well.

Question 2

Can you dispense medications for my child?

Accepted Answer

Yes, and no.  All medications dispensed to any children in my care require the following:

-that they be provided by the parents and be in their original container (I cannot dispense, for instance, liquid antibiotics brought just in the syringe.  I MUST have the bottle with dosage, patient name etc) and I am not allowed to supply it myself, even for OTC meds.  The bottle must be clearly labelled with the child's name, the dosage and the frequency of dosing for that child.
-parents must completely fill out a medication authorization form (there are separate forms for things like antibiotics and ongoing medications, EMERGENCY medications like Epinephrine autoinjectors (Epipen), Asthma inhalers, Lorazepam (for epileptic seizures) and diapering creams.  No matter the med (Oral, injected or topical; yes, zinc cream counts) a form is required by licensing.

With that said, I will not dispense OTC pain and fever relievers within the program.  If a child is in so much discomfort that they require medication, then day home is not the place for them.  As these pain relievers also reduce fever, they could unintentionally mask a fever which is a symptom that requires children be excluded from care for a time.  Anecdotally, if I had a dollar for each time the group has "caught teething" because a parent has given a pain reliever to their fussy toddler or preschooler, only for a raging fever to develop at mid-day when the pain reliever (which is also a fever reducer) wore off, I'd be a very wealthy person.

Question 3

Do you accept subsidy?

Accepted Answer

No, Alberta has eliminated the child care subsidy program as of April 1, 2025, so this will no longer be available going forward.  
The affordability grant program has been expanded as of April 1, 2025 bringing base child care rates down.  In addition the Alberta government has also now set day home and day care center fees regionally and directed that parent portions are now set the same across the province.  No matter where you go, if you use licensed childcare, your parent portion per child is now the same for full-time enrollment (and part-time, at a different fee) across the province.

Question 4

How do you handle food allergies/sensitivities/religious/lifestyle restrictions

Accepted Answer

Our home is already lactose free and I'm happy to make meatless meals from time to time.
That said, in the case of severe food intolerances or allergies, this may not be the day home for you.  Cross contamination can be a huge issue.  We're a household that eats a very diverse diet, and while I can certainly ensure a child is not directly served a known allergen, or food can be sent from home, I cannot 100% prevent cross contamination.  In this case, a child with an airborne or touch allergy may not be safe here depending on their trigger foods.  I'm happy to discuss allergen concerns to see if there's a good child care arrangement to be had, but my home may not be the best place for some children. I get it; our household has some of it's own food allergies and severe intolerances, and it can be hard to find a placement that meets your needs.  But, safety has to come first.  
With regards to religious and lifestyle restrictions, I'm NOT super adept and wouldn't want to inadvertently taint someone's diet.  In this case I would ask that lunches be supplied from home, while I'll ensure snacks that are in compliance, and simultaneously learning more about your lifestyle and culture.  That's definitely something that we can work together on, and generally, a win-win for all.

Question 5

What is your approach to discipline?

Accepted Answer

I firmly believe that all actions are communication, whether they're desirable actions or not.  Keeping this in mind, I use gentle guidance (lots of breaks, modelling positive approaches, modelling effective communication, sensory integration, etc) to help children navigate the tribulations of their little world.  I use a very big focus on helping children develop not just SPEECH, but effective language and communication skills, while also helping them to develop emotional intelligence: the ability to identify what they are feeling, why they are feeling it, and giving it a name.  I think of myself as a communication coach, praising clear communication and self-advocacy whenever I hear it, and helping children reframe and rephrase when I hear ineffective communication.  All this said, I am NOT a speech language pathologist or psychologist.  I DO have a large interest in communications though (especially interpersonal communications) and have educated myself heavily on the subjects.

Question 6

Do you charge any additional fees?

Accepted Answer

Though I CAN charge fees above the set parent portion, at this time I am choosing not to do so.  Many others will or do, and I completely understand why.  Operational changes forced by the funding agreement have shuttled increased costs onto the shoulders of the operators and the overhead costs must be covered somehow.  At this time, I am breaking even with the changes, and as I have always included things like food and transport to our nearest schools, it feels asinine to charge a fee right now when I hadn't all along.  I reserve the right to change this as needed for future clients, in order to keep my business operating in a viable way.