nursery handbook

university united methodist church

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Our purpose is to provide all children with a loving, safe and nurturing environment as

they learn about God’s love; an environment which earns the confidence of their parents.

Children are a gift from the LORD;they are a reward from Him.

—Psalm 127:3

Nursery Handbook

Dear Parents . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2Welcome to the Nursery at The U . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3Volunteer Opportunities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4About Our Caregivers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5Parents Responsibilities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5Special Needs Children . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6Sunday Morning . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6Childcare Procedures And Policies . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7Baptism Classes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10Snack Donations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10Early Christian Awareness . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11Kidz Nite Klub . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11Our Littlest Angels . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11Nursery Newsletter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11A Child’s Ten Commandments to Parents . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12To All The Wonderful Moms: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13Notes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14

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Dear Parents

Welcome to our Nursery Ministry at University United Methodist Church! At The U, we believe that for our littlest angels, the nursery is where they are cared for while their parents attend classes or worship services . Our caregivers provide for their needs, sing to them, play with them and cuddle them . We know that even the youngest child gains an understanding of God’s love through experiencing the loving nature of the care provider . Our nursery caregivers are trained and experienced in the care of young children . Our goal is to assure each parent that their child will experience God’s love as quality care is given to them .

Your child is a very special person.You are sure of that…

So is God…And so are we!

JoGayleJoGayle KowalikNursery DirectorUniversity United Methodist Church(210) 690-7331

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Welcome to the Nursery at The U

The purpose of this handbook is to acquaint you with our nursery . To facilitate a smooth transition for your child into the nursery, please familiarize yourself with our policies and procedures . If you know that your child is receiving excellent care, that will enable you to freely participate in your own worship time and activities at the Church .

Should you have any questions, concerns, or suggestions regarding the nursery, please call JoGayle Kowalik, Nursery Director at (210) 690-7331

The angels light another star each time there is another birth, to celebrate each precious child

the good Lord sends to earth.—Unknown

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Volunteer Opportunities

A screening application must be completed by all nursery volunteers.

Sunday Morning Nursery Volunteer:9:30 or 11:00 am in the Nursery, or Extended Care for 2 year olds at 11:00 am .

Early Christian Awareness:Sunday School hours for children ages 6 months to 2 year olds . The goal of ECA is to increase each child’s awareness and perception of God’s wonderful world using a variety of visual, auditory, tactile and other sensory methods developed by modern educators .

Nursery Council:This group of volunteers meet once a month for fellowship, to plan special nursery events and to discuss ways to continually improve the Nursery Ministry . This is a one year commitment.

Nursery Staff Support:Coordinate and help to provide snacks for nursery caregivers working on major holidays . Days needed: Maundy Thursday, Good Friday, Easter, and Christmas Eve .

Please contact JoGayle in the Nursery Office if you are interested in one of these areas.

The desire of the Nursery is to accept all children as Jesus would. Through the

teamwork of parents, children, and Nursery staff, we can better achieve this goal.

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About Our Caregivers

All of our caregivers are Christian, CPR and First Aid certified, have been trained on our Nursery policies and procedures, are at least 16 years of age, have been screened by the Methodist Conference Office and have experience working with children . For the safety of our children, at least 2 caregivers will always be staffed in each room .

Having a “core” group of caregivers allows us to:

• Build relationships and earn the trust of each child .

• Learn the individual children’s needs .

• Understand and implement room procedures and routines .

Parents Responsibilities

• A parent or guardian must be participating in an on-campus function at The U while their child is in the nursery .

• Parents are requested to label all belongings and use a diaper bag tag on the diaper bag handle . Initials need to be placed on cups, pacifiers, and any other items brought to the nursery .

• Parents must sign their child in and out . A name tag must be filled out and the parent’s location in the Church must be identified .

• We are not equipped to provide or serve meals . Simple sack lunches with finger foods are allowed as long as the majority of the children are also eating . Do not bring peanut butter due to food allergies.

• All childcare is scheduled to begin 15 minutes prior to the start of a scheduled event and closes 15 minutes after the ending time of the event .

• ALWAyS indicate any allergies or needs on sign-in sheets .

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Special Needs Children

Children with special needs are welcome in the Nursery . The u|ability staff ensures that each child receives the best care possible . All children will be placed in the most suitable and appropriate environment according to their needs .

Sunday Morning

The Sunday morning nursery consists of rooms that group children by month of birth and developmental characteristics . The transfer of a child into the next room is based on maturation and made in consultation with the Nursery Director and/or Supervisor .

Age of Child

• <1-6 Months (babies) must have first set of shots

• 7-12 Months (crawlers)

• 13-18 Months (walkers)

• 19-23 Months (toddlers)

• 24 Months & Up

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Childcare Procedures And Policies

A. Childcare Reservations:In order to provide quality care and supervision of your child, we strive to maintain a low child to caregiver ratio . If the room is considered full, there is a chance that the room will be closed to additional children for all of the children’s safety . For this reason, reservations for any events other than worship services are required 24 hours in advance .

1 . Reservations must be made for every child in the nursery at least 24 hours prior to the start of an event by calling (210) 696-1033 between 8:30 am and 4:30 pm . Parents who show up with their child and do not have a reservation will be allowed to leave their child only on one occasion if space is available .

2 . Standing reservations for programs that regularly meet and require continual attendance are made at the beginning of the program . Children’s names will be pre-printed each day onto sign-in sheets . Parents must call to cancel reservations for the sessions in which they do not need childcare .

3 . All meetings and programs must go through the Church scheduling procedure for approval .

4 . Cancellations: Parents must cancel reservations at least 24 hours prior to the start of an event by calling the Church office at (210) 696-1033 between 8:30 am and 4:30 pm . Exceptions will be made for illnesses up to 1 hour prior to the start of an event . If calling after 4:30 pm to cancel a reservation for that night or the next day, please dial the Nursery Director (210) 690-7331 and leave a message .

B. Illness Guidelines

1 . Any child who has had a fever higher than 100 .5 within the last 24 hours will not be permitted into the nursery .

2 . Any child who has a known communicable illness should stay home until 7 days after the onset of the illness, or until he/she has been on an antibiotic for 48 hours .

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3 . Parents will be contacted and asked to remove the child from the nursery if:

• a child’s temperature reads above 100 .5;

• a child has diarrhea or vomiting

• a child has suspicious symptoms .

4 . The nursery cannot dispense medication for any reason . Please do not pack medications in diaper bags .

C. Childcare Sessions:

1 . Belongings: Parents are responsible for labeling all of their child’s belongings . When bringing your child to the nursery, equip their diaper bag with the following items (all labeled, please): diapers, bottle filled for the stay, sippy cup—filled, pacifier, change of clothing, wet wipes, and a blanket or other comfort item .

2 . Food: Children should eat prior to coming to the nursery . Lunch may be packed for children who will be in the nursery over the noon hour, and dinner can be brought in only for evening events starting before 6:00 pm . No food should be brought in after 6:00 pm . Due to potential allergies, do not bring any food containing peanut butter .

3 . Sign-in Procedures: To minimize foot traffic in the rooms, check-in stations are located at each door outside the room .

a . When you use the nursery, log your child in on the sign-in sheet . Please include all information requested . If your child has allergies or special needs, please notify the caregiver, place an orange sticker on the child’s name tag and indicate on the sign-in sheet .

b . you will be given a vibrating pager that has a number which will be next to your name on the sign in sheet .

c . After you sign-in, a caregiver will meet your child at the door and aid in separation . Long goodbyes often make anxious children more so and can upset other children who are already settled in . By being firm when it’s time to leave, the parent is giving the child a clear behavioral message: Mom and Dad know that the child will be safe . This makes the child feel more secure in their new surroundings .

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D. Locating Parents and Check-out Procedures:

1 . Locating Parents: If a child cries uncontrollably for 15 minutes or appears ill, the Nursery Director or Supervisor will page parents . In order to find you, it is very important to fill out the sign-in sheet completely . If you are in a worship service, we will use the vibrating pager to call you .

2 . Pick-up: Parents are requested to pick up their child as soon as possible after the close of each Church event . At the door of the classroom, ask the caregiver for your child . Children will be released once the pager is returned and you are identified .

3 . Only parents, guardians, or siblings over 17 years of age will be allowed to pick up the child from the nursery . Each child must be signed out when they leave .

E. Accident ReportsIf a child suffers a minor accident while in the nursery, an accident report will be filled out by the caregiver who witnessed the accident and the Nursery Director or Supervisor will be notified, will look at the child, and sign the report . When the child is picked up, the parents will be asked to sign the report, and it will then be kept in the Nursery Director’s office .

F. Behavior GuidelinesFor the safety of all children, biting, hitting, or bodily harm of one child from another child will not be permitted . In these cases we will pursue the following course of action:

1 . The caregiver will use appropriate discipline measures (redirection, time out, etc .)

2 . The Nursery Director will be notified if the problem persists .

3 . Parents will be contacted to discuss possible solutions . If the behavior problems are not corrected after the parents have been notified, the Nursery Director may ask the parents to work with their child and bring him or her back only after the problem is corrected .

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Baptism Classes

University United Methodist Church offers a special class on baptism . It is a one-time session which covers the United Methodist Church’s basic beliefs about baptism . It also addresses what you can anticipate in baptism and answers any questions you might have about this sacrament . If you would like to have your child baptized at The U, you are required to attend this class prior to the baptism ceremony . We encourage you to attend this class in order to enhance your understanding of this important event .

Please call the Church office at (210) 696-1033 for dates and times.

Snack Donations

We ask parents and friends of the nursery for snack donations . Since our little ones can and do get hungry, we like to give them a snack when they are with us . However, this can get costly . Parents will be asked to bring a snack donation according to the first letter of their last name .

January: A & B July: M & N February: C & D August: O & P March: E & F September: Q & R April: G & H October: S & T May: I & J November: U, V, & W June: K & L December: X, y, & Z

Appropriate donations include: graham crackers, cheerios, animal cookies, vanilla wafers, goldfish crackers, etc… Please refrain from bringing peanut butter due to allergies . If you would prefer, you may make a cash donation to the Nursery at anytime .

Please bring snacks / donations to the Nursery Director’s office .

See how much the Father LOVES us! His LOVE is so great that we are called God’s children.

—1 John 3:1

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Early Christian Awareness

ECA is a program offered to infants and toddlers ages six months to 2 years . An ECA teacher goes from room to room during the Sunday School hour and leads a short program .

The children gather facing the teacher who presents the joy of God and His creations using several different methods . Our goal and the goal of ECA is to increase each child’s awareness and perception of God’s wonderful world using a variety of visual, auditory, tactile and other sensory methods developed by modern educators .

Kidz Nite Klub

The Nursery Ministry Team invites children from the ages of 6 months through fifth grade to join us for a night of fun . Kidz Nite Klub (KNK) is usually held the 2nd Friday of each month and lasts from 6:30-10:30 pm . Parents can drop off their children at the Church for a night out and know their children are having fun in a safe, Christian environment!

If you would like to sign your child up for KNK, please come by the main Church office to sign up . Space is limited and reservations are taken on a first come first served basis . Reservations can only be made in person with payment . The cost of KNK is $12 .00 for the first child, and $10v .00 for each additional child . Kidz Nite Klub is a great deal for a night of fun for children while offering their parents a night out!

For more information, call the Nursery Office at (210) 690-7331.

Our Littlest Angels

When a baby is born into the University family, our “Littlest Angel” team goes to work to welcome him or her into our Church . The team sends a baby Bible, Cradle Cross and diaper bag tag as a gift to the baby .

Nursery Newsletter

Each month the Nursery Ministry publishes a newsletter with current information about the Church and the Nursery Ministry . Please look for it in the Nursery hallway when you pick up and/or drop off your child .

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A Child’s Ten Commandments to Parents

1 . My hands are small; please don’t expect perfection whenever I make a bed, draw a picture, or throw a ball . My legs are short; please slow down so that I can keep up with you .

2 . My eyes have not seen the world as yours have; please let me explore safely; don’t restrict me unnecessarily .

3 . Housework will always be there . I’m only little for such a short time . Please take time to explain things to me about this wonderful world, and do so willingly .

4 . My feelings are tender; please be sensitive to my needs . Don’t nag me all day long (you wouldn’t want to be nagged for your inquisitiveness) . Treat me as you would like to be treated .

5 . I am a special gift from God; please treasure me as God intended you to do, holding me accountable for my actions, giving me guidelines to live by, and disciplining me in a loving manner .

6 . I need your encouragement, but not your criticism to grow . Please go easy on the criticism; remember, you can criticize the things I do without criticizing me .

7 . Please give me the freedom to make decisions concerning myself . Permit me to fail, so that I can learn from my mistakes . Then someday I will be prepared to make the kind of decisions life requires of me .

8 . Please don’t do things over for me . Somehow that makes me feel that my efforts didn’t quite measure up to your expectations . I know it’s hard, but please don’t compare me with my brothers and sisters .

9 . Please don’t be afraid to leave for a weekend together . Kids need vacations from parents, just as parents need vacations from kids . Besides, it’s a great way to show us kids that your marriage is very special .

10 . Please take me to Sunday School and Church regularly, setting a good example for me to follow . I enjoy learning more about God .

—Dr . Kevin Lehman-

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To All The Wonderful Moms:

The child asked God, “They tell me you are sending me to earth tomorrow, but how am I going to live there being so small and helpless?” “your angel will be waiting for you and will take care of you .” The child further inquired, “But tell me, here in heaven I don’t have to do anything but sing, smile, and be happy .” God said, ”your angel will sing for you and will also smile at you . And you will feel your angel’s love and be very happy .”

Again the child asked, “And how am I going to be able to understand when people talk to me if I don’t know the language?” God said, “your angel will tell you the most beautiful and sweet words you will ever hear, and with much patience and care, will teach you how to speak .” “And what am I going to do when I want to talk to you?” God said, “your angel will place your hands together and teach you how to pray .” “Who will protect me?” God said, “your angel will defend you even if it means risking her own life .”

“But will I always be sad because I will not see you anymore?” God said, ”your angel will teach you about Me and will teach you the way you come back to Me even though I will always be next to you .” At that moment there was much peace in heaven, but voices from earth could be heard and the child quickly asked, “God, if I am to leave now, please tell me my angel’s name .” “you will simply call her ‘Mom .’”

—Author Unknown-

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university united methodist church

5084 De Zavala Road | San Antonio TX 78249(210) 696-1033 | www.uchurch.tv | info@uchurch.tv

Updated January 2011