The First United Methodist Church Nursery Handbook First United Methodist Church 505 W. Marvin Ave. Waxahachie, TX 75165 972-937-4400 Director of Children s Ministry Val Stewart val@fumcwax.com Nursery Coordinator Lauri Pesina
Table of Contents Welcome to Children s Nursery....3 Our Mission and Goals.........4 Section 1-Nursery Information for Parents Policies.....5 Staff......5 Enrollment....6 Check-In/Check Out Procedures....6-7 Diaper Bags/Items to be Provided.....7-8 Sunday Morning Routine.....8-9 Wellness Policy/Medication/Allergies/Health.....9-10 Diapers/Potty Training Policy......11 Behavior and Discipline.....11 Promotion Policy....12 Nursery for Special Church Events....12 Section 2-Nursery Staff Information Job Descriptions....13 Training..13 Enrollment Cards and Visitors.....13-14 When a Child Becomes Ill in Our Care....14 Before the Children Arrive......14 Check-In Procedure...14 Sunday Morning Schedule.15 When Parents Pick-Up......15 Clean-up Procedures..16 Emergency/Evacuation Procedures......16
Welcome to First Kid s Nursery Welcome to the Nursery of First United Methodist Church. It is our pleasure and privilege to provide nursery care for the smallest disciples of Jesus. Our goal is to provide a healthy, safe and loving place for all our children, so they can grow to love God and know who they are in Christ. Our Nursery Handbook and information included in this packet is to promote unity and foster an understanding between parents, nursery staff and the church. Thank you parents for allowing us to care for your children, and thank you staff for the ministry you provide in caring for our youngest disciples. Our handbook is divided into two sections: Nursery Information for Parents and Nursery Information for Staff. In order to nurture unity and understanding between Nursery Parents and Nursery Staff, we ask that parents and staff familiarize themselves with both sections. And in conclusion to this welcome, please feel free to contact the Director of Children s Ministry listed on the front cover if you have any comments, suggestions, concerns or joys about the Nursery Ministry. Please know your input is always welcome. 3
Our Mission and Goals Our Church Mission: To glorify God, by sharing Christ, discipling believers and serving others. Our Children s Ministry Mission: To exemplify the love of God to each child while they grow into their knowledge of Christ and develop their unique gifts to serve God and others. Our Nursery Mission: To model the love of God as we come along side each child s parents; supporting and caring for the needs of each child. Seeking opportunities to instruct each child in the word of God, engaging them in worship, involving them in fellowship and inspiring their growing faith. For Our Parents: Our goal as your Nursery Ministry is to come along side you and provide a safe, loving and nurturing place for your child as you attend Sunday School, worship and church activities. For Our Children: Our goal is to provide a safe, and loving place for each child where each one can grow in their love of God and their love of their church. For Our Staff: Our goal is to support, equip and encourage each staff member as they faithfully minister to our parents and children. 4
Section 1 Nursery Information for Parents Policies Our nursery opens at 8:15 a.m., 15 minutes prior to the 8:30 a.m. Sunday morning service or any church event. If a parent needs more time to drop off a child because they are participating in a music ensemble or leading worship, please contact the Children s Ministry Director and arrangements can be made for that Sunday. There are two nursery rooms available for children 12 weeks to 2 years: Baby Room-12 weeks to 16 months* Toddler Room-17 months through 2 year olds *For the 8:30 service the nurseries will be combined in Room #311. The Baby Nursery Room is located in the Family Life Center in room #311 and the Toddler Room is located in the same building in Room #303. Staff Our nursery staff is made up of paid caregivers who are trained and experienced. Many of them are teachers in our Funday School, which is our Mother s Day Out Program. They all have passed background checks and they all are valued members of our church staff. They love God and they love children. 5
Enrollment Parents of FUMC members/regular attendees are asked to fill out an enrollment sheet for the nursery the first time their child attends our nursery. These sheets will be available through the Nursery Coordinator. New members and visitors who have not enrolled their child will be sent a nursery packet after 3 visits. The guidelines and information included in our handbook and enrollment packet will insure that our staff will have all the information needed to give special care to each child and that all parents will have confidence in our extraordinary care of each little disciple. Check-In/Out Procedures on Sunday Mornings For Visitors: Visitors and those not enrolled in our nursery should check in with the Nursery Coordinator, Lauri Pesina. Lauri and the staff will help you with the check-in procedure and have you fill out basic information on your child such as feeding, diapering/potty training instructions and any medical information the nursery staff may need to care for your child. For Enrolled Children: 1. Please arrive a few minutes before your service or Sunday School to get your child settled. If your child is unhappy when you leave, please know that the staff is trained to help your child with this transition. The staff will contact you if your child continues to be upset without you. 6
2. Please sign in your child and take a pager. Make sure you have signed your name by the pager number that corresponds to your child s name in order for us to contact you if your child needs you. 3. Enjoy Sunday school and worship. 4. Please return promptly to the nursery to pick up your child, initial them out and return your pager. It is very important that your child is picked up on time. Children can become anxious when they wait long after others are picked up on time. Diaper Bags Each diaper bag should be tagged with a name or nametag on the outside of the bag. If you need a nametag please ask the caregivers. They will provide a nametag if you need one. Parents may use their own nametags, but all diaper bags must have identification. Items to Be Provided in Diaper Bags 1. Please provide enough disposable diapers for your child. We have extra diapers in a range of sizes if you happen to forget. 2. Please pack enough water, juice or milk in bottles and/or Sippy cups labeled with your child s name. Please label the tops too. 3. Please send a change of clothes that are labeled with your child s name. 4. If your child is using a pacifier, the pacifier must be attached to a leash that clips onto clothes. This will 7
prevent other children from picking it up and putting a child s pacifier in their hands or mouth. 5. Please discourage your child from bringing toys from home. These toys present a hygiene problem, can cause issues between children and can be difficult to locate when among all our toys. Exceptions will be made for children who require a special item to help them with separation anxiety and if the parent feels a comfort item will help. Please label the item with your child s name and let our nursery staff know the need for the item. Sunday Morning Routine During each worship hour the children will have a time for free play, snack, and a brief Bible lesson. The lesson includes a Bible story time, some play activities reinforcing the story and worship music for babies and toddlers. Diapers will be checked each hour and changed as needed for each child. Free playing time will consist of the children playing with the nursery toys and enjoying a time of fellowship. The staff will interact and play with the children. For snack time the staff will provide Cheerios or crackers for the children. If you do not want your child to have those snacks or your child has a food allergy, please inform the staff of your wishes. You may send a snack if you wish, but please label the snack with your child s name. 8
Morning Schedule 8:15 (10:45) Nursery Staff receives children and parents. 8:30 (11:00) Fellowship with children-free playing time. 8:45 (11:15) Bible Story Time/Bible Play Activities/ Worship Songs-play, dance, sing & worship. 9:00 (11:30) Fellowship with children-free playing time. 9:15 (11:45) Snack & Prayer, begin changing diapers. 9:45 (12:00) Finish diapers, free play and wait for parents. Wellness Policy In order to promote the healthiest environment possible, the nursery is cleaned after each use. Toys are sanitized and every effort is made to maintain a safe and sanitary place for each child. To assist us keeping all our children and staff well please do not bring your child to the nursery if they have the following symptoms: Fever Nasal secretions that are thick, yellow or green, and accompanied by fever Sore throat with fever or throat spots Cough accompanied by fever, chills, and coughing up mucous, vomiting or nausea Eye drainage Lice Child not feeling well, such as lethargic behavior 9
A Child may return to our nursery after an illness when: Fever has been broken for 24 hours without medication Nausea, vomiting or diarrhea has subsided for 24 hours Antibiotic has been given over a 24 period for any strep or bacterial infection Child is feeling well again and normal behavior has returned Medication Our Nursery Staff will dispense no medication in the nursery. If your child is taking medication, it must be given before you come or given by a parent at church. Medication cannot be kept in the nursery or in the child s diaper bag. Allergies All allergies to medication and/or any substances must be stated on the Visitors Care card and on the Enrollment form. Please list any food allergies that your child may have. Please provide a snack for snack time if your child requires a special snack. Health Concerns Please communicate to Nursery Staff any of your child s health information that would affect the care of your child. Please complete the medical information section so we may provide the proper care for each child. 10
Diapers/Potty Training National health standards recommend for childcare centers and nurseries to use only disposable diapers. No cloth diapers will be used in our nursery. If a child comes in cloth diapers, the nursery will have disposable diapers for anyone who needs them. The nursery will assist your child as you are potty training him/her. Please provide us with a complete change of clothes and communicate the methods you are using to encourage them to go to the bathroom. Behavior and Discipline When a behavior problem occurs, the youngest children will be redirected to a more appropriate activity. Older Children, the toddlers & up have a policy to follow: 1 st Consequence: Verbal Warning - will be told in a calm voice that their behavior is inappropriate and have correct behavior modeled for them. 2 nd Consequence: Time Out - Age appropriate (1 minute per year, so a 2 year old would sit away from the group 2 minutes in a chair in the room away from the activity.) 3 rd Consequence: The teacher will contact the Nursery Coordinator or the Children s Director. The child will have a conference with the Coordinator or Director. 4 th Consequence: If the behavior continues, parents will be contacted. 5 th & Ongoing Consequences: A behavior plan can be developed if behavior problems persist.* Please make the caregivers aware of any behavior problems your child is struggling with, so we can help model correct behavior and praise your child s positive behavior. *If aggressive behavior such as biting, hitting, or pushing happens, parents may be called immediately. 11
Promotion Promotion Sunday for the next Nursery/Sunday School class is generally in May/June as school ends and students are promotes to their next grade. Promotion is based on age and space limitations. Special Church Events For many of our church events, such as, WOW (Worship Outside the Walls), Trunk or Treat, Lord s Acre, luncheons, dinners, Bible Studies and Church meetings, a nursery may be offered as needed. The nursery will open 15 minutes before the event and all children will be picked up 15 minutes after the event. If for some reason more time is needed, please contact the Nursery coordinator or the Children s Director to make special arrangements. 12
Job descriptions Section II Nursery Staff Information Nursery Coordinator, Lauri Pesina, will schedule, direct and manage the nursery staff. She will also help newcomers and visitors get settled in the right nursery for their child s age. She will serve as the authority present in the nursery to manage sickness, accidents or special needs. She and the Children s Director, Val Stewart will work together to provide support, structure and consistency for the staff and the children. Nursery staff will welcome the parents and children as they arrive. They will guide new parents through our check in and check out procedures and communicate to the staff any special needs or concern in the care of each child. Training Our Nursery Coordinator trains nursery staff. All Nursery Staff must have certification in CPR. Enrollment and Visitors If a parent wishes to enroll their child in our nursery, they may see our Nursery Coordinator. She will be able to oversee that all the paperwork is properly completed. If a child is just visiting, please make sure parents have 13
filled out a short visitor form and understand our pager system. Visitors do not need to fill out an enrollment form; however after the child has been in our nursery 3 times, we will ask the parents to enroll their child. When a Child is Sick If a child seems ill or becomes sick in our care, do not hesitate to inform the Nursery Coordinator or Children s Director. The parents of the child will be contacted to come and evaluate the child or take them home. Checking In Nursery staff will arrive 30 minutes prior to their scheduled start. For example if a staff member is working the 8:30 service they will report to the nursery at 8:00 and be ready to receive children at 8:15. Sometimes special arrangements will be made for early drop off if a parent is serving in worship or performing a special duty. You will be contacted in advance if special arrangements are made. Staff T-shirts Nursery staff must wear their First Kids staff t-shirts in order for parents to identify you as staff. Supplies The nursery rooms should be adequately supplied with all the items needed to care for the children. Please let the Nursery Coordinator or Children s Director know of a need when an item is missing or of low supply. 14
As the children check in A staff member should be at the nursery door helping parents and welcoming children. Please greet each child with a warm smile and genuine words. Use the child s name to help them feel comfortable. As parents sign in, please write down any verbal instructions they have on a Nursery Care Card or ask the parent to write down their special instructions. Parents may hand the child over to you at the door or they may want to accompany their child into the room. If a child is fussy or cries, assure the parent if the child continues to cry we will page them. Sunday Morning Schedule All nursery staff will adhere to the schedule listed on p. 9 of this handbook. If the schedule must be adjusted, please discuss the issues with the Nursery Coordinator or the Children s Director. When Parents Pick-up Children Each child must be released to their parent/guardian. Parents must turn in their pager to the Nursery Coordinator and sign out their child before they pick up their child. Parents will receive their child s Nursery Care Card when they pick up their child from the nursery. Nursery Staff should be available to give information or answer any questions parents may have regarding their child. 15
Clean-up Procedures Toys that have been played with during a nursery time need to be disinfected. Spray or wipe as needed with disinfectant. Return them to their appropriate location and straighten the room for the next use. Please wipe changing tables, high chairs and cribs. Change any sheets or blankets that have been used. The floors, counters and general areas in the nurseries are cleaned thoroughly between uses by our Custodial Care staff. Emergency/Evacuation Procedures The Nursery Coordinator and all the Nursery Staff will know and follow all the emergency exit locations and procedures. An emergency plan should be located on the wall of each room. It is important that all staff remains calm and follows procedure in case of fire or weather emergencies. In case of a fire or building evacuation: exit the building at the nearest exit and proceed to the front lawn of the Main Building that faces Marvin Avenue. If the Fire Department arrives and moves us farther away, we will be directed by their discretion where a safe location will be to wait for parents. The Nursery Coordinator is responsible for bringing the Nursery sign-in sheets as the evacuation occurs. She will then make sure all the children are accounted for as the evacuation is in progress. In the case of severe weather when taking cover is required, we will relocate to the basement of the Main Building. If there is no time to move the children safely to the Main Building, the Nursery staff and children will take cover in the bathrooms. 16
First Kids Care Card Child s Name: Care Time: 8:30 Service Sunday School 11:00 Service Other: Special Instructions for Today: Feeding: Your child ate at. Your child ate at. Diapering/Potty: Your child was checked at and was Dry Soiled BM Your child was checked at and was Dry Soiled BM Sleeping: Your child slept from. Your child slept from. Boo Boo Report/Comments:. In our Bible story time we learned about:.
Nursery Visitors Card Parent Name Child s Name that you want us to use Which Sunday School Class/Service/Activity will parents be attending? Please list any allergies, special needs or instructions our staff needs to know in order to care for your child: Nursery Visitors Card Parent Name Child s Name that you want us to use Which Sunday School Class/Service/Activity will parents be attending? Please list any allergies, special needs or instructions our staff needs to know in order to care for your child:
Nursery Enrollment Card Child s Full Name Child s Name you would like us to address him/her Mom s Name Dad s Name Home Address City & State Home Phone # Mom s Cell Phone # Dad s Cell Phone # Emergency Contact in case we can t contact a parent: Name & Phone # Medical information needed for care Behavioral information needed for care Allergies Special Needs/Information that will assist us in the care of your child Please indicate if your child may have snacks: Yes No Only snacks from home