Little Tot’s Admission Information
Little Tot’s serves families with children ages 2 weeks to 6 years old, providing peace of mind, loving family relationships, quality child care, and the highest standards in Preschool and PreKindergarten education today.
Little Tot’s Early Childhood Care & Education has an absolutely non-discriminatory policy in relation to all applicants. This program does not discriminate against any child, parent or family on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, sex, or handicap. Children are enrolled based on the date requested and the availability of openings. Priority is given for currently enrolled families expecting the birth of a new child. Little Tot’s does reserve the right to refuse enrollment to families who do not work towards the same parenting philosophy and goals as we practice within our close family child care home.
What are the Hours of your program?
The current hours of operation are from 6:45am to 5:30pm Monday through Friday. Little Tot’s Early Childhood Care & Education is not open evenings or weekends, and overtime care is not provided.
Do you charge a registration fee or a materials fee?
No. Your weekly tuition covers all needed expenses, you will never be asked to pay extra funds for curriculum materials, hired entertainment, field trips, or any other service provided here at Little Tot’s.
To enroll your child with Little Tot’s Early Childhood Care & Education, a deposit is all that is required to secure your child’s space. The deposit is the amount of one full week of tuition. The deposit is a good faith gesture to help guarantee that families will remember to give a two-week notice prior to disenrollment. This payment is due prior to the distributing of enrollment paperwork, before the first day of enrollment. When termination notice is given, your deposit is fully refunded in payment for your last week of care.
Little Tot’s Early Childhood Care & Education is a pre-paid program. Tuition is required in advance of all education and childcare services. All payments are due by 5:30pm Friday (or your last attendance day of the week), for the following week. For family convenience, payment arrangements are accepted on a weekly, bi-weekly or monthly basis.
How much is Tuition at Little Tot’s, and do you offer family discounts?
Tuition is adjusted from 2-6% in January each year; the 2010 rates are as follows:
- $164.00 a week for a PreKindergarten child (over 3½ years old)
- $184.00 for a Preschooler (2 ½ years old to 3½ years old )
- $204.00 per week for both Babies & Toddlers (2 weeks to 2 ½ years old)
Yes, we offer family discounts! Multiple child enrollment is rewarded with family tuition discounts. These discounts apply to full time families only. For each full time child in addition to the first, families will receive a $24.00 discount on their weekly tuition payment.
Can families enroll Part-Time?
Part time care is welcome. Families can enroll for a minimum of two full days per week. These days will be designated and cannot be substituted or changed without prior discussion with provider. These spaces are limited, and due to the sharing of one full time space between two children, the spaces are not flexible. The rates are:
- $41.00 a day for PreKindergarten children
- $46.00 a day for Preschoolers
- $51.00 a day for Babies & Toddlers
There is no hourly rate. You will be charged a daily rate regardless of your child’s hours in care. All money paid is non-refundable, and there is no transferring of days or money for a following week.
Can families use services temporarily or just as needed?
No. Because it often takes children quite some time to acclimate to a new environment, new friends and new teachers, it is a policy of Little Tot’s that drop in, or temporary care is not a service we provide. At Little Tot's we strive to only enact policies which are healthy for a young child's emotional development.
Currently enrolled part-time families may however ask for additional days as needed, and will be granted these days as long as we have space to accommodate the child(ren) for that day.
Do parents provide Food or are meals provided?
I provide all meals and snacks for all of the children enrolled with exception of infant formula and (of course) breast milk. Little Tot’s is on the USDA food program. My goal is to improve the health and nutrition of children in my care, while promoting the development of good eating habits. I purchase and provide nutritiously balanced meals. Sugars, fats and vegetable oils are kept to a minimum. Meal times are as follows:
7:00am - 9:00am Breakfast
11:00am – 12:00pm Lunch
3:00pm - 3:30pm Snack
If your child makes it here after a meal, do not be concerned. I have planned all meals closely together so the children will not become hungry throughout the day.
Which Holidays are recognized at Little Tot’s?
Little Tot’s Early Childhood Care & Education is closed twelve to thirteen days per year in recognition of state holidays. We are a Christian family although religion is not used as part of the curriculum. Little Tot’s is closed most state and school recognized holidays. If the holiday falls on a Saturday or a Sunday, it will be recognized on either the proceeding Friday, or the following Monday.
The following holidays are recognized yearly:
New Years Day, Presidents Day, Good Friday, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving Day & The Day that follows, Christmas Eve and the entire week following up to and including New Years Day.
Payment is required for holidays. If your child is contracted to be here on the day of the week in which the holiday falls, you will be required to make payment as usual.
Is there time throughout the year that is tuition free, vacations etc.?
After each six months of enrollment, each child’s space will be reserved at no cost for a one-week vacation period (two weeks per year). These weeks will mirror your current schedule. For example, a full time child will receive ten days of vacation per year; a family that comes two days per week will receive four days of vacation each year. Provider paid holidays may not be used as a tuition free time.
I reserve the right to take up to two weeks of vacation time per year; this is unpaid vacation time for me. If I choose to take a vacation and close the school, all parents will be given three months notice to enable them to secure alternate childcare arrangements for that time.
Teachers, ask me about special considerations for ensuring continued enrollment in spite of teacher’s extended vacation time.
If my child were to behave inappropriately, what kind of Discipline would be used?
I maintain a firm but loving discipline, which is aimed toward giving the child choices to redirect misbehavior. That way they feel like they took part in the decision, and I am showing them respect in allowing them to do so. The discipline method we use is positive, kind loving words used to help children:
Learn problem solving skills
Learn basic values of respect, trust,
responsibility, honesty and caring for others
When these steps are not working I do use ‘time out’ but I use it as more of a cooling time than a punishment. If I encounter a discipline problem with your child, it is imperative that you work with me to resolve it. Children need consistency. By both home and school having the same set of rules, there will be no confusion for your child as to what his or her boundaries are. Our mutual goal should be to help your child gain self-control.
Do the children participate in a Naptime Daily?
Because naps are essential for the health and well-being of all young children, it is a policy of Little Tot’s that all children participate in rest time.
Do the children have the opportunity to experience Field Trips?
At Little Tot’s we have found that the little ones have difficulties when we disturb their schedules, and do not benefit educationally from field trips as much as the Preschool & PreKindergarten aged children do. By taking only our older children on the field trips it allows extra time for the teachers to further attend to the learning experiences for them.
All families will be notified prior to each field trip when and where it will take place. If families of younger children would like their child to attend, then the parent should arrange for an adult family member join their child on our trip. When parents do not give permission for their child to go on the field trip, parent will be responsible for making alternate childcare arrangements during that time. Although there will be a teacher staying behind to care for the infants and toddlers, from a child’s point of view it would not be reasonable to be left behind with the babies.
What is your Sick Child policy?
Little Tot’s Early Childhood Care & Education does not provide childcare for ill children. On a daily basis, every child will be observed for symptoms of illness. I follow the suggestions of the Macomb County Department of Health in excluding children with symptoms of communicable diseases. Upon enrollment, I provide all families with a guideline of what is and is not considered a reason to keep your child home. Understand that the health of all of the children as well as my family and staff is extremely important to me. As a mother myself I know the helpless feeling of having a sick child. It is my primary goal to keep our children as healthy as is possible to do so in a group setting. As a team, my staff and I are extremely contentious of cleanliness. We take that extra step to provide a safe sanitary environment for the children to live and play in each day.
What measures do you use in your home to keep illness at a minimum?
Cleanliness in a group setting is of utmost importance. All toys are sanitized on a regular basis. All floors are vacuumed daily, the bathroom is wiped down throughout each day, kitchen is completely cleaned after each meal, and the entire classroom is clean and sanitized at the end of each day. Along with this, we consistently open windows to allow a slight cross breeze, even in the winter. Fresh air is definitely needed in the winter months.
In order to prevent the spread of illness it is imperative that children are brought to school clean and well rested. Because hand washing is the most important measure for preventing the spread of disease, we encourage the children frequently to wash their hands. Children are taught to wash hands after using the restroom, after wiping their noses, after sneezing etc. Children will also be taught not to put fingers, toys, and other items in their mouths and noses, as this is also a common way that communicable diseases are spread.
Is It Easy To Enroll?
Absolutely! There are essentially only three criteria that need to be met in order to enroll your child here at Little Tot’s Early Childhood Care & Education.
1. There must be a space available for your child.
2. We must first conclude by phone (586-263-9787) that what I have to offer will meet your childcare needs. If so, we need to schedule a interview. I ask all interested families to bring their spouse and child(ren) in for the interview to introduce ourselves, see my home, review childcare policies, and to discuss education, care and any other concerns.
3. Our parenting philosophies need to be similar. It is essential for a good match between providers and parents, that we have the same goals and ideals for our children. All of the children here at Little Tot’s, my children, my client’s children as well as my employee’s children, are all raised in the same manner, having the same expectations of behavior. In order for your child to transition smoothly, we should be practicing virtually the same parenting methods prior to enrollment. It is when there is a discrepancy within parenting methods that children tend to have the hardest time adjusting to the new environment.
Waiting List:
Due to greater demand than capacity, there are times during the year when it may be necessary to be placed on a waiting list. I am happy to say that thanks to my 20 years experience, knowledge, education, wonderful families enrolled and terrific staff, that Little Tot’s openings are not common.
However, please do not hesitate to call (586-263-9787). Sometimes openings are easy to predict, such as when children start school, but every so often, a family may disenroll due to a job loss, birth of a new child, or a move.
For expecting parents, the best thing to do is to research and choose your provider long before the need arises. Being on a waiting list can actually be quite beneficial for securing your space in an ideal early childhood setting.
All interested families are put on a free waiting list. When an opening becomes available all interested families will be notified in order of interest. To secure the space a non-refundable deposit is required. The deposit will be taken only if enrollment is to begin within two weeks, or if a parent would like to reserve a space before it is needed by paying tuition from the time of the availability up until the time of enrollment.
Pre Enrollment Interview / Parent and Child Visit:
Parents are encouraged to call (586-263-9787) and speak with Lisa about enrollment opportunities for their family. During this call all questions and concerns can be answered which will help to determine whether or not an interview and tour are in order.
Once an interview is arranged, I ask that all parents attend, as well as the children. I believe that the family childcare difference is a direct result of the warm family environment that welcomes your child. I believe that it is essential for myself, as well as your child to have had the opportunity to meet and interact prior to enrollment. During this time, your child will benefit from seeing the positive parent teacher interactions. As well, he will have the opportunity to see the exciting preschool environment that just may be his first classroom.
All interviews are conducted in the evening hours after school has closed. This gives me the opportunity to meet with your family without disrupting my time with the children during the day. It is also beneficial because I have more time to devote to your family.
Termination Procedure:
The contract may be terminated by giving two weeks written notice in advance of the ending date. Payment by the parent is due for the notice period whether or not the child is brought to the provider for care. The provider may terminate this contract without giving any notice for parents disregard of contract, dispute with provider, failure to make payments when due, or an unresolved disciplinary problem with a child.
I have chosen not to publish the address of my home or any pictures of the children enrolled to preserve my privacy and the safety of the children. All interested families are asked to please call first to arrange a visit, at which time I will provide my address (586) 263-9787. Little Tot’s Early Childhood Care & Education is located in Macomb Township Michigan, the crossroads are Hall Road & Romeo Plank.
