About

MOST FATEMA AKTER HOME CHILDCARE

I have proudly been providing childcare for over nine years and run an Arlington County licensed in-home daycare in Arlington, near Crystal City.

Prior to my time in childcare, I served as an elementary school teacher for six year and bring that educational background to my work with all the children in my care.

CURRENT OPENING:

The Home Childcare is open for new enrollments so please feel free to call or email me at 703-981-7536 or at fatema.jharna@gmail.com

HOURS:

Monday-Friday

7:30-5:30

Extended hours upon request.

DAYCARE AGE RANGE:

3months-4years old

LICENSING:

  • Childcare provider license by Arlington County, Virginia
  • Passed Home Inspection by VDSS
  • Fingerprinted and Background checked by Fieldprint Virginia
  • Pediatric CPR Certified
  • Pediatric First Aid Certified
  • TB tested & Always Clear

DAYCARE RULES:

The atmosphere I strive for is one of kindness, respect, love and appreciation for my daycare children, myself and my family.  I try to maintain a great group of children that get along with one another as I feel that is VERY important.  I do not allow a child to stay in the daycare if they cause any type of bodily harm to another child.

 I ask that the children:

 Do not hit, push, bite, kick, scratch or pinch each other.

No name calling, teasing, bullying or using bad words.

No mistreatment of the daycare items or furniture.

Treat each other the way they want to be treated.

Show kindness, love and respect each day.

I do not use any kind of spanking or demeaning words to discipline children. I try to emphasize to the children to use their words and communicate with each other and to myself. I will re-direct them to another activity when there is a problem or I will help them identify the problem and find a positive solution on their own. I always give children time to think on their own and when they are ready to talk and solve the problem, I listen to why they are upset and ask them to find a new way of handling the problem (I sometimes need to direct them depending on their age).

If your child’s behavior is very disruptive or harmful to himself or other children, I will discuss the issue with you privately. If the situation can be resolved, the child may remain enrolled. If we are unable to resolve the issue, you may be asked to make other child care arrangements.

ENROLLMENT:

I will have paperwork that will need to be completed before I can begin caring for your child.  This is to ensure that your child will get the very best care possible and satisfies the record keeping requirement of state licensing guidelines.  The paperwork includes an information and agreement form, required health and immunization documents, listings of emergency contacts, etc.  All forms will be reviewed annually.  (If you are aware of changes throughout the year, please let me know so we can make updates accordingly).

No enrollment fees or deposits are required to begin care.

OPEN DOOR POLICY:

As a parent, you are welcome to come to my home anytime during my regular daycare hours. I will keep my doors locked for the safety of the children, but just knock or give me a call and I will gladly let you in.

HYGIENE:

Children are to arrive clean and fed (as much as possible).  Clothing should be comfortable and seasonally appropriate for outdoor play. Make sure to include hats, mittens, boots and coats for cold weather.  I do ask that you please provide extra clothes and diapers/underwear for messes that may occur.  I do request disposable diapers only (no cloth diapers). This helps keep things clean and fresh throughout the daycare.  I will try my best to send your child home with a clean diaper, and would appreciate the same consideration when you drop off.

The children remove their shoes upon arrival to help keep their play area clean.

Please keep the child’s fingernails trimmed to avoid scratching of themselves, the other children and the furniture.

MEALS:

If you decide on the meal option provided by me, I prepare healthy, natural and balanced breakfasts, snacks, lunches and drinks for the children*  All meals and drinks are included in your weekly fee.  If you would like to supply your own food and or purees, I am happy to provide them to your child throughout the day.

*If you have an infant that is drinking formula or specific types of baby food, then you would need to maintain a supply for him/her.  If your child is on a special diet, then you would need to supply their meals as needed.

SICKNESS POLICY:

Please do not bring your child to the daycare if he or she is sick.  Please use your best judgement if you feel that your child is too sick to be around the other children.  Please call or text me by 8am if your child is not coming that day.

Symptoms requiring removal of child from day care:

  • Fever: Fever is defined as having a temperature of 100°F or higher taken under the arm, 101°F taken orally, or 102°F taken rectally. For children 4 months or younger, the lower rectal temperature of 101°F is considered a fever threshold; (a child needs to be fever free for a minimum of 24 hours before returning to daycare, that means the child is fever free without the aid of Tylenol®, or any other fever reducing substance.)
  • Fever AND sore throat, rash, vomiting, diarrhea, earache, irritability, or confusion.
  • Diarrhea: runny, watery, bloody stools, or 2 or more loose stools within last 4 hours.
  • Vomiting: 2 or more times in a 24 hour period. Note: please do not bring your child if they have vomited in the night.
  • Breathing trouble, sore throat, swollen glands, loss of voice, hacking or continuous coughing.
  • Runny nose (other than clear), draining eyes or ears.
  • Frequent scratching of body or scalp, lice, rash, or any other spots that resemble childhood diseases, including ringworm.
  • Child is irritable, continuously crying, or requires more attention than we can provide without hurting the health, safety or well-being of the other children in my care.

These are just examples of contagious symptoms/illnesses of when your child needs to stay out of daycare. Each individual case is different and may require more or less time out.  If you feel that your child is sick with a contagious illness, please verify with a doctor and then confirm with me, the Daycare Provider, if it is okay for the child to return to daycare.  If your child has an illness that is contagious or can easily spread, I will require a note from the doctor stating that they are no longer contagious and that the child is clear to be around other children before coming back to the daycare (Usually 24 hours after antibiotic treatment has begun and/or 24 hours after symptoms have subsided: Depending on the illness).
If you are not sure whether or not it is okay to bring your child, please call ahead to ask me.  I appreciate you cooperation in this matter.

POTTY TRAINING:

I believe that a child should go through the potty training process only when they are “ready”.  If you try to push a child to potty train before they are ready, they sometimes not respond negatively and end up not wanting to potty train. I want your child to enjoy this milestone and be his/her own lead when it comes to independency.
I will assist in potty training with the understanding that it will only be successful if we work together. Your child will not learn if they do not do it while in our care and at home. If there’s a method working at home, please let me know and I will try to adopt it for your child. I use a low key approach with lots of praise. Please realize that this should be your child’s accomplishment and not yours or ours.

During the potty training process, I will ask that your child continue to come to daycare in diapers.  Once your child is not having accidents, verbally telling me that they have to go potty and overall being successful in using the potty, then I will ask that you bring your pull-ups to use at the daycare as well.

Please do not bring your child in pull-ups unless they are regularly & successfully using the potty and we have spoken. If a child uses pull-ups too early, they will just consider them “everyday diapers” and will continue to soil them like any other diaper, which defeats the purpose of what a pull-up is for… actual underwear.

Clothing should be easy to manage to encourage self-help skills. Buckles, belts, onesies and suspenders when in a hurry to use the bathroom may create a problem and I ask that you do not dress your child in these types of clothing. Best practices state that I should have the least amount of contact with the soiled clothing, so these items will not be rinsed out or laundered and will be sent home in a plastic bag. Please replace any soiled clothing sent home with a clean set the next day.

IMMUNIZATIONS:

Your child’s immunizations must be administered in accordance with the harmonized schedule of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, American Academy of Pediatrics, and American Academy of Family Physicians and must be administered within spacing and age requirements (available at http://www.vdh.virginia.gov/Epidemiology/Immunization/acip.htm).  A child will not be allowed to attend the daycare if their immunizations are not up to date with no exceptions.

PAYMENT:

Payment for childcare is due each Friday morning prior to the week’s care or Friday evening. For your convenience, you can pay two weeks in advance or a month in advance to avoid any late fees. I accept cash, money order or check payments.  A $10 fee is added onto the regular week’s payment for each day that payment is late.  If I am given a check that bounces, then there will be a $30 fee added onto your usual payment (due to charges that the bounced check causes with the bank).  If a second check bounces then I will only accept cash payments from then on.  If payment continues to be a problem, then care could be discontinued.

– If the daycare is closed due to a recognized state holiday, your weekly payment is still due in full for that week.

-If the daycare is closed for 1-2 days in one week, your weekly payment is still due in full for that week.

-If the daycare is closed 3 days or more in a week, then your weekly rate will be prorated.

-If the daycare is closed all week for a personal vacation or emergency, no payment will be due.  I will always notify you in advance of any daycare closures.

-If your child is out sick, your payment is still due in full for that week. Please keep in mind that you are paying to hold your child’s space whether they are there are not.

If you are planning a vacation please let me know at least 2 weeks in advance. While on vacation, you must pay your regular fees in order to hold your child’s space. If payment is not paid, your child will not have a space. These rules are for full and part time children. By paying your regular daycare fee each week, you are holding your child’s space.

LATE FEES:

If you will be late picking up your child, I ask that you please call or text me and let me know ASAP. The daycare is closed promptly at 5:30 p.m.  Picking up after 5:30 p.m. will result in late charges.  If there is an avoidable emergency and you are late to pick up, you will be asked to pay a late fee of $1.00 per minute which can be added onto your next usual weekly fee.  Chronic late pick-ups will be a reason for care being discontinued.  Please be considerate.

FILING YOUR TAXES:

I provide receipts for daycare payments you make throughout the year.  In January I am happy to reconcile with you for both of our tax filing needs.

 

TERMINATION POLICY:

The daycare contract may be terminated by the parent by giving a 2-week notice prior to the ending date. The parent must pay for the last 2-weeks after giving notice if the child attends the daycare the last 2-weeks or not.  The contract may be terminated without any notice by the Daycare Provider if the parent does not abide by the contract rules and policies or if the child is not a good fit for the daycare.