Parent Handbook & Policies

Philosophy

Recess Time was developed with busy parents like you in mind! Our goal is to provide a fun, safe, caring environment for children when there is a gap in regular childcare. We aim to give parents peace of mind during appointments, errands, after-school, or for any activity that parents would like to complete kid-free. We often find ourselves in need of a few solitary hours to get our “To Do” lists done; let your children interact, play, and learn at Recess Time during these occasions.

As parents ourselves we know that it is easier to accomplish many tasks without the kids in tow. When we are able to spend less time finishing our necessary work, we can ultimately spend more quality time with those we love. Our goal is to treat your children like members of our own family. At Recess Time, we feel honored to be entrusted with the care of your children, and strive to provide a safe retreat for them so that you can relax, knowing that your loved ones are being well taken care of. We will care for your little ones with the respect, attention, and devotion that they deserve. Our staff abides by state and federal law in regard to public accommodation and will not, at any time, discriminate in employment practices or client services on the basis of race, creed, color, national origin, marital status, gender, sexual orientation, class, age, religion, or disability. We are a licensed facility, and our licensing document is posted and available for viewing at anytime within our center.

Please feel free to speak with us at any time with questions or concerns that you may have.

Hours

To better serve parents on-the-go, Recess Time will be open Monday-Friday, 8:30am-5:30pm and Saturdays depending on interest. At Recess Time, there is no long-term contract to sign, so it is up to you to choose the days and times that best meet your family’s needs! Please note that the last drop-off time is two hours prior to losing on any given day. Therefore, if all of our guests have been picked up within two hours of closing, we reserve the right to close early and without notice.

Reservations

We will take reservations based on a first-come, first-served basis. Due to state regulations (based upon the variable ages of guests in our care), we are allowed to serve a limited of number of children, and are licensed for no more than 12 children at any given time. Our staffing requirements are determined by the youngest child in the group. Therefore, please be sure to reserve a spot for any events that are planned in advance. Reservations require a credit card deposit. Your card will be charged for the first hour of each child’s stay and be credited toward your total when you pick your children up. Please notify us as soon as possible if you need to cancel a reservation. Because a reservation will count against our teacher-to-child ratio, no-shows or cancellations with less than 2 hours notice will forfeit the deposit.

Policies & Registration

We cater to children between the ages of 12 months and 12 years, and our guests are welcome to stay for up to five consecutive hours. All parents are welcome to view any area of our facility which will be used by children. If you are interested in staying on site for an extended length of time, or visiting on a regular basis, you will need to complete the necessary steps to reach volunteer status for our facility. This includes passing a background check and receiving a negative Tuberculosis (TB) test. While volunteering, you will only be granted unsupervised access to your own child at all times.

Please consider visiting us before your first reservation. This will allow you to get your family registered, saving time on your child’s first stay. If you are unable to stop in, all of the paperwork is also available on our website under the “Registration Forms” link at the top of the page. These forms can be downloaded, completed, and brought in with you on your first visit. In your family’s file, we will need a signed and completed registration form, which includes the medical release form, and a copy of your child’s current immunization records, which can be faxed directly from your child’s physician. If your child is not immunized, you will need to sign a waiver in lieu of any records. Please note that if your child is not immunized, they will not be welcome in our center in the event of an outbreak of any contagious disease, until the threat of transmission or incubation period has passed.

Payment is due in full when your child is picked up. Any form of non-payment will result in suspension of future services. We accept cash, debit, or credit card, but are unable to accept checks. Please note that there is a one hour minimum charge.

Parents should be easily accessible by telephone during their time away, and are expected to promptly pick up their child at the prearranged time. If you are unable to pick up your child on time, you will be charged a prorated price to the nearest quarter hour. If a child has been left in our care for more than one hour after closing, and we are unable to contact a parent, the police will be notified. Please contact us as soon as you realize that you may be late. While we cannot keep your child without permission, if a parent appears to be intoxicated or there is fear for the safety of any child, unless the parent can prove they are using a designated driver, we are able to reach an emergency contact, or the danger has been eliminated, police will be notified of the matter. Further, if at any time, a member of our staff has reason to suspect the occurrence of child abuse, neglect, endangerment, exploitation, we are required by law to report it to the proper authorities, as described in chapter 26.44 RCW.

Safety & Qualifications

We have carefully considered all of the safety precautions that we would want in place, because in addition to your children, our own kids may be regular guests here. Recess Time is a state licensed facility, and all of our staff members have passed a background check and Tuberculosis (TB) test. Our employees are CPR and first-aid certified, trained in handling blood-borne pathogens, and have received food handlers’ permits. In addition, employees will be receiving ongoing education in early childhood development.

Our building is equipped with security cameras and a limited access door lock that will be implemented during evening hours. Further, unless prior arrangements have been made, only parents/guardians are authorized to remove children from our facility. However, if a person is listed on the approved list on the registration form, your child may be released with said person. Any changes to this list must be made in writing and given to Recess Time prior to dropping off your child. The parent or other person authorized by the parent to take the child to or from the center must sign the child in on arrival and sign the child out at departure, using their full legal signature, and writing the date and time of arrival and departure. Any time the child enters or exits the center, a staff member must also sign the child in and out, validating the signing person’s information. Normally, we expect the same person who dropped off the child to pick the child up. Photo ID will be required.

Cleanliness, Illness, and Medications

At Recess Time, we strive to maintain optimum cleanliness throughout our building. Our center’s surfaces and toys are sterilized on a daily basis, with our changing table and toilet being sanitized after each use. In addition, our staff members regularly wash their hands, including when arriving at work, before and after handling food, before and after each diaper change, after each restroom use, after attending to an ill child, before and after giving medication, after handling bodily fluids, and as needed. We also encourage the children (and assist them, if needed) in washing their hands at these times, as well as when entering and exiting the building.

Our goal is to provide a safe and healthy environment for all of our guests. Therefore, Recess Time reserves the right to refuse service to any child that appears ill. Further, if your child begins to show symptoms of illness during their time with us, you will be called and expected to pick up your child immediately. The following list provides a guide for our staff in determining whether or not a child is considered ill (however, symptoms are not limited to this list):

• Diarrhea (three or more watery stools or one bloody stool within twenty-four hours)
• Vomiting (two or more times within twenty-four hours)
• Open or oozing sores, unless properly bandaged and kept covered
• Lice or nits
• Red, watery eyes
• Un-diagnosed rash
• Excessively runny nose or sneezing
• Excessive coughing
• Temperature of 100 degrees Fahrenheit or higher, accompanied by earache, headache, sore throat, rash, or excessive fatigue.

You will be notified if your child has been exposed to an infectious disease or parasite. This will be done when your child is picked up for the day, or if your child has already left, via telephone. An ill child will be welcomed back to Recess Time if their symptoms have been cleared for 24 hours, or if they have written proof of antibiotic or other treatment by their physician. With illnesses requiring antibiotic treatment, if it is of a contagious nature (such as impetigo or pink eye), a child will not be allowed into the facility until they have received the antibiotic for a minimum of 24 hours. If the child had a fever over 100 degrees Fahrenheit, the child will be allowed back after they have not had a fever for 24 hours. If necessary, the incident will also be reported to the Center for Disease Control.

If your child needs to take medication during their time with us, you must complete a ‘Consent to Give Medication’ form. This permission is also necessary for any ointments, such as diaper creams, that may be applied during your child’s time with us. The medication must be in the original container labeled with the child’s first and last names, the expiration date, clear instructions on administering, and if it is a prescription, the date the prescription was filled.

Your child may take their own medication if they have a written statement from the parent requesting that they be allowed to do so, or have a written statement from a physician stating that the child is physically and mentally able to do so. In the case of oral or liquid medication, parents will provide any necessary measuring devices for individual use. A staff member will observe and document that the child took the medication. All medication will be stored in a lock box and kept inaccessible to children at all times while on our premises. Leftover medication will be returned to the parent/guardian or disposed of properly.

Emergency Procedures

Even with proper training and a fully stocked first aid kit, accidents may happen that require additional attention. Parents will be notified of any documented accidents in our facility. In case of a a life-threatening emergency, we will contact emergency personnel, and then parents. In the event of a natural or man-made disaster, we will be operating according to our written disaster plan, a copy of which is available upon request.

Pesticide Plan

If, for any reason, we need to use pesticides at Recess Time, we must comply with the licensing requirements listed in chapter 17.21 RCW, which requires us to notify parents, guardians, and any other interested parties forty-eight hours in advance of the application of pesticides. Further, we are required to mandate that the pesticide applicator provides a copy of the records required within twenty-four hours of when the pesticide is applied. Our notification must include a heading stating “Notice: Pesticide Application…,” and at a minimum must state the:

• Product name of the pesticide being used
• Intended date and time of application
• Location where the pesticide will be applied
• Pest to be controlled
• Name and number of a contact person at the facility

To notify people that a pesticide has been used, we must place a marker at each primary point of entry to the center grounds. The marker must be:

• A minimum of four inches by five inches
• Printed in colors contrasting to the background
• Left in place for at least twenty-four hours following the pesticide application (or longer if a longer restricted period is stated on the label)

Additionally, the marker must include:

• A headline that states “This landscape has recently been sprayed or treated with pesticides.”
• Who treated the landscape
• Who to call for more information

Activities

We offer a wide range of activities and encourage meaningful interaction with our staff. Depending on the time of day, your child might choose from games, story time, singing and dancing, movies, video games, arts and crafts, and free play. Some of these activities may include a small fee to help offset the cost of supplies, but as the parent, it will be up to you to decide prior to your departure whether or not you would like your child to participate in these extras.

While our business has no direct religious affiliations, traditional holidays may be celebrated throughout the year. At the same time, we respect and facilitate the rights of any child in our care to observe the tenets of their own faith, consistent with state and federal laws; and will not punish or discourage the child for exercising these rights.

We will supply sleeping mats for children who are twenty-nine months of age or younger, in order to maintain their regular nap schedule, as well as for older children who are showing a need for rest.

Due to the nature of our business, we will not be transporting any children to activities off premises, or attending any field trips.

Personal Belongings

Cubbies are provided for your child’s shoes and any other personal items. We ask that children remove their shoes upon entering our facility, but that they keep their socks on. We ask that children wear socks.

While we aim to provide a variety of choices, if your child would rather bring a toy, book, or other activity from home, it is welcomed, as long as it does not interfere with the safety and welfare of our other guests. Additionally, if your child needs help with homework, please send the necessary supplies, and our staff will assist in any way possible. Please be sure that personal items are clearly labeled with your child’s name. Recess Time is not liable for lost, stolen, or damaged property. If something is valuable or irreplaceable, please keep the item at home.

Meals and Snacks

If your child needs to bring their own sippy cup or bottle, please provide a clean one for each hour that your child will be in our care. The only exception to needing a clean cup or bottle for each hour is if your child will only be drinking water.

Please send appropriate snacks for your child to eat during their time with us. Or, for a fee of $2.00 per snack, all of our guests will be offered a light, healthy snack during their visit, at a scheduled interval during the day. If your child’s time with us does not fall within one of these intervals, snacks will also be distributed, as needed, on an individual basis. If a child appears to be hungry, but did not bring their own snack, they will not be denied food, and parents will be expected to pay for any snacks upon picking up their child. All snacks will be provided on disposable serve-ware. Staff is required to wear gloves, or use a utensil, when serving any food. All snacks should meet the following daily nutritional requirements:

Snacks, whether provided by the center or parent, should contain two of the following components:

• A fruit or vegetable
• A dairy product (such as milk, cheese, yogurt, or cottage cheese)
• A grain product (such as cereal, bagel, rice cake, or bread)
• A meat or meat alternative (such as deli meat, legumes, beans, or eggs)

If your child will be joining us during meal times, we encourage you to bring food from home. These meals should meet the following daily nutritional requirements:

Each breakfast meal the child eats at the center should contain:

• A fruit or vegetable, equal to the total portion size required. When juice is served in place of a fruit or vegetable, it should be one hundred percent fruit or vegetable juice
• A dairy product (such as milk, cheese, yogurt, or cottage cheese)
• A grain product (such as bread, cereal, rice cake, or bagel)

Each lunch and dinner meal the child eats at the center should contain:

• Two fruits, two vegetables, or one fruit and one vegetable, equal to the total portion size required. If juice is served in place of either item, it should be one hundred percent fruit or vegetable juice
• A dairy product (such as milk, cheese, yogurt, or cottage cheese)
• A grain product (such as bread, cereal, rice cake, or bagel)
• Meat or meat alternative (such as beef, fish, poultry, legumes, tofu, or beans)
• Each snack or meal must include a liquid to drink. This drink can be water, or one of the required components (such as milk, fruit juice, or vegetable juice)

Please be sure to label all food and containers with your child’s name. While we are happy to serve homemade meals, we are not equipped to prepare food for our guests. Should you find yourself running short on time, or looking for convenience, we offer a pre-packaged meal for $6.50 that is available any time of day. Since guests will be bringing outside food into our facility, if your child has a food allergy, please note it on our registration form so that we can help keep your child safe from the allergen.

Toilet Training

If your child is not fully toilet trained, we will do our best to maintain your established routine and ensure that your child takes frequent potty breaks. However, if your child needs diapers, wipes, or change of clothing, we ask that you bring the supplies your child will need during their time with us. If you do not pack adequate supplies, there will be a charge of $1.50 per diaper for any provided by Recess Time.

Discipline Policy

At Recess Time, we aim to promote good behavior in all of our guests through positive role modeling, support, and praise. In the event that a child displays unacceptable behavior, we will attempt to correct the child through redirection. Our staff will only use “time-outs” if they become absolutely necessary to ensure the well-being of all of our guests.

At no time will any member of our staff use cruel, unusual, hazardous, frightening, or humiliating discipline, including, but not limited to: corporal punishment including biting, jerking, shaking, spanking, slapping, hitting, striking, kicking, pinching, flicking or any other means of inflicting physical pain or causing bodily harm to the child; verbal abuse such as yelling, shouting, name calling, shaming, making derogatory remarks about a child or the child’s family, or using language that threatens, humiliates or frightens a child; the use of a physical restraint method injurious to the child, locked time-out room, or closet for disciplinary purposes; and the using or withholding of food or liquids as punishment.

In emergency situations, a staff person may use limited physical restraint when: protecting a person on the premises from serious injury; obtaining possession of a weapon or other dangerous object; or protecting property from serious damage. Staff who use limited restraint must complete an incident report. A copy of the incident report must be placed in the child’s individual record and given to the parent. While it is our goal to be fair, consistent, and reasonable in deciding how to handle our guests, Recess Time reserves the right to refuse admittance to any child whose continued presence compromises the safety or structure of our program.