Steps to becoming a part of Miss Mary Lou's:

1)  Fill out the "Contact me!" page.
Please include any information you think would be important for me to know including the age of your child.
Feel free to ask questions.

2)  Phone interview. Please include your phone number. Via Email, we will decide a good time for me to call you.  If we decide after the phone interview that Miss Mary Lou's might be the right place for your child I will have you come over for a visit. 

3)  Come to Miss Mary Lou's for the final interview.  At that visit I will require that all parents/guardians/etc. involved attend as well as the candidate (child) unless they haven't been born yet!



FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS:


Where are you located?

I am located in Hillcrest, 92103
I do not give out my address until you are actually coming over for a visit.

What ages do you accept?

I concentrate on children ages newborn through 3 years.

The ages are staggard for obvious reasons.

What kind of structure goes on during the day?

The curriculum is based on age capability.
Children under three have a limited attention span so information is conveyed through active play and repetition.

What kind of discipline do you use?

Age-appropriate discipline such as re-direction and time-outs are used.

When do the children nap?

Newborns - structured to fit their needs.

Older babies - the beginning of "Sleep training" which means learning to stick to a schedule.  This will evolve from several naps to a morning and afternoon nap until they drop the morning and only require the afternoon nap.

Older children - afternoon nap is generally from 1 - 3 pm. 

Do you accept State Programs?

Not at this time.

Do you let the kids watch T.V.?

Yes - but it is limited.

My guide lines for television are:

If they are the first to arrive (and old enough to understand) I let them watch "PBS Kids" until another child arrives and we get going.

At the end of the day after the children have put everything away (this is usually around 4:45 pm). I let them watch a "Thomas the Tank Engine", Wiggles or Elmo video.  This serves a duel purpose of indicating that our day is coming to a close and parents are soon to arrive.

Do you allow them to bring outside toys or food in?

No.  This way everyone is on equal ground and no one feels left out.

Do you administer medication?

I decide that on an individual basis. Most things are O.K. if you give me a detailed written permission slip with ALL the instructions, quantities and times covered.

Though, I do ask if you can - please have your doctor prescribe 12 hour dosages so you can administer them at your home.

Can sick children attend?

Children with fevers, relentless coughing/sneezing, severely runny noses (or not clear color) cannot.

I would like to emphasize, if your child is going to be miserable, please do not bring them to childcare.  They will recover more quickly in their own beds in their own homes.

I encourage parents to be careful of how many days they take off.  Save them for when your children need to stay home. 

Do you have a backup if YOU are sick?

No, I do not.  I am happy to say I have a good record probably because I have been exposed to just about every childhood ailment and have developed quite a resistance.  But, it WILL happen someday and that is another reason to be careful of your days off.