Questions parents ask
If yours is not here, call us. We would rather answer it before your tour than have you spend the visit working up to it.
Day to day
Will I know what happened during the day?
Photos and a short written note each afternoon. For infants, a full log of feeds, sleeps and changes. You should never have to reconstruct the day from a two year old.
Do children go outside in Calgary winters?
Yes, with the obvious limits. Outdoor play happens in most weather, with time outside shortened when it is genuinely unsafe. Send snow pants.
Food
Do I need to pack a lunch?
No. A hot lunch and two snacks are cooked here and included. If your child has an allergy or a dietary requirement, the menu is planned around it rather than a separate plate being improvised.
How do you handle allergies?
Every allergy is recorded at enrolment and travels with the child between rooms, outdoors and to the table. Kitchen and floor staff both work from the same list.
Health
When should I keep my child at home?
Fever, vomiting, diarrhoea, or anything that would stop them taking part in the day. We follow Alberta Health Services guidance on exclusion periods, and we will tell you plainly when we need you to collect your child.
Can you give my child medication?
Yes, with written authorization and the medication in its original labelled container. Every dose is recorded and countersigned.
Safety
Who is allowed to collect my child?
Only the people you name. The first time someone new collects, we check photo identification, every time, including grandparents. It is awkward once and then it is not.
Are staff background checked?
Every educator holds a current police information check including the vulnerable sector screening before their first shift with children.
Settling in
What if my child cries every morning?
Most do, for a while. We run a gradual first week, keep one familiar educator with your child, and message you once they have settled rather than leaving you to wonder. If a child is still distressed after an hour, you get a phone call, not a note at pickup.
How long does settling in usually take?
It varies enormously, and anyone who gives you a firm number is guessing. Some children are fine on day two. Some take a month. Neither says anything about your child.
Visiting
Can I visit before I decide?
Yes, and we would rather you did. Tours run while the children are here, so you see the centre working rather than an empty tidy room. Bring your child with you.
How long does a tour take?
Around thirty minutes. You will see the room your child would be in, meet the educator who works in it, and have time to ask the awkward questions.
Still worrying about something specific?
Phone us. Whatever it is, you are not the first parent to ask, and we would rather have the conversation than have you guess.
