The questions parents actually ask, answered plainly.
Most of what is below comes straight out of my Business Policy and my Financial Agreement, the documents you would sign if your child came to me. I would rather you read the awkward parts now than discover them in month three. If you are still weighing a center against a home like mine against a nanny, that comparison is on its own page.
Rates are not on this page. The weekly rate is agreed per family and I would rather talk it through with you in person, along with the late-pickup fee and the payment details. Enrolled families have all of it in writing behind the parent login.
What are your hours?
7:30 am to 4:00 pm, Monday through Friday. Closed weekends, and closed on the holidays listed in the calendar I publish each January.
What ages do you care for?
Six weeks to twelve years.
How many children are there at once?
Six through the day, which is the state maximum for one provider in a family child care home. My license covers nine in total: those six, plus up to three more who are enrolled in school full time. The three come after school, on snow days, and through the school vacations, and they are often older brothers and sisters of the little ones already here, or children who were with me years ago and come back when their school is closed. Of the six, no more than four can be under three years old, and no more than two under two.
Do you have a space right now?
One space is open for September 2026, for ages 2 and up. Infant spaces open rarely, because of the limit on children under two, so they are usually spoken for early. Call me and I will tell you honestly where things stand.
Can I do part-time, or only certain days?
Full-time is how I am set up, and it is what works best for the children, because the day has a rhythm, and the ones who are here every day settle into it fastest. That said, I have made custom arrangements for the right families. Ask me at your visit rather than assuming the answer is no.
What is included in the fee?
Breakfast, lunch and an afternoon snack every day, all cooked here. Meatloaf, pulled pork, chicken pie, homemade chicken soup, homemade pizza. I love to cook, and they eat well.
What do I need to send with my child?
Disposable diapers, formula and bottles if your baby needs them, and any special foods you want your child to have. Also two complete changes of clothes suitable for the weather, left here with me. I wash them as they get dirty, so do not send anything that would be missed.
What do you provide?
All three meals, baby food once your child is old enough for it, and diaper wipes.
Do you serve peanut butter? What about food allergies?
Tell me about any allergy at your visit and we will work out what is right for your child. Meals are cooked here rather than delivered, so I have flexibility. I would rather talk it through with you than post a blanket policy.
Do you have pets?
Two yellow labs, Bowman and Scout. They live in the main part of the house, not in the day care space, so the children see them rarely. If your child has a pet allergy, tell me at your visit and we will talk it through.
Do the children go outside?
Every day, weather permitting. The rail trail abuts the property, so we walk it most days and the children can walk without holding my hand and take their time looking at things. There is also the swing set, the slide, the driveway for chalk and ride-on cars, and the pool in summer.
Do you take the children off the property?
A few times a year, yes: apple picking at Carter Hill Orchard, pumpkin picking at McQuesten Farm, the fire station, the Deerfield Fair, and the Manchester Police mounted and K-9 units. I supply all the car seats and replace them as they expire.
How do you keep the toys and the room clean?
I clean and sanitize the toys and the surfaces the children touch regularly and on purpose. Six children in a house share everything, and staying on top of it is how you stop a germ going round the whole group.
What happens when my child has an accident?
I change them, and I wash the soiled clothes here. You will never be handed a bag of dirty clothes at pick-up. It is one of the small things a house can do that a center cannot.
Do you help with potty training?
Yes, and it is one of the more useful things I do. I follow the child rather than the calendar. Some are ready at sixteen months and some not until past three, and pushing a child who is not ready sets everything back. We agree the approach with you first so the words and the routine are the same at home and here.
Do the children nap?
All children nap or have a rest time in the early afternoon, every day. There is a separate room for it, so the children who sleep are not listening to the children who do not.
What happens if my child gets sick during the day?
I will call you and ask you to collect your child for a fever of 100.4F or higher, vomiting, diarrhea even once, heavy nasal discharge whatever the color, pinkeye, a rash, open sores, or head lice. Vomiting and diarrhea need to be clear for a full 24 hours before coming back. A fever needs longer: 48 hours fever-free with no medication, so not 48 hours since the last dose of something that was holding it down.
Will you give my child medicine?
No. I do not administer any medication, even when a physician has prescribed it. You are welcome to come to my home any time during the day to give it to your child yourself.
What is your policy on head lice?
A child who has had lice cannot return until they are both lice free and nit free.
What happens when you are sick, or have an appointment?
I rarely call out sick. In more than thirty years of doing this it has happened very seldom, and families tell me it is one of the main reasons they stay. When I do need a day, I give as much notice as I possibly can, and I schedule routine appointments for a weekend or late afternoon wherever I can. When I cannot, my husband Tom covers for me. He is fingerprinted, background checked, child and infant first aid and CPR certified, and takes the training the State licensing regulations require of him. You will still need your own back-up care arranged for emergencies, and that is a requirement rather than a suggestion.
How do holidays and vacations work?
I publish a paid holiday list in early January each year. Those are non-working days and are paid. I take four weeks of vacation, usually three of them in the summer; two of those weeks are paid and two are not, and I give at least two weeks notice before using the unpaid ones. Enrolled families get all the dates on a shared calendar you can add to your own phone.
Do I pay when my child is absent?
Yes. For every normal business day, the full fee is due whether or not your child attends. It is the part families ask about most, so I would rather say it plainly here.
How and when do I pay?
Weekly, due on the first business day of the week that care is provided. Venmo is my preferred method. The rate itself is agreed per family, and we will talk about it at your visit.
Do you accept the State child care scholarship?
Yes. I accept the New Hampshire Child Care Scholarship. If you think your family might be eligible, tell me at your visit and I will point you at how to apply.
What if I am late picking up?
A late fee starts at 4:01 pm unless we have arranged something in advance. The exact amounts are in the Financial Agreement you would sign.
When do I need to let you know about changes?
Text me by 8:00 am if your child is not coming. Text me if you will be more than half an hour late dropping off, or if you will be late picking up. Please have your child here by 8:30 am unless we have arranged otherwise, and dressed and ready to play when they arrive.
Who is allowed to pick up my child?
Only people listed on your Emergency Information form. The first time I meet someone on that list, they need to bring photo identification.
Can I drop in during the day?
Yes, any time. My door is open. The one exception is while a child is having a hard time separating; in that case I will ask you to let me know in advance, because a surprise visit can undo a week of settling in.
Is there a trial period?
Two weeks, during which either of us can end the arrangement without notice. After that, whoever is ending it gives two weeks notice, and a parent can pay the two weeks instead of giving notice.
What happens with the ordinary scrapes?
Soap, water and a Band-Aid. They are inevitable when children play. Anything more serious than that and you hear from me at once.
What about Covid symptoms?
A persistent cough, a constant runny nose or a fever all count. Four things before your child comes back: a negative test, the cough significantly improved, twenty-four hours fever-free, and the runny nose resolved.
What happens if my child has a hard time behaving?
Almost everything settles without any of this, and you would hear from me long before it became formal. If a behavior keeps affecting other children I write it down in a log I share with you, we meet and build a written plan together and both sign it, and if that does not work we write a second one. If it still does not settle we talk honestly about whether I am the right place for your child, and depending on how serious it is, a child may have to leave without the usual two weeks notice. I would rather you knew that now than found it out in the moment.
Can my child bring a toy from home?
One comfort item only: a small stuffed animal, doll or lovey blanket, nothing that makes a noise, and it stays here for rest time. Everything else gets lost or broken or turns into an argument about sharing.
Check any of this for yourself
Everything above is how I run things, in my words. New Hampshire licenses family child care homes, inspects them, and publishes all of it, so you do not have to take my word for any of it.
- NH Child Care Licensing NH Department of Health and Human Services. What a license requires, including the rule that sets my numbers: one provider, six preschool children, plus up to three enrolled in school.
- NH Child Care Search State of New Hampshire. The official register. Look me up, and look up anybody else you are considering.
- Child Care Aware of New Hampshire Community Action Partnership. Free help finding care, including if this house turns out not to be the right fit.
There is more on my resources page: what to expect at each age, things to do at home, and who to call if something about your child’s development is worrying you.
Still not answered?
Ask me the hard ones. What happens when a child bites, what happens if you are late, what my back-up plan is when I am sick. The parents who ask those up front are the ones who are easiest to work with later.