At MAM’s Childcare, we understand how important it is for there to be a smooth transition between childcare and home life. We are keen to work closely with you as a parent. Here you will find all the practical information you need to ensure the transition is as smooth as possible for your child. This will help your child feel at home quickly and thrive at MAM’s Childcare.
Getting Started
Starting at MAM’s Childcare is a special step. We always begin with a welcome meeting, which takes place with your child’s mentor. During this welcome meeting, we discuss your child’s routines and needs, so that we can coordinate everything as closely as possible. We’ll explain what a typical day at MAM’s Childcare looks like and answer any questions you may have. There’ll also be time to have a look around the group. Children start at MAM’s Childcare from the start date of the contract. During this period, we gradually build up your child’s time at MAM’s, so that they can settle into the new environment, get to know the childcare professionals and the other children in a relaxed way. Together, we look at what your child needs to feel safe, seen and at ease. In this way, we create a smooth transition and a familiar start at MAM’s.
Care products
We provide Pampers nappies and wipes. If you prefer a different brand, please bring your own. We also have Bepanthen and Sudocreme available in our groups. Younger children wear a bib during mealtimes.
Bottles and practice snacks
Children who drink formula should bring their own from home so that they can have the brand they are used to. We would ask you to provide a bottle and a powder container with measured feeds, labelled with their name. If you are breastfeeding, this may be provided in a bottle or bag, labelled with the name, date and quantity. If you are providing breast milk, you can store a spare feed in a bag (labelled with your child’s name, the date and the quantity) in our freezer.
If you are breastfeeding, we would like to advise you to start practising bottle-feeding at home in good time. Let someone else give a bottle too, so that your child can gradually get used to being fed from a bottle by someone else. Once a child has become accustomed to drinking from a bottle, the transition to nursery becomes more predictable and less disruptive. Babies love predictability; if a feeding method already feels familiar, they do not have to cope with several major changes at once (new surroundings, new faces, a different routine).
Complementary feeding
As your child gets older, we will offer snacks and a varied diet in addition to formula. Please let us know when you start introducing solid foods, so that we can offer these too.
Fresh fruit and vegetables will initially be offered as fruit purées and later in small pieces. At lunchtime, we eat bread and also offer nutritious snacks. We involve the children in mealtimes; for example, they help cut up fruit and spread their own bread.
Fruit and vegetable snacks
We only expand children’s diets when parents request this. We are happy to align with what your child is already used to eating at home.
- Taster portions are only given when parents inform us. We would like to hear what you have already offered at home so that we can align with this.
- Fruit snacks are made with apple, pear and banana.
- In the afternoon, we steam vegetables; for the very youngest children, these may be made into purées. For older children, there are pieces of steamed vegetables.
- We advocate a hot meal at home. Up to the age of 1, children can eat an evening meal they have brought from home at MAM’s. We offer this between 4.00 pm and 4.30 pm.
- From 6 months, children can start eating bread. Parents often begin with a crust or small pieces of bread with butter. If you have started this at home, please let us know so that we can offer it too.
- From 6 months, children may have water or tea in addition to formula. At MAM’s, we offer Tootea in the groups. This is a tea made from dried fruit. Children drink this from a small glass or a Munchkin cup.
- Between 10 and 12 months, we encourage children to transition to eating pieces of fruit and vegetables.
Safe sleeping
A safe sleeping environment is essential for the health and well-being of young children. At MAM’s Childcare, we follow clear guidelines based on the latest insights into safe sleeping, so that babies can sleep with confidence and in complete peace of mind. Our staff follow set guidelines regarding sleeping positions, bedding, supervision and communication with parents.
In our Safe Sleeping Protocol, we are happy to explain how we ensure safe sleeping conditions and what parents can expect from us. In this way, we work together to ensure a safe start for every child.
Basket & Collection and delivery
Basket
Every child has a basket in which they can keep the items they have brought with them. These might include dummies, cuddly toys and sleeping bags. These items can be taken home at the end of the day.
Drop-off and pick-up
You can drop off your child from the start time specified in the contract until 09.00, after which we would like to begin our daily routine. If you are ever running late, please let us know. Pick-up is generally from 16.30. If you would like to collect your child earlier on occasion, please let us know so that we can take this into account.
If someone other than you, the parent, is coming to collect your child, please let us know in advance so that we can verify this when they arrive. We will not hand your child over to anyone else without your permission.
What advice would you give?
A quick checklist:
- Spare clothes (including a bodysuit or underwear),
- Formula or breast milk. Labelled with your name,
- Bottle, labelled with name,
- Possibly a dummy and/or a cuddly toy,
- A sleeping bag, up to 2 years old.
We would ask you to label all items, including coats and shoes, with your child’s name.
Communication
Mentoring and parent-child meetings.
At MAM’s Childcare, every child is assigned a mentor. The mentor is the designated childcare professional responsible for monitoring your child’s development and well-being at MAM’s Childcare. The mentor is your first point of contact as a parent. The mentor is also responsible for observing your child; once a year, around your child’s birthday, there is also an opportunity to discuss this during a parent-teacher meeting. During the parent-teacher meeting, the childcare professional discusses the observations with you as a parent, and there is time for you to ask questions.
Communication
Communication with the group mainly takes place via the MAMs app. In the app, you can send messages to the group with any questions, and you can also send a report about your child yourself. You can download the diary reports and photos as PDF files to print them yourself or have them printed as a lovely memento of your time at MAM’s Childcare. Do you have any urgent questions? You can always contact the centre by phone.
Parents’ Committee
Almost every branch has a parents’ committee; information about this can be found in the Parent App. If you are interested in joining, please let the branch’s MAM Specialist or Expert know.