​Sarah McVay

Ass't to the Rector for Infants & Toddlers​

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Nursery care is provided for children from birth through PreK/4s each Sunday from 8:45 a.m. until the end of the 11:15 a.m. church service.
 
· Infants - Toddlers (birth to approximately 24 months):                         
St. Anne Room
 
In the above age group, for the 9:00 a.m. and 11:15 a.m. services, we have a consistent lead in the room every Sunday because we want to make the nursery as comfortable and familiar as possible for our babies (and their parents). The other caregivers are a combination of youth and adult volunteers who serve on a rotational basis. We typically do not use parents of this age group because they usually need a break and because most babies do not share their parents well.
 
During the 10:15 a.m. Sunday School hour, the caregivers are all adult volunteers who come every Sunday to offer this caring ministry to you and your little ones. We list them among our Sunday School teachers because they are indeed teaching our infants and toddlers that church is a safe, happy place to be, and because they are giving parents an opportunity to participate in Christian Education!
 
·  Twos (turning two before 9/1):                  
St. Elizabeth Room
 
· Threes (turning three before 9/1):              
St. Mark Room
 
· PreK (turning four before 9/1):         
St. John Room
 
In the above three age groups, we rely on the parents of children ages two through PreK/4s to care for children during the 9:00 a.m. service on a rotating basis. Schedules are e-mailed to parishioners, and parents are asked to swap with another family if they have been scheduled at an inconvenient time. During the 11:15 a.m. service, all children (infants-PreK/4s) are together for childcare in the Infant and Toddler Rooms. The preschool classrooms are not utilized during the 11:15 a.m. service.
 
Other Nursery Offerings
We provide nursery care for infants through PreK/4s on Wednesdays during Women of Wonder, which meets bi-monthly on Wednesdays from 10:00 a.m. –12:00 p.m.

Additionally, we provide nursery care for many special services, such as Ash Wednesday, Good Friday and Christmas Eve services. Notification about nursery offerings for those services is published in The Illumination newsletter.
 
Frequently Asked Questions
about the Infant/Toddler Nurseries:
 
How old must a baby be to come to the nursery? We have had several babies just a week old. A point to ponder: A baby who comes to the nursery at a very young age never experiences us as strangers.
 
What about feeding? We gladly give bottles. Please mix formula ahead of time. We cannot really manage spoon-feeding, and although we do sometimes give snacks brought for a particular child (cheerios, for example) it is difficult to explain to the other babies why we are not sharing. We do have animal crackers for emergencies.
 
What about changing diapers? We work very hard at keeping everyone clean and dry. Our goal is to change each child at least once. We ask that diapers come with the child, but we do keep some on hand for emergencies.
 
What about health concerns? We work very hard on our part of this matter: We change sheets, blankets, etc., with every child, wash infant toys every week, wash hands between diaper changes and use germicidal spray on changing pads, walkers, and other surfaces. We ask you to do your part by keeping sick children at home! Reminder: A good rule-of-thumb is fever-free and vomit-free for 24 hours.
 
What about security? We ask that you sign your child in and out every Sunday on the sheets located outside of each classroom. Also, parents should remember to “tag” their infants or toddlers with a stick-on nametag with first AND last names EVERY time.
 
What should I bring with my child for a stay in the nursery? Please bring adequate supplies for the length of stay: diapers, change of clothing, pacifier, bottle (with formula already prepared). Even if your baby does not usually eat at this time, nursery time frequently disrupts normal routine and a bottle of milk or juice sometimes soothes a fussy infant. Please bring belongings in a diaper bag and mark both bag and contents. We request that all of our little ones’ diaper bags be labeled so our nursery caregivers can easily identify a child’s bag. 
 
Tell me about the dropping off procedure! Please leave your child at the door and pick him/her up at the door. PLEASE DO NOT PLAN TO ENTER WITH YOUR CHILD. This give us AND your child a chance to work through separation. Help us keep a calm, secure environment by using our Dutch doors to hand children in and out without the additional risks of strangers in our nurseries, fast-moving escapees, mashed fingers, bumped heads, etc.
 
We ask that you include your cell phone number on the sign-in sheet, and to please turn your phone on vibrate.  We will text or call you if your child appears to be ill, or in the unlikely event that he/she remains inconsolable despite our best efforts after a reasonable period of time. (Please note that this is extremely rare!!!)
 
When is Nursery provided for this age group? During the school year, our Sunday worship services are at 7:45 a.m., 9:00 a.m. (child-friendly), 11:15 a.m., and 6:00 p.m. Nursery is provided for infants through PreK/4s during the 9:00 a.m. and 11:15 a.m. services (and of course, the children attend age-appropriate Sunday School classes at 10:15 a.m.).
 
During the summer, our Sunday worship services are at 7:45 a.m., 10:00 a.m., and 6:00 p.m. (Sunday School does not meet during the summer). Nursery is provided for infants through PreK/4s during the 10:00 a.m. service.
 
How is my child placed in the proper class? Effective the first Sunday of the summer schedule, your child is considered a member of the class he/she will be entering in the fall. For instance, children whose 2nd birthday falls before September 1st will “graduate” to the two-year-old room in early summer.
 
For the parents of the rising two-year-olds (turning two before 9/1): It’s an exciting time because you become a part of the beloved Parent Rotation and are able to keep your child’s nursery on a rotating basis along with other parents of children this age.
 
Tell me about the sign-in procedure. Parents are asked to sign your child in AND out of the nursery or their Sunday School room EVERY Sunday. Monthly sign-in sheets are placed outside the classroom doors each Sunday.
 
Also, parents should remember to “tag” their children with a stick-on nametag with first AND last names EVERY time. Nametag “buttons” are provided for church members’ children.
 
What about snack time? For our 2 year old's through PreK/4s, we provide a snack of apple juice and animal crackers during the 9:00 a.m. and 11:15 a.m. services (10:00 a.m. in the summer). 

Tell me more about keeping the children healthy. WE ENCOURAGE SHARING BUT…not of colds and other assorted bugs! Please use “fever-free for 24 hours” as your guideline as to whether to bring your child to church.