Nursery and Child Care We are pleased to announce that the church nursery is housed in the all-new Mary Ruth Garner Children's Center!
- All staff are CPR certified.
- We employ a Nursery Coordinator to ensure that nursery facilities are adequately staffed, regularly cleaned, bleached and maintained.
- We offer three separate rooms filled with age-appropriate toys and furnishings.
- Nursery Wellness
- Your Child's Needs
- Your Child's Belongings
- Donating Items
- Nursery Reservation Policy
- Volunteers
- Emergencies
Children are our special responsibility, entrusted to our care by God. It is the mission of our Nursery staff here at First Christian Church to provide a place where young children are loved, nurtured, and cared for. In our Nursery, infants, toddlers, and twos have their first introduction to their church home. Here they learn from loving caregivers what Jesus taught the children: God loves you!!
"Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them,
for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these." Mark 10:14 BACK
The nursery is available from 8:15 until noon each Sunday. In addition, there is child care provided for those participating in most meetings, music rehearsals and special events. For the health and safety of all our children, we would ask that when bringing children to our nursery you follow the guidelines listed below. BACK
First Christian Church provides three nurseries, located in the blue striped hallway of the Education Wing, to provide care for children of different ages:
Infants: Newborn to 12 months
Pre-Toddlers: 12 to 24 months
Toddlers: 24 to 36 months
Transfer of children to an older class will be based on maturation. Transfers are made by nursery staff in consultation with the Nursery Coordinator and parents. BACK
Children turning three are promoted into the Sunday School program in August of each year. We ask that you wait for the next promotion date to advance your child. BACK
Our Nursery Coordinator is Andrea Whorton. Please feel free to contact her with any comments or concerns you might have. You can reach her by calling the church and leaving a message, 636-2230. Our nursery attendants are all CPR certified and are recognizable by their bright smocks. BACK
One of the goals of discipline is to teach children controls which will help them grow in a healthy, safe manner. Through discipline, they learn self-control. As caregivers, we want to create a trusting, caring environment and provide a safe and stimulating atmosphere.
We will remove a children from situations when they are hurting others or may hurt themselves. Re-directing will be used and time-out will be used only as a last resort.
Any kind of negative physical reaction to a young child’s behavior is NEVER appropriate. Each child will be treated with respect, love and kindness. BACK
1. To avoid crowded conditions please leave and pick-up your child at the door. Please do not enter the children’s area. We understand that occasionally a child will need to be reassured by you and you will need to come in, however the Nursery staff is better able to insure the safety of the children if only those working are in the Nursery.
2. Sign your child in at the door and record how we can best meet their needs (when they last had a bottle, when they may want a nap, if they are potty training).
3. Our Nursery staff will hand you a numbered pager, which will correspond to a tag on your child’s bag. Please check to be sure that your pager is on. If you are needed during the time you are away you will be paged. Please respond promptly.
4.Don’t slip away from your child. Tell him in a kind, but firm voice that you are going but will be back soon. Leave immediately. If your child continues to be upset, you will be paged. It is not necessary to check on your child during the service (this often upsets the child again). However, you are welcome to discreetly see how your child is doing.
5. Parents are asked to call for their children immediately at the close of the activity in which they are participating. Most of our Nursery staff are members of our congregation and on days when the Church has special activities (Easter egg hunt, Fall Festival, etc.) planned they wish to participate with their families. Therefore, your promptness in picking up your child from the Nursery on these days will be especially appreciated.
6. When returning for your child, please wait at the door. A staff person will bring your child to you as soon as they are free. This helps reduce traffic inside the nursery and insure the safety of our little ones. Please give this person your pager. Children in the Nursery will only be released to a parent or another adult listed on the child’s information sheet. Please do not send older children to get them. BACK
If your child is sick he/she will be more comfortable at home. Please do not expose other children and the Nursery staff unnecessarily to infection. If your child exhibits any of the following symptoms, please do not bring them to the Nursery:
Fever within the last 24 hour period
(our nursery is equipped with a Thermoscan thermometer)Diarrhea within the last 24 hour period Vomiting within the last 24 hour period Rash not associated with diapering, heat or allergies Discharge from the child’s nose not clear in color If your child exhibits any of these symptoms while in the Nursery you will be paged to pick them up. Your cooperation in following these guidelines will help to keep our Nursery a safe environment for all who use it. Nursery staff cannot give any medication to children. Bedding is washed after each use and toys are cleaned with disinfectant weekly. BACK
Please understand if we do not keep your child on their daily schedule. There are too many variables in our rooms to do that successfully.
Infants will be given bottles according to their needs unless you give the staff specific instructions. A special area is provided so that nursing mothers may nurse their child at any time in privacy.
We try many things to comfort your child. If your child has a particular item that helps, please send it (pacifier, blanket, doll).
Unless your child is allergic to disposable diapers, he/she will need to wear them while in the nursery.
On Sunday mornings, a snack and water will be offered in the nursery rooms. If your child has food allergies, please make our Nursery staff aware of it.
It is not possible for the Nursery staff to feed children meals. Please make sure your child is fed their meal before they arrive. BACK
There are many items brought to the nursery that are alike. We want to be sure that your child’s items are used by them and go home with them.
Please label in a visible place everything your child brings. Including diaper bags, carriers and car seats, changes of clothing, cups, pacifiers, bottles, etc.
Our nursery is well equipped with blankets, burp clothes, and toys. We recommend that while your child is in the Nursery you allow us to use these things we have. This will reduce our lost and found basket. BACK
We will be happy to accept donated equipment and toys. We reserve the right not to use and will discard these items if they are broken or have missing pieces and/or are unsafe for use in the Nursery. Contact the Nursery Coordinator through the church office if you have any donations. BACK
In order to properly staff the Nursery, events which are not regularly scheduled will require parents to sign-up for Nursery care on a sheet posted on the bulletin board outside the Infant room. Any department or groups planning an event for which they wish to provide a nursery (newborns - 3 years of age) will need to contact the Nursery Coordinator preferably one month in advance so that she can coordinate staffing for the event. Sign-up sheets will be posted as soon as possible and reservations taken up to one week in advance of the event. BACK
Because as parents you have so much to offer our Nursery, if you attend regularly, your name will be placed on our Volunteer List and you will be asked to volunteer occasionally. It will usually be for a Sunday morning. You will be in a room with a regular Nursery staff person and will be asked to help them with the children in their care on that day. This may be coloring, reading stories, holding babies, or giving bottles. If you use the Nursery you will be contacted about a time to volunteer.
We wish to extend the invitation to those who may not have children in the Nursery to volunteer. What a wonderful way to share the gifts God has given each of us, and to get to know some of the littlest members of your church family. You will find the Nursery to be a rewarding place. Please contact the Nursery Coordinator if you are interested in being placed on our volunteer list. BACK
Our Nursery staff is CPR certified.
We have posted in each Nursery room both fire and severe weather emergency plans. Our Nursery staff is trained to handle these situations. Please know that your child will be taken care of if these situations should arise. Parents coming to the Nursery to get their children will add to any confusion there may be. If there is a fire, your children will be evacuated to the rear parking lot. Please allow us to evacuate them. You can find them there after the evacuation. BACK
