What are MOPPETS?
MOPPETS provide child care for MOPS moms during the biweekly meetings. It is
a ministry to the children of the members of Dryden MOPS and by extension to the moms themselves. MOPPETS teachers are committed to giving each child the loving, quality care that he or she deserves. Knowing this, each mother can participate fully in the MOPS program with the assurance that her child’s happiness and well-being are of paramount importance to us and that her child’s needs will be attended to with patience and respect. The primary goal is to furnish a safe, nurturing place where our moms’ preschoolers can play, learn and grow, and to teach them of the love of God through Bible stories, crafts, songs and the caring ways of the MOPPETS teachers.
MOPPETS teachers help shape the future through their input of Christian love and teaching. Dividing the children into age groups allows each child to socialize with other little ones of similar skill and interest level. Supervised free play and planned activities contribute to the children’s:
• Social growth through group play and participation
• Physical and creative development through games, crafts, and exercise
• Spiritual enrichment through stories and music
Registration
Registration forms must be completed for each child with pertinent information/health issues that your child’s teacher/care giver will need to know.
Sign-in and sign-out:
• Children may be checked in starting at 8:45 a.m.
• Sign your child in on the check-in sheet at the door and make any comments/notations needed (feeding times, suggestions in case of fussiness, etc.).
• Please make sure that your child has his or her name tag on. Only the mother, or those designated by her on the Child Registration Form, will be allowed to pick up the child.
• Children should be picked up immediately at the close of each MOPS meeting. (Children may become fearful or anxious if left after the other children have gone.)
Illness:
• Please do not bring sick kids to MOPS. Children who show signs of illness within the 24 hours prior to the MOPS meeting, such as fever, rash, diarrhea, vomiting, coughing, or greenish mucus from the nose cannot be accepted in the MOPPETS program that morning. Also, the MOPPETS leader will notify the mother to pick up the child immediately if the child becomes ill while in MOPPETS.
• Medication will not be administered by any MOPPETS worker. If a child must have medication, it should be kept with the mother until needed and then given by the mother.
• If your child develops a communicable childhood illness (such as chicken pox, strep throat, etc.) please notify the MOPPETS Coordinator so we can notify other mothers that their child may have been exposed.
Classroom expectations:
• Unless it is absolutely unavoidable, please do not spend more than a couple of minutes in the MOPPETS room getting your child settled.
• If you must leave early, please pick your child up as quickly and quietly as possible, so that the process does not distract the other children. (Otherwise, they will begin to wonder when their mommy is coming, too.)
• Mothers should refrain from checking on their children during the meeting. The MOPPETS teachers and helpers are trained and willing to care for your child, even when in the throes of separation anxiety. We have a 20 minute rule: Unless you wish to make a different arrangement, a helper will come and find a mom if her child has not stopped crying after 20 minutes.
Baby baggage:
• All bottles, blankets, diaper bags, coats, etc. must be clearly labeled. Please keep personal items to a minimum.
• Be sure you supply a sufficient number of diapers. If your child is in the midst of potty training, bringing a complete change of clothes is recommended...just in case.
