Does your group have a MOPPETS policy for moms? I got this off the MOPPETS forum at the MOPS website. It's from the Washington PA group.

Please share how your group handles MOPPETS by clicking on the comments button.
Thanks,
Barb


We hope you enjoy your MOPS morning. We can assure you the children are being nurtured and cared for in a very special way. It is the goal of our MOPPETS volunteers to provide a pleasant experience for your children while they are here.
Please ask a steering member if you need help locating your child’s room. Children are placed appropriately by age and developmental skills. If there is a question concerning the placement of your child, please see the MOPPETS Coordinator.

For the safety and comfort of your children and the children of others, we ask that you comply with these policies. The MOPPETS caregivers have been given the same guidelines during their orientation training and are asked to comply fully as well.

Ø Children should be brought to and picked up from the MOPPETS classrooms by the parent only and not by older siblings.

Ø For the first meeting, your child will receive a name tag. After this, it is expected that the children will wear their MOPPETS t-shirts to each meeting so that caregivers can call them by name. T-shirts can be left in the classroom each week and worn over top of another shirt if you choose.

Ø Please dress your children in “play clothes” as they will be participating in arts/crafts on during the meetings. The 2-year-old to 5-year-old classrooms may go outside, weather permitting, so please also dress them according to the weather. Label jackets and coats.

Ø Our MOPPETS volunteers begin their shift at 9:07 AM. Please drop your children off after that, but before the mom’s fellowship time is over and the meeting is ready to begin. Children should be picked up from MOPPETS immediately following the close of each meeting unless the teacher is notified beforehand. Sometimes even the most well adjusted child will become fearful or anxious if he/she is left after the other children have gone.

Ø Children, who show signs of illness, such as high temperatures, mucus cough, diarrhea, undiagnosed rash, or infectious disease, cannot be accepted into the MOPPETS classrooms. The MOPPETS caregiver will notify the MOPPETS Coordinator if a child becomes ill while at MOPS. The MOPPETS Coordinator will notify the mom who will be asked to pick up the child immediately. Please notify us if your child has been exposed to any infectious disease and has attended a MOPS meeting prior to the realization of the exposure (i.e. chicken pox).

Ø NO medications of any kind – not even Tylenol – will be given by any MOPPETS worker. If a child must have medication, such as allergy medicine, it must be kept with the parent until needed, and then administered by the parent at the appropriate time.

Ø All bottles, blankets, sippy cups, diaper bags, coats, etc. must be clearly labeled. It is especially important that the bottles and cups be clearly marked since many look alike.
Ø Bring only plastic feeding bottles, cups, and other containers. No squeezable juice boxes and no dark red or purple liquids in non-spill proof containers.

Ø Please use only disposable diapers when your child is in the MOPS nursery. Because of the prevalence of viruses, etc., and the need to eliminate the handling of diapers by the workers, disposable diapers are a necessity. If this is impossible for your child, please let the MOPPETS Coordinator know.

Ø Bring a sufficient number of diapers, remembering that some days are wetter than others. If the child is in training pants, a complete change of clothing is helpful.

Ø Mothers should refrain from checking on their children during the meetings. Say “goodbye” and leave immediately, even if your child is crying. It upsets the youngsters to see people come and go from the rooms. The crying usually stops quickly. When you return for your child after MOPS, your child will learn that you keep your promise to come back each time. Mothers will be notified immediately if they are needed.

Ø We ask that only babies younger than 6 months be brought into the mother’s meeting room during any portion of the MOPS morning. Nursing children of any age may be released from their classroom for a short period of time to eat. It is important that crawlers, walkers, and vocalizers NOT attend the meeting, except for the nursing period. MOPS is a special time for moms to have a break from the responsibilities of being a mom for just a brief time. Children in the meeting are distracting to their own mom, to other moms, and to our speakers. We have also found that children who participate fully in the MOPPETS program learn to love MOPS and call it their own.

Ø Please do not move your child to a different room without prior permission from the MOPPETS Coordinator. Numbers of children per room have been previously calculated to help accommodate your child’s safety.

Ø The MOPPETS rooms for infants through 24 months will provide auditory as well as visual stimulation, but most of all, a loving, caring atmosphere where the infants/children will feel safe and secure and learn about the love of Jesus.

Ø The MOPPETS program will provide a structured lesson for the other classes, including story time, craft time, music, and recreation, free time and snacks. PLEASE LET THE MOPPETS COORDINATOR AND YOUR CHILD’S TEACHER KNOW OF ANY FOOD ALLERGIES YOUR CHILD MAY HAVE. If you have a young child who is not yet drinking from a cup, it would be helpful to bring a labeled sippy cup for him/her.

IF, AT ANY TIME, YOU HAVE QUESTIONS OR CONCERNS ABOUT YOUR
CHILD OR THE MOPPETS PROGRAM, PLEASE DO NOT HESITATE
TO CONTACT OUR MOPPETS COORDINATOR, GAYLE STAHLMAN OR
ONE OF THE MOPS COORDINATORS.



MOPPETS DISCIPLINE POLICY

It is important to have a policy in effect, although we trust we will not have to resort to insisting a child leave the MOPPETS program. The policy is “Three Strikes, You’re Out.” It will be enforced when a child is in danger of hurting himself, other children, or the teacher at any time during the MOPS morning.



1) First Strike: If a child is exhibiting a behavior that is putting anyone in danger of being hurt, the first strike will come as a warning. The child will be warned of the consequence of his/her behavior. For example: If Timmy throws a block across the room, the teacher will warn him that this is unacceptable behavior because the block could hurt someone.

2) Second Strike: If the child continues on with this behavior, the teacher will talk to the child once again, stating that this is unacceptable behavior, and the child will be moved away from the area. Ex: Timmy throws another block, the teacher talks with Timmy and he is moved away from the blocks and is not allowed to play with them again that day.

3) Third Strike: If the child defies the teacher for a third time, his behavior will once again be brought to his attention by the teacher, and Mom will be brought in and will have to remove the child from the class for the remainder of that day. Ex: Timmy will have to leave the class with Mom but will be warmly invited back by his teacher at the next meeting.




Again, this policy is put into place to protect all involved in the classroom setting. Teachers will be responsible for general discipline and may from time to time need to speak with a mom after class about specific behaviors that do not pose any danger to anyone in the classroom setting but may cause distractions to the teacher or children.


We want to make our classrooms a safe, warm and inviting place where moms and children feel comfortable and will want to return. Thank you for your cooperation!