Livingston Street’s Expectations:
Parents and guardians are expected to recognize that teachers at Livingston Street are knowledgeable about child development. We support good quality child care practices. We follow the most current research on brain development and provide intentional, evidence-based care for young children and their families.
We expect open communication from families about their home-based childcare practices. If we disagree about a particular childcare method, families should know that we are here to listen, but that we will not necessarily change our practice nor will we force you to change yours (unless the practice is abusive – see our Child Abuse Policy).
Livingston Street expects that families treat this program like their community because IT IS. That means parents/guardians/families participate in the programs and/or get to know one another.
Livingston Street makes a space for family interaction by hosting potluck dinners every other month. We also create time twice a year for community service projects. Typically, the dinners happen on a weekday after the program has ended. But the community service occurs on a weekend. Livingston Street is committed to creating an environment that facilitates family connection. With the understanding that all families and individuals are different and have differing needs, we attempt to make space and time for people to connect in a social environment over a meal. However, some people feel uncomfortable and overwhelmed by social situations, thus we provide volunteer opportunities throughout the year to promote connection among families. Volunteering is a wonderful way to get involved in your child’s class and/or Kingston community. Working side-by-side with others while meeting a tangible goal is a bonding experience that may not happen during a shared meal.
If you ever have a question or don’t understand an expectation or policy, please ask. We welcome open communication and dialogue. With honest communication and intentional actions, we work together to make our children, families, and community more resilient, compassionate, and socially and emotionally strong.
