now I'm even more panicky!!!

[Helen Dempster]

I was in panic mode...now I'm in double/treble/quadruple(?!) panic mode, after reading all the links on here, and what you all do - you're all so organised and seem to be doing heaps more than me...I just want to hide under my duvet and cry :crying: I'm in total awe of it all, and my inspection is in two weeks....I don't know what to dooooooooooooooo!!!!!!!

[PixiePetal]

Don't panic :)

You haven't been registered for long and can't know it all yet.

Concentrate on the 'must do's' first.

Sarah707 is great at reminding us on the legal requirements etc, she may answer this or pm her.

Jen

[sue m]

Same here Helen, don't panic. Having said that, I have to admit I do sometimes when I read what all the girls (and men!) are doing, I'm doing nowhere near it! I minded from 1987 to 2002 and went back to it in 2007, what a shock!!! I really worried about the paperwork and still do but I have calmed down a bit now, I had an inspection and got good in all areas and I will just carry on doing what I'm doing. And pray.:)

[nannysue]

i had a really restless night last night, my brain would not switch off:( and everytime i woke up i was thinking of paperwork :eek: In all the years i have been childminding i have never felt soooo tired and stressed.Tried to do some today and stared at it, shuffled it and moved it around and then gave up!!! This is not like me at all :(

[sue m]

Same here Sue!

[sarah707]

Remember that the information you find in the posts on here is best practice on loads of different subjects...

Everyone all around the country has different ideas and suggestions which we throw into the pot.

Nobody, even superchildminder, can do everything we talk about... there simply aren't enough hours in the day. :eek:

The best way I find to use the information on the various forums is pick the bits that mean something to me or shout at me that I've not updated / looked at / thought about for a while. I just make notes as I browse and go and look at it later when I have the time / inclination.

Don't panic Helen, you'll be fine!

Is there anything specific you're looking for help with? :D

[Helen Dempster]

Remember that the information you find in the posts on here is best practice on loads of different subjects...

Everyone all around the country has different ideas and suggestions which we throw into the pot.

Nobody, even superchildminder, can do everything we talk about... there simply aren't enough hours in the day. :eek:

The best way I find to use the information on the various forums is pick the bits that mean something to me or shout at me that I've not updated / looked at / thought about for a while. I just make notes as I browse and go and look at it later when I have the time / inclination.

Don't panic Helen, you'll be fine!

Is there anything specific you're looking for help with? :D

Hi Sarah

I think it's the planning/assessments I'm having most problem with! I've got loads of observations, both with photos and without (haven't written any of them up though!) I've made a book for the 'learning journey' - it's just putting it all together. I look at all the notes/scrap bits of paper I've written things down on etc and think....AAARRRRGGGHHHH, what do I do with it now? It's all such gobbledegook to me when I read all the jargon about EYFS.

[angeldelight]

You need to take one step at a time Helen and stop getting in a panic

Concentrate on your obs which you seem to know all about anyway

You havent been minding for long so its going to take you a while to get your head around it - but you will

Angel xx

[sarah707]

Good advice there from Angel... take it one step at a time.

Go to one of the chidlren's learning journeys and stick in the photos...

Decide what area you have got evidence for and make a note of that.

If the child is old enough, show him the photo and write down any comments he makes.

Then think about how you have already planned activities to follow on from the photo... those are your next steps.

You'll have done most of it anyway and nobody wants reams and reams of stuff, just a few punchlines that will make parents smile and show you understand what you are doing.

Think back if you got any nuggets of info from other settins and add those in.

When it's all together, show it to parents, get some comments from them and write those down too... job done! :D

[Helen Dempster]

Thank you Sarah and Angel - I feel slightly calmer now.... for now ;)

I will try and heed your advice - all I can do is try my best/be myself and try and show I care about the children I look after and have their best interests. I do love teaching them different things and watching them explore and learn new things, so hopefully that will shine through. Just one more question - I've heard from a few people that we have to get something in writing about who has parental responsibility? Is there a form for this - I know there's an official court form that the parents have to complete and sign in front of witnesses, but don't understand what we have to acutally do regarding this?

Thanks again guys (and the others who replied that I've not mentioned!)

Take care

xx

[Spangles]

Don't forget that not everybody does everything on here! I certainly don't!

You just do your own system and everyone works differently. I simplify everything as, for me, I don't see the need to over complicate things.

I bet what you are doing is absolutely brilliant and you probably do things that we would think - wow, maybe I should be doing that!

[jmoff]

just do what works best for you and it doesnt have tp be complicated!

I was panicking before my inspection but the inspector was more then happy with it all.

Good luck!