when do you find time for the paperwork?

[newandlearning]

hi Ladies

as far as I can tell I need to do the following activities each week:


- Daily Diaries
- Observations
- Planning
- Developmental Book
- Menu for Week
- Misc stuff??
and finally ..
- Weekly Accounts

I've just spent the weekend bring my accounts uptodate and have just
done my tax return (I think its ok?)..

and I've spent at least 4-5 nights ever since starting the childminding doing
paperwork such as that listed above..

I'm now just wondering .. how do you manage doing all these things.. during
the day whilst minding or at other times. I really want to start getting a
better work life balance.. it sometimes feel the childminded kids are in my
thoughts more than my own.. any ideas on how I could manage these
things better would be greatly appreciated.

thanks a lot for reading.. xx

[Chatterbox Childcare]

[QUOTE=newandlearning;410253]hi Ladies

as far as I can tell I need to do the following activities each week:


- Daily Diaries - during the working day
- Observations - during the working day and I write them up on a weekend (10 mins each child)
- Planning - 1 hour per month
- Developmental Book - what is this?
- Menu for Week - during working hours
- Misc stuff?? - don't have any
and finally ..
- Weekly Accounts - Friday afternoon for 10 minutes I put everything into my diary and then when I get around to it I put it into a spreadsheet/NCMA book and complete monthly mileage

[Daftbat]

Pretty much the same as above. It works so much better if you can get the opportunity to do things as they crop up rather than leaving till later. I do some whilst the children are doing freeplay or sleeping.

[michellethegooner]

almost as above lol, but am catching up with some bits I needed to do,(because on get side tracked easily using the net lol) but didnt lol, so am doing bits in the evening,

[sweets]

I do a most of my paperwork during the day while the children are having a bit off free play, i sit at the table and keep an eye and ear on them!
I used to do my accounts weekly but now i do them at the end of the month, only takes 10 mins or so.
:)

[TheBTeam]

Apart from the daily diaries i never used to do any of my paperwork when i was minding, but it got too much so i changed a few weeks ago and now i will write my accounts some times if the children are happy playing (I have dh here too, so thought that i should save some evening time!).

I will write some observations up if they are already printed out, i will write the odd invoice that i need to etc.

[Mouse]

Like the others, I do mine during the day while the children are sleeping or playing. Much of it needs to be done while they are there anyway - daily diary, observations etc.

If children are playing happily, it's time well spent.

[beckycoop]

Yes I do mine in the day when the children are having free play.
I work 50 hrs a week so refuse to work outside that as well. I have two children of my own who need homework help etc.

Becky
x

[jeanybeany]

I too found this difficult when I decided to take on more children last Sept (thought I best try and fill my places :laughing: nice though spending 3 days a week with my lo). They didn't sleep etc in the day so was constantly on the go. Now they are in routines and sleep and do free play, so I am strict with myself to get things done. Today I've booked on a course, done planning along with daily diaries etc.

Just have to manage time more efficiently. I refuse to spend the weekends doing paperwork, I would sooner be in the park with my own children.

[huggableshelly]

I have no LO's on weds so that is my paperwork day but its shared with courseowk too for another month.

I seem to do some at night too but Hubby works shifts so doesnt bother me and gives me something to do.

[Mollymop]

- Daily Diaries as I am working
- Observations As I am working
- Planning As I am working when it is quiet time, or nap times. Or at weekends when I get a spare moment
- Developmental Book When I am working
- Menu for Week I don't have one of these.
- Misc stuff?? I do this as and when my "to do" tray gets full
and finally ..
- Weekly Accounts While I am working or weekends, it doesn't usually take more than a few minutes.