Help!!

[keatingschick]

I know this is a thread which is probably exhausted but I just feel like I am banging my head against a brick wall and feel like giving up.

I've been registered for about 7 years and always received GOOD at my inspections, but I just feel swamped at the moment. I'd just sort of got my head around Birth 2 three and they changed it. I am VERY willing to try, but feel I am getting nowhere fast. There doesnt seem to be any guidelines or TEMPLATES for the way things are needed. I am disappointed with my early years "support" and I use that term VERY loosely...because they are willing to come along and show you what they want you to use but arent very helpful on explaining or showing you how to put it into practise.

I could really do with throwing it ALL out and starting from scratch.

I find I get an idea in my head, start to develop it but it just doesnt FLOW. I wish I would find a method that works for me and it flowed from week to week.

The way the early years have said to set out the planning just doesnt seem to fit in.

One says I should use theme another says she doesnt see HOW I can fit a theme in.

I have a nearly 2 year old, with a VERY short attention span and a few behaviour issues....his main interests focus on a book we have "10 little ladybirds" - he will read that book day by length, he is obsessed with the cats outside and diggers and footballs, but aside of that thats IT..... and a 6 month old baby. From the 2yr olds interest in the ladybird book, I decided to go for insects - as he had shown the interest (child led)....but because of his age/stage of development struggled to plan for it and when my development worker came she said she didnt think I SHOULD be using a theme and said no wonder I was struggling, but I STILL struggled with what SHE said cos she didnt seem to be able to explain.:panic:

The EYFS confuses me no end...nothing seems straight forward....his mum says he is learning colours, but everything is yellow....but today I really REALLY concentrated on RED and by the end of the day he was recognising red....now to me that was a wow factor, but could I fit that into eyfs???? ( know full well that tomorrow everything will be yellow again :laughing:

I dont want someone doing my job for me...........I just want sum1 to be able to give me a starting point and hear a definate KERCHING as it falls into place but NOTHING has so far!!:( :(

I love all the ideas on here and would LOVE to be able to use them and feel confident, but as it stands I dont at all.........and I am dreading my Ofsted inspection. I know we always dread them, but in the past I've always known I'll do ok when it happens, but this time.....I just feel like I want to throw the towel in :(

[naomiesian]

Didn`t want to read and run but I don't think I can help much, I'm new, only been minding since march this year and I am completely overwhelmed by everything, I think I've got the hang of things and then when it comes to putting it on paper :eek: mind blank.
There are so many ways of doing things and I have yet to find the right way for me, I look around this site and everybody else seems to know the right way which then makes me wonder if I made the right decision in becoming a Childminder. I have just about grasped Observations :clapping: linking it all to the EYFS and next steps, but when it comes to daily, weekly and monthly planning I just don't know how to set it all out, I work 50 hours a week and I have my own 2 children as well and I just find that I haven't got enough time to do the never ending list of paperwork, by the time the children have gone home and Ive cooked tea, spent some quality time with my own children and then put them to bed, I then clean up and make sure everything's ready for the morning, by that time its rolling on past 11pm and I fall into bed and I refuse to work at weekends as those 2 days are dedicated to my children alone.
If I can help you in any way please just ask and I'm sure someone with more knowledge and confidence will be along soon with some great advice for you.
Sending you a big hug, don't throw the towel in hun, I'm sure you will get the hang of it (and I will as well) xxxxxxxxxxxxxx

[haribo]

dont give up .. ive been minding 17 yrs and am also struggling with the paperwork .to be honest i think you are trying too hard, i dont plan-or only very loosely eg what activities we will do and how to make them suit each child . i just have a file for each child and put all their drawings and pics in and 1 or 2 obs a month and am hoping ofsted will be happy . we arent teachers and i refuse to bow to pressure to work like one :panic:

[wellybelly]

First of all can I just congratulate you for standing up for yourself and admiting when things just don't work for you. I know lots of childminders who get in such a mess for what they are told to do by their early years support workers.

You have to find something that works for you and your setting!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I eventually found something after 2 and 1/2 years of looking and trying. For it to flow week in week out, you have to keep it simple and believe in it.

Start off by doing an interest sheet for each child in the EYFS, you could have 1 interest for each of the six areas of learning and development. Then from those interests think of something to do next. Thats it!!!!!!!!!

Then make observations written or with a camera of things you notice the children doing and compile all this in a folder. I have a rule of 1 observation a week per child as a minimum. I try to link my obs to an area of the development matters section in the EYFS practice guidance. And I scribble a next steps action point at the bottom of the same page - it only has to be a sentence.

Then once every month or two months if thats easier, do another interest sheet and again think of things to do next.

It's like a flow chart that takes you back round to the start again.

With this, I cover planning, observations and assessment. Ofsted have seen it and seemed very happy.

[wellybelly]

Forgot to add you can also add childrens art work / mark making / scribbles etc to the folder and then it turns into this wonderful record of the child's time with you.

[sarah707]

You have had some excellent ideas already.

I just wanted to add...

Under 3s are best following their interests. If he is interested in diggers, provide digger books and things for him to dig and let him play.

If he likes a ladybird book, go on a hunt in the garden for ladybirds, maybe make or buy ladybird finger puppet for him...

Keep your planning very loose around what he likes and let him lead the way.

As he gets towards 3 and his attention span lengthens, you can start to introduce a few more planned ideas but for now it's the child in the lead.

Hth :D